Comments on: Not so merry for one in ten in Toledo…

By: whattofunk

whattofunk — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 03:25:02 +0000

Well it was indeed christmas today at the table, we have family that have worked for Dana and UT for many years. They are waiting for that person to come to their cube/office and tell them to pack it up. There was talk about unemployment benefits, but it was said, “we will deal with it when the time comes” so basically its nothing new that we don’t know about. It’s said but 1000’s have been forced out of their office already, so it’s nothing new. It’s Sad but just have to deal with it as well its the econ that we live in.

By: kateb

kateb — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 04:31:20 +0000

Not so surprisingly, one in ten mortgages in Toledo are behind or in default/foreclosure.

Merry Christmas.

By: LisaRenee

LisaRenee — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 21:32:48 +0000

Jim, your comment made me curious so I headed over to the Blade’s job site. There were 497 job listings within a 10 mile radius of Toledo, 21,700 people are unemployed and receiving benefits for Lucas County according to the Department of Jobs and Family services. Which as Dave aptly pointed out, the numbers are much higher when you include those who have reached the end of their unemployment benefits and those who did not qualify for unemployment for a variety of reasons.

Most of the jobs listed were retail or required specialized degrees. The employer with the most openings was Pilot Travel Centers, with a variety of positions but mainly hourly retail which having done that sort of job in the past, typically does not earn the “living wage” for this area. Yes, it would be better than no wage, they don’t list their hourly salary to know for certain.

The bulk of the other jobs listed, were the U.S. Navy, which I think some of us might be a bit old for. If however you have been dreaming of a restaurant management career, several places are hiring and if you have a nursing or a medical background, there are health care positions.

By: Jim Moody

Jim Moody — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 21:01:28 +0000

I feel for those and their families who have lost their jobs. I remember when I became unemployed, couldn’t find work in my field and literally lived off pork and beans for way too long.

Unemployment affects so many, not only the immediate family, but distant relatives as well. Everybody wants to help but even their pocket books can only go so far.

Fortunately, there are solutions. I don’t believe that you ‘can’t teach an old dog new tricks’. THere are many opportunities for retraining and advanced education. Looking in today’s help wanted section I found many jobs that have yet to be filled. We simply have to find a better delivery system for these types of services.

Merry Christmas to all!

By: Rockets Man

Rockets Man — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 18:14:29 +0000

Also keep in mind, now that everyone including both genders are working today comparing several decades ago where a woman usually stay home to tend the house and children. Today, many households have two earning individuals if not more versus a single breadwinner, I know it has drastically changed in our family in the past 30-40 years. I know that my grandparents are the last generation in our family to bear an one-single income family including my sister with her nuclear family. Everyone else usually works to bring the income to the house.

A question that bears me down…”Is now the time or era to get the spouses get off unemployment and stay home while the breadwinner makes the money?” (The rate be lowered as it would cut down the overrated unemployment paradigm among us?!?). Or has the demographic of our nation changed too drastic that we will never go back to “single-household-breadwinner?” Is it time to go back the basic fundamentals of being a wholesome family where someone was home all the time to take care of “family needs?” If you get my drift.

By: Dave Schulz

Dave Schulz — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 17:41:01 +0000

Watching CSPAN the other day, Kevin Phillips said that the Feds keep two unemployment numbers; U3 and U6. The U3 is the one always quoted and released. That number is around 6.7% but contains many caveats and exceptions; namely those who have stopped looking. The U6 number is 12.5% nationwide. I would imagine Toledo’s is much higher depending on how they calculate them.