Grand Rapids August 1, 2004 -- Again the recent Grand Rapids job report states a loss of 4,100 jobs as late as June. The city has now lost 15,600 jobs since Bush took office. Much of Grand Rapids' unemployment is due to loss of manufacturing jobs due to outsourcing. Michigan lost a total of 10,000 manufacturing jobs to the 703,000 national total lost in June, many of them auto related, a once thriving industry in Michigan. Meanwhile, the “growth” in the economy came from hospitality and leisure service jobs. [All sources in this section Bureau of Labor statistics, 7/28/04, Metro Area numbers ARE NOT seasonally adjusted [source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, January 2001 through June 2004, Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth, July 22, 2004; Associated Press, 7/23/04

In an America Coming Together (ACT) statement, Grand Rapids First Ward Commissioner James Jendrasiak said, "In my opinion, Bush promoting so-called economic growth is ridiculous, especially here in Grand Rapids, where even the city personnel isn’t off limits. Our front line first respond units have had financial and personnel cuts which put everyone in danger. No one is doing anything to replace these jobs or the good paying, manufacturing jobs we lost. We’re either unemployed, or forced to take jobs in lower paying sectors.”

Unemployment isn’t the only epidemic plaguing workers; in an Internal Revenue Service report released by the New York Times yesterday, the average Americans’ wages have shrunk for two consecutive years-the first time that’s happened since WWII. In Michigan, a once average weekly wage for manufacturing workers was $910, with auto related factory workers making a healthy $1, 269. Now, the wages for service industry workers have cut that healthy number in more than half: restaurant workers make on average $331, and retail sales clerks $612 in Michigan. Those aren’t wages that any Michigan family can live on. [source: “Factory Job Loss in June Painful,” Grand Rapids Press, 7.15.04

Jendrasiak added, "Michigan can’t sustain on jobs that have been created to replace our old industries. Under these jobs, too many workers have to work two jobs to make ends meet, and their pay is still remarkably lower than the average manufacturing workers’ wage.”

Grand Rapids relies on manufacturing for more than 26 percent of all jobs, the largest amount of all metropolitan areas, so it makes sense that, under Bush, the number of unemployed residents of Grand Rapids rose from 26, 420 in January of 2001, to 41, 200 in June of 2004, as the outsourcing epidemic grew. [source: Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth, 7.22.04, “Where the Jobs Went,” Cato Institute, 2.16.04

"Working families," Jendrasiak continues, "need jobs that comparably replace the solid manufacturing jobs that outsourcing has stolen. Bush isn’t doing anything to stop this outsourcing, and we want our jobs back. Bush’s tax cut to wealthy corporations to go overseas only shows where his real priorities are, and for him to come to talk about a thriving economy, in a place like Grand Rapids, is an insult. We need jobs or more job training assistance to move people back into fair wage jobs.”

Paid for by America Coming Together (888 16th ST. NW, Washington, DC 20006) and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. We are committed to protecting your privacy, so your email address will not be sold or exchanged. For more on our privacy policy, please go actforvictory To remove yourself from this mailing, please click here

Contact: Lavonia Perryman
248-336-2942 ext. 207





This article courtesy of http://www.unemployment-mortgage-insurance.com.

You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author name and URL remain intact.

Submit Your Article