Americans' Pay Not Keeping Up With Energy And Other Prices

[ozymandius]

http://biz.yahoo.com/ibd/050519/general.html

The average American is working harder and smarter than ever.

But on payday, that's not making much difference.

U.S. wage growth isn't keeping up with rising prices for everything from gas to groceries to medical care. Strong productivity gains and an improving job market are not helping as they did in the past.

Adjusted for inflation, real weekly wages are down 0.3% vs. a year earlier. That's despite a slight monthly gain in April, Labor Department figures show.

more...

[thoughtanarchist]

1. I feel it too

good post Ozy!

[UCLA Dem]

2. Nope. Haven't had a raise in over a year.

[3waygeek]

15. It's been 10 years for me n/t

[PassingFair]

3. Anyone else notice that their billings are getting screwed up, too?

Like 4 month water bills (should be 3). Comcast billing RETROACTIVLEY after a promo price expired, and then trying to bill IN ADVANCE (!) for another half a month! (Yes, I cancelled, bloody thieves!)
Gas & electric soared over the winter, and the cold spring didn't help.
Groceries gone sky-high.
Management's heads up their asses at work. Can't understand why sales are down...we are told NOT to mention economy in our defense. Er, guess we're just slackers, better FIRE OUR ASSES!

Oh well, its Friday!

[Deja Q]

4. This pattern has existed for 33 straight years with no 8 year reprieve.

ANd people won't care as long as they have their American Idol or Family Guy. On is mindless, the other spins the truth to make the rest of us look like fools.

[Tansy_Gold]

5. I almost got in trouble the other day at work because I said I had

never seen American Idol, Survivor, or even Everyone Loves Raymond.

I was accused of being a liar.

[getmeouttahere]

6. Tansy_Gold, please tell me you're kidding....

because I don't watch that crap either...although Raymond was good, I just don't watch network TV at all.

[sleipnir]

7. I'm about to ask for a raise....I only half expect to get it

The price of living is going up and up.

Reminds me of that really funny Onion article: "Cost of Living Not Worth the Money."

[BiggJawn]

8. Duh? If this weren't so serious, I'd say it was from "The Onion"

REAL buying power has been stagnant for most Murkans since what, about 1982?

I took some of those "Adjusted for Inflation" formula and reverse-engineered my salary. In 1981 dollars, I'm making about $8.50. In 1981, I was making about $14 a hour working in a factory.

No forkin' wonder I could afford a new Harley-Davidson THEN, but can't NOW...

"Oh, but ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION, gasoline is actually CHEAPER now than it was in the winter of 82-83..."
Yeah, and at $3 an hour, I couldn't afford that $1.40 a gallon stuff either, back then...

And my "raise" last year was 2%. In an economy where the rate of inflation was almost 4%...

[Voltaire99]

9. "Harder and smarter than ever."

Sorry, I don't buy it. That's corporate talk.

My unscientific survey of "average workers" with whom I come in contact is that they're depressed, scared, unmotivated, bored, stressed, overworked, and watching the clock until they can go home.

And can you blame them? The American Dream now is to hold on to your Wal-Mart job. If you're one of the last skilled workers, such as those in the auto industry, then you're already rotating shifts on semi-permanent layoffs in some places. Those able to make it into the professions are worked mercilessly; one lawyer of my acquaintance has circles beneath her eyes that you could hide WMDs in. In tech, outsourcing is the wolf at the door.

And all know that beneath them lies only the thinnest safety net, an onion skin separating them from the abyss.

It's clear that neoliberal market ideology--whether advanced by Clinton or Bush--is an empty, dead-end, good for owners but brutal for everyone else.

We need a change. If it won't be from the Democrats, then so be it.

[kineneb]

18. I pretend to work...

and they pretend to pay me.

-old Soviet saying

Yes, disgruntled worker here. So I just plod along. I will not bust my butt for $313/wk with no benefits.

[UpInArms]

10. the electric utility that gouges me is requesting a rate hike

Aquila seeks to boost Missouri power rates

http://www.reuters.com/financeNewsArticle.jhtml?type=governmentFilingsNews&storyID=8560403§ion=investing

NEW YORK, May 20 (Reuters) - Aquila Inc. (ILA.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said Friday it would request a 14.3 percent rate increase to recover costs from electric customers in its Missouri Public Service (MPS) area in Missouri.

The Kansas City, Missouri-based energy company said it would file with the Missouri Public Service Commission in late May for the rate increase totaling about $53 million for Aquila's 240,000 MPS electric customers.

The proposed increase would result in an increase of about $11.48 per month for the average MPS residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity a month.

The primary reasons for the rate increase include rising fuel (natural gas and coal) costs, construction of new generation and transmission projects to meet growing demand by new and existing customers.

...more...

When we moved here (a dozen years ago) our electricity was produced by a local (within 60 miles) company that was owned and controlled by the city and its citizens. In the Enron-merger mentality, they sold off their public utility and now they have no control over any of it.

Guess it's time to bend over again :(

[catzies]

11. I lost 15 lbs. on the ExxonMobil Diet! Ask Me How! (trademark pending)

My gas expenses rose 58%, so since I didn't get a raise last year, my gas money comes out of my grocery budget. :mad:

[Paganini]

12. Between Medical expenses and Gas I'm screwed

I got the smallest raise I've ever gotten this year. It's more than eaten up by the increase in my health insurance and gas. I feel that I actually got a decrease in pay. Folks we are screwed...Thank you Mr Bush for focusing on the real issues, dumb ass.

[UpInArms]

13. Welcome to DU Paganini!

Glad to have you here :hi:

[Fire Walk With Me]

14. Energy prices? Why is that a suprise

When DeLay, Cheney, Enron and pals helped set energy policy?

[struggle4progress]

16. kick

[earth mom]

17. I really don't understand how people are making ends meet

anymore. I'm thinking they are ALL selling on ebay... :shrug: