NOW HIRING: US ARMY: 30,000 new stimulus jobs!The first Friday of the month has special significance for me. It's the day the Bureau for Labor Statistics releases its employment figures. Okay, so most of my unemployed buddies are not checking these figures right now, but I'm political and I'm unemployed. I like to know where we, the jobless, stand as a group.
There are still 15 million unemployed, pretty much unchanged from last month. Construction employment (my thing) and manufacturing jobs continue to plummet, but there was an uptick in retail employment for Christmas, although "black friday" figures don't bode well for that sector. Healthcare continues to boom. So far healthcare has gained half a million jobs over this recession. In an economic system based on profit, health care is a good money maker.
The average unemployment benefit for a Californian is around $1300-a-month. The average Cobra (healthcare insurance) cost in California is $1,050-a-month. So its a simple issue of healthcare or rent, healthcare or food, healthcare or heating. Or Healthcare and $250 for all else.
I was laid off at the end of January 2009. After 10 years with one employer. My group in the stats is those unemployed for more than 6-months: close to 40% of all jobless, some 6 million people.
I did get good news this week: my old boss is rehiring. I may get 2 months work starting in a few weeks. That's good news. The downside is that if I get a couple of months work it may mess with my federally subsidized healthcare insurance, so I may end up paying $1100-a-month in January and February for health coverage for my partner and two children.
We don't need a healthcare overhaul. We need an overhaul of the whole economic system. Otherwise we will continue to live in a world where the only steady job is with a gun in your hand! And THAT is messed up.
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