The Underpaid Worker: A Looming US Crisis

Hopefully, the complete IRS tax system overhaul planned by the Republican leadership in Congress will tackle some of the issues pushing jobs out of the U.S. But I am skeptical since the exportation of jobs, including manufacturing jobs, is a tool to control inflation.

In my opinion, inflation is the reason Republicans defend tax incentives designed to encourage companies to more overseas. Today, unskilled workers are underpaid.

For example: unloading packages weighing up to 300 lbs from an 18 wheel truck for four hours three days a week and spending the remaining time storing those heavy packages for $9.00 per hour. And some businesses demand that the employees complete the unloading of the truck in four hours.

We are back to the days of underpaid labor. So the reason for unions has re-surfaced. If companies don't want unions, then those companies should pay their workers a fair wage for the risks the workers take..

A worker who has to lift heavy packages weighing up to 300 pounds fully deserves $15 dollars per hour and more. These workers risk back injury on a daily basis. If they are working in other nations, they deserve the equivalent of $15 per hour in foreign currency.

This situation does not exist only with unskilled labor. It exists with skilled and unskilled labor. And the problems are getting worse; not better. The wages are not keeping up with the price of living. As a matter of fact, over the past 20 years, the average worker's wages in terms of buying power has decreased.

Lower wages invariably lead to foreclosures -- which in turn lower the value of real estate. So it is in the best interests of every home owner to support higher wages for unskilled and skilled workers.

Republican Congressmen who think otherwise should accepts an unskilled laborer's job. They think that tax cuts for the rich will be invested in business and hence, the workers will benefit. They could not be more wrong. They think encouraging exportation of jobs won't hurt the economy. They could not be more wrong. They blame the unemployed for being unemployed. They could not be more wrong. They claim the unemployed are lazy. They could not be more wrong.

Decent wages for the unskilled and skilled worker will be realized. It's only a question of time. The gap between the middle class and the rich has been widening ever since our country turned conservative. Some people who are able to hold on to good paying jobs don't want to admit this.

Our dependency in imported products weakens our national security because it gives terrorists more targets and because it makes us vulnerable during a war. But that's a topic for another article.