Many workers still near poverty level
FIU study says many Floridians still battle poverty
Economists like to say “a rising tide lifts all boats,” but a report by Florida International University says the improving job market is not helping all South Floridians equally. The study, released in time for Labor Day weekend, says many of the jobs pay so little that those in them are barely above poverty level. The report, which looks back over 11 years of data, says houshold incomes are stil below where they were before the recession. Story,
Florida is caught in a “low wage job trap” that leads to working poverty and economic insecurity, according to a Labor Day-related report by Florida International University in Miami.
In an interview, author Ali Bustamonte acknowledges that many good things have happened this year: unemployment has fallen over a year ago, more employers are hiring, and wages are increasing for professional and skilled workers.
But he said there are still too many lowwage jobs that are resulting in workers living near poverty levels. Household incomes are below pre-recession levels, according to the 2017 “State of Working Florida” report by the Research Institute on Social & Economic Policy. The report was released Thursday.
“Workers and their families have very little opportunity to improve their lives and even cover basic necessities,” said Bustamonte, a professor of labor studies at FIU who has written the report for the past four years.
Timed to coincide with Labor Day, the report examines Florida’s labor market, conditions of the average worker, and makes recommendations to policymakers.
The report is a more somber one, as it considers data over 11 years, compared with this year’s cheerier news of more jobs and rising wages.
Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Executive Director Cissy Proctor said Florida has been outpacing the nation in job growth.
“No report can ignore the fact that Florida’s economy is booming. Since 2010, more than 57 percent of private-sector jobs created have been in industries with an annual average wage of more than $45,000,” she said in an e-mail.
Another positive indicator in South Florida: The region is leading the nation with salaries and wages up 3.9 percent, according to the latest report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Despite such progress, there’s still lack of economic security in Florida driven by low incomes, the FIU report says.