From 1999 to 2009, the output of U.S. factories rose by about one-third, while one in three factory jobs disappeared. The advent of globalization and computer-aided productivity dramatically transformed the U.S. job market: the rewards for the skilled have grown, but the opportunities for the unskilled have dwindled. The resulting job crisis and income inequality [...]
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Politicians should debate, confront poverty
Debates about poverty remain conspicuously absent from campaign agendas; those politicians who do discuss poverty remain vague and ideological in their comments. The government’s retreat from difficult issues does not restore social institutions to health. Rather, both sides of the political divide should realize the country needs specific plans to produce specific improvements in the »
Lockouts put workers on the defensive
A record percentage of the nation’s work stoppages consist of lockouts. Once a rare and aggressive move, lockouts have become more common as negotiations between labor unions and employers reach deadlock. Locked-out employees find themselves suddenly without income, leading to utility disconnections and even foreclosures. Some believe employers are attempting to break unions, but employers »
Inequality
Workers suffer while bosses receive big bonuses
Wall Street’s big banks disclosed the bonuses their chiefs will receive in addition to their base income for 2011. Although top banks all suffered dramatic falls in their stock value this year, their executives will be rewarded with hefty bonuses, raising their earnings to over $27 million at Citigroup, $23 million at JPMorgan, and $9.7 million »
Economy
Despite ‘recovery,’ jobs still scarce
Despite the 200,000 jobs added nationally in December, unemployment rates have only changed 0.3 percent in the last year and the U.S. still needs 10 million jobs to return to full employment. Furthermore, many more Americans work part-time involuntarily or have given up searching for work, and record numbers suffer long-term unemployment. Without dramatic changes, the »
Uncategorized
Child homelessness worsens in Tennessee
Tennessee is one of the worst 15 states in homelessness for children, according to a recent study that estimated the number of homeless children there at 19,775. The situation has steadily deteriorated: The state ranked 39th in 2010 and 24th in 2006. This slide is attributed to the recession with its accompanying joblessness and foreclosures. »
On Your Mind
The narrative: Uncovering the human face of poverty with Jim Tankersley
According to his NJ personal bio: “Tankersley and a colleague at The Blade won the 2007 Livingston Award for Young Journalists for their “Business as Usual” series of stories revealing the true roots of Ohio’s economic decline. He was also part of the “Coingate” team at the Toledo Blade that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.”
Tankersley said he’s learned a lot over the years about how best to cover big-issue stories (such as poverty-related stories) through the use of the narrative. He said he believes that stories of real people can help readers more effectively understand and relate to bigger issues because “we as people kind of think in stories.”
Tankersley spoke with onPoverty about his experiences learning to write narratives, how those reporting on poverty-related issues can use the narrative tool to its maximum potential and more.... »