Maybe it’s because I grew up in the '70's and still buried deep in me is the protest gene. Maybe it’s from my father who always told me to stand up for what is unjust. All I know is that I have been hearing and reading stories about the long-term unemployed who have been labeled as "lazy", "unqualified", "untrainable" and more because they have been without work for some indefinable standard of "too long". There are thousands of heartbreaking stories of highly qualified and motivated people who are losing their homes, families and self-dignity because the corporate ivory tower deems them not good enough to work at their firms. They would rather select a person who is currently employed over someone who is unemployed. On top of it all, many times it is the older unemployed person who is thrown out of the selection process from the start.
What has happened to this country? What has happened to our definition of motivation and skills and drive and knowledge? Have ethics been thrown out the window? It is happening all over this great nation of ours and I simply can't get my head around it. Unfortunately, the news media hides it or turns a blind eye to it while it concentrates on the banal stories of the $5 million the Situation from Jersey Shore will bring in or who the next Dancing with the Stars celebrity will be.
One group that I am aware of is trying to catch the attention of the policy makers and I pray they are successful. They started a petition to stop these unfair hiring practices. Take a look at the stories on the petition - they'll tear you up. Unfortunately, no one is listening.
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13 comments:
You go, Nancy!! From one fellow blogger to another, you sounded like me in a couple of mine.
We are the City of the Hill. It is time for all of us to step up to the challenge.
How come only in America we have such petitions? Or am I mistaken and other countries also have similar concerns?
Thanks John and Janak -
We need to come up with other options to get the word out. But what and how?
Janek - I guess it all depends on the country and the freedom of speech. We are lucky that we have it here.
Nancy:
GREAT JOB. It is with tears that I take time to respond to your article. We need to rise up and let our voices be heard.. This country is in worst shape (economically, ethically, politically etc) than is being reported. Highly qualified, experienced and educated people like (me) and many others have been thrown to the wolves for the good of profit and greed and a whole country of people are hurting with an uncertain prospect for a good and decent life in coming years.
This country needs an industrial and trade policy. Our people are on the brink of starvation while the banks are making and have made huge profits from the TARP and more and more of our jobs (manufacturing, financial services etc..) are and have been shipped overseas.
This is NOT rocket science.. if you manufacture nothing, have nothing to sell but less value added services, then you will have NO revenue growth (i.e. GDP) to feed your people, our prosperity declines and our standard of living will continue to decline. The American dream is for the RICH only. We as a country are in trouble. We MUST wake up, let our voices be heard and demand CHANGE. CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN
AND MUST HAVE. WE NEED A WP TYPE PROGRAM AS WAS THE CASE IN THE 1930's DEPRESSION. AND WE NEEDD IT SOON SINCE WE WILL SHORTLY NOW BE IN THE GREATEST DEPRESSION.
Yet the media and the polititicans continue to ignore the root cause of what's really going on in the country with the high unemployment and the devasting effect it is having and will continue to have for a long time to come.
I am NOT a complainer, I am a VERY POSITIVE person and see the glass as half full. I know we can do better and we MUST take corrective actions like industrial policy and trade policy for long term growth and prosperity and to keep the US from continuing to move toward becoming to a second class country.
We need to make our voices heard and press and press the plight of what's happening and THAT we WANT CHANGE and CHANGE to begin NOW. It's up to us to let our voices be heard and we need to start NOW. It's already late but we MUST do it.
This USA is a country I love very dearly. It has allowed me to achieve a measure of success and it's sad to see what is happening.
Thanks for giving me a chance to begin my journey toward CHANGE, we the people MUST make happen and CHANGE to regain our standard of living.
Dear Julian,
What a beautiful post! You are absolutely correct and if something isn't done soon, I don't know what will be left for us, our children and grand children. Why the politician's and media turn a blind eye and allow our country to dig a deeper and deeper hole is beyond my comprehension. I just don't get it but we are spiraling out of control.
Great post, Nancy, and points to a sorry state of affairs. Another workplace issue just as disturbing is the general disregard with which current employees are being treated. Many employers have become harsh and apathetic because people are supposed to feel "grateful" to have a job. I've seen it first hand and heard about it from many others. When the economy lifts-- and it will-- the companies who have taken advantage of the recession are going to see a major talent drain.
Thanks Pam,
More or the same amount of work combined with less headcount make for a very unhappy workforce. You are so right - it's all unfolding like a a deck of cards.
Nancy,
Thank you for such an emotive piece. You're totally correct that our news is more interested in reality TV and B list celebs making a fool out of themselves!
Our throw away society seems to be opting to throw away those whose very effort has shaped this great country: our Military, our elderly, our children, our industry, our workers, our national treasures, even our God!
In essence they are throwing the baby out with the bathwater and there will be redress - in every recession there is a period of growth and those who have been discarded will be the 1st to spring into action.
It's time for each of us to demand that money goes to business here to get US workers back to work. Time to vote with our feet,ballots (vote for those offering a change), and with our remotes by NOT watching the programs and sports stars who earn ridiculous amounts of money when the average family can't afford to feed their children.
Laine, I'm right behind you! Thank you so much for commenting!
Great Stuff Nancy,
I just get the feeling that the issues are so deep that people are avoiding any involvement as a defense mechanism for their own self-preservation!
Between my group on LinkedIn and others I belong to there is a lot of talk but no solutions!!
Hopefully and God Willing there are solutions insight!!
Mike
It was from some of the comments in LinkedIn that causes me to write. There are thousands of comments in several groups about how people are managing. I have found that although the news is so bleak, the posters are very positive and supportive of one another. Total strangers brought together by a common denominator. It's getting their voices heard that I worry about. Thanks Mike!
Greg Inguagiato [JDUSA] • Nancy, thanks for writing this. Let me just say it, put it out there...if this is truly happening, then it's nothing short of a crime! As a recruiter who has both staffing and corporate recruiting experience, I say to any of my peers out there who may be dismissing umemployed older workers and "castaways" to stop this now. Get back to the essence of what good recruiting is....finding the best qualified person for the right job. No more, no less. The only criteria should be one based on "merit", does the candidate have the skills, abilities, and experience necessary to do the job and do it well. It's back to basics, folks! Greg Inguagiato
Greg I wish there were more recruiters like you. Thank you for sticking to your guns and getting back to basics.
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