Report on AFL-CIO survey by AP

Tom Lehman TLEHMAN at lor.net
Wed Sep 1 14:03:12 PDT 1999


SEPTEMBER 01, 02:30 EDT

Many Young Workers Feel Left Out

By ALICE ANN LOVE

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Jennie Smith, 28, wonders when she will

share the rewards of the nation's booming economy, and a new

poll by the AFL-CIO shows there are many young workers like

her.

Despite a masters degree and six years of work experience,

Smith can't find the job she wants as a community college

professor because many schools have replaced full-time

professorships with part-time teaching positions.

She has cobbled together a career teaching classes at community

colleges in two states - Pennsylvania and New Jersey - but

earns just $15,000 a year with no benefits.

``I'm angry,'' Smith said. ``Clearly it's young people who are left

out in the cold.''

More than 90 percent of young workers surveyed for the

AFL-CIO poll said they believe large corporations, top

management and stockholders are doing well, but 42 percent said

the economic situation facing their own families is either ``just

fair,'' ``not so good'' or ``poor.''

Young workers ``see today's jobs as failing to meet the most

basic needs: health care, retirement security and time to spend

with family,'' said AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney.

The poll, which was released Tuesday, was commissioned by the

labor federation as part of a campaign to woo young workers to

join unions.

The telephone survey of 752 young working adults, ages 18 to 34,

was conducted June 10-15 by Peter D. Hart Research Associates.

For comparison purposes, some questions were also asked of 401

workers ages 35 and older. The overall margin of error was plus

or minus 4 percentage points.

Among those ages 18 to 34, fewer than half - 45 percent - rated

the economy as excellent or good, compared with 58 percent of

those over age 35.

Although unemployment is at its lowest rate in nearly three

decades, 55 percent of young workers said the new jobs available

are mostly lower-paying.

More than half of young workers - 58 percent - said employers

are falling short when it comes to sharing profits with employees.

A similar percentage, 55 percent, said companies aren't doing

enough to provide family-friendly workplace policies.

And only about four out of 10 young workers said they are

covered by an employer-sponsored health plan or a retirement

plan their company contributes to, compared with about six out

of 10 older workers.

It's not that most young workers are born pessimists or expect to

advance without paying some dues, the poll found:

Among those 18 to 24, 62 percent said they believe that with

education and hard work a person can do well and get ahead.

However, that drops to 52 percent by the time workers reach

their early 30s.

Tom Lehman Lynn R. Williams Learning Center United Steelworkers of America 3315 W.21st St. Lorain, Ohio 44053

440-282-6015 phone



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