I agree with you on almost everything you've said , LTRS...

This country is rapidly becoming an industry of service sector jobs, or as I call them "McJobs".......

I cringe to see my cousin "succombing" to working at the Albany, NY Wal Mart. He's 29, and a college grad, and he just started there a few months back for about $7.40 an hour.

Unless he could get into a managers program there real quick, I'd hate to see him stay there for more than 6 months or so...........just get a "foot in the door"...........then try to get a "foot out the door"

I keep suggesting for him to move down to south Florida where his parents live, and where there are more job opportunities.

He does'nt want to "leave his friends" , but since he's now working at the
Wal Mart from 3 pm till midnight, (including one hour lunch, unpaid), that certainly does'nt leave much time for his friends ,does it?!

I read in the WSJ that a huge chunk of money comes out of Wal Mart employees paychecks just to pay their health insurance (much more than their closest competitor) No wonder the turnover is so high !

I'd much rather just see high school and college kids, and older seniors working there, rather than people in their "prime-time" earning years.

Agree?

(I realize that in many small towns, Wal Mart is the biggest employer, and perhaps considered the only "decent" place to work..........) ( I just hope your rents are lower there as well!)

ellen