Blue-Collar Jobs Disappear, Taking Families' Way of Life Along

The article I read was called “Blue-Collar Jobs Disappear, Taking Families' Way of Life Along”. This article was about Jackson, Ohio and the problem they are currently having with good employment. Many major employers in this area have left which means that many people there have to settle for low paying jobs. This is happening because an economic disaster struck the industry in that area years ago and they never fully recovered. This leaves the people in that area with very few options in terms of where to work. One woman said, “If you don't work at Wal-Mart, the only job you can get around here is in fast food.'' Families who used to make enough money to live comfortably now barely scrape by because they have to settle for low paying jobs that can’t fully support them. The article is filled with stories of people who had comfortable lives and were laid off. They all had to move to a low paying job, sometimes two, which requires no skill. Most of the people had done well at their previous jobs and were laid off without warning.

This ties in very closely with what happened in “Roger and Me” to the town of Flint, Michigan. In both areas major employers were removed and this left families living on welfare or just able to make enough money to survive. Also, in both cases nothing is really being done to help solve the problem of unemployment. It’s sad that this is happening in so many places and that the government isn’t taking more action to reduce the poverty that’s taking over towns like these.

"Blue Collar Jobs Disappear, Taking Families' Way Of Life Along"