by Cheryl Mathis on August 31st, 2009
When the words came out of his mouth, my chest started burning. I felt a hot flush travel across my skin, and my muscles grew very tense.
“I am no longer employed at [company name].”
That first day was awful. We took turns weeping. By evening, my eyes were so swollen from tears and my muscles so fatigued from the tension, I just fell into bed and cried some more.
When I quit my job two years ago to become a stay-at-home mom, we knew we were taking a gamble. We depended entirely on my husband’s income, though the small salary from my ongoing temp job has helped. Now that’s all changed.
With the present recession, the jobs available are limited or non-existent. I remember my former boss telling me about when she posted a position last spring, she received 40 resumes, a huge increase from previous years.
I love Wausau dearly. I’m invested in this community. I have friends here. I’ve learned to care deeply about this city. I do not want to leave. I do not want to move to Madison or Green Bay or (shudder) Milwaukee. I want to stay.
But where are the jobs? Our unemployment rate has dipped slightly, but it’s still at 12 percent. That seems daunting to me.
In the meantime, The Husband has put his degree program on the fast track. We plan on staying in town to finish that degree, but after that, we can’t in good conscience insist on staying here if nobody is hiring. We have to go where the jobs are.
NTC will have some accelerated learning courses for displaced workers this fall. Training people for new jobs is important, but I wonder if anybody is hiring, regardless of the field or skill set. Employees at various companies around town are swamped and overworked, but layoffs keep happening. Everybody is tightening their belts, and too many people are left in a state of miserable desperation as they get pushed aside.
Survival of the fittest? I guess all we can do is make ourselves the most appealing employees possible. Network. Ask about opportunities or initiatives. Spend as little money as possible. Pray you don’t get ill and need medical attention. Count your blessings especially when you have few pennies to count. Paper the whole town with your resume. And hope for the best.
by Kristy Medo on March 10th, 2009
Both words in this title stir up so much controversy these days that you almost wonder if they replaced the “F” word with the “E” word (Economics or Exercise).
Before I go into how economics and exercise go together I’m going to go off on a rant and tell you that I do not believe in allowing anything negative to draw me a conclusion on any given topic. With that being said I firmly believe that the economy situation is only as “bad” as you allow yourself to believe it is.
Let me draw a picture…. John gets laid off at his job and immediately thinks, “This is the worst thing that could ever happen to me right now. I have a ton of bills to pay and no job!” Bob gets laid off and says to himself, “This is just what I needed; some time off to do the things I need to do.” In all reality John is stressed and Bob is relieved. John is most likely living “the good life” with the nice house, car and numerous other things that require his financial commitment while Bob most likely lives a modest life with minimal things and a decent “nest egg” to keep him going so he can somewhat enjoy this time of rest in his career.
During these economic struggles I’ve seen a vast increase in the number of people who are now just beginning to surrender their time to their benefit by attending local gyms and working on their health through other various activities. Suddenly now that people do not have jobs, etc., they’ll improve their health by committing their free time to the much needed activity that they didn’t have time for before. Those who are stressed about their work or financial situation are now using exercise as a way to expel all of the stressful buildup that they feel inside. This is another “Positive” that I am beginning to see.
All in all I would suggest that we all focus on what we do have some control over, the very thing that will make our lives as rich and fulfilling as possible, and that is to work on ourselves both inwardly and outwardly through our health and fitness. There is never any good excuse for not doing that, and the economic standpoint sure is not one of them either.
Look at the economic flow as a parallel to human life; there is a time for work and a time for rest.
by Cheryl Mathis on May 15th, 2008
The City of Wausau will be accepting appliances for disposal the weekend of May 16-18, but they will not be accepting computers.
In order to accommodate people who wish to dispose of computer equipment, the Good News Project will accept computers and televisions for recycling on Friday from 10 to 4, on Saturday from 10 to 2 and again on Sunday from noon to 4. The cost for recycling is 25 cents per pound.
“We provide a low cost service to the community, help keep the environment clean and help fund local nonprofits,” says Tom Fladland, operations director for Good News Project.
All proceeds from this event will further the work of Good News Project in Wausau. The next regular computer recycling event at the warehouse will be June 27.
The Good News warehouse is at 1106 Fifth St., Wausau. Call 843-5985 for more details.
by Dino Corvino on April 14th, 2008
In case you were wondering who on the City Council is tasked with what? Well, this document should be able to answer these questions. In the past, these appointments have led to some clashes on the Council, and these might as well.
Your City government is yours though. That is something that should not be forgotten. These people are voted for by you, and for you. They are acting in a role of service, as such we should thank them. But also we need to be a part of this process.
Committee Appointments
by Tom Neal on March 11th, 2008
I don’t know what all I’m trying to accomplish by writing this article. Venting, yes. Provoking response, maybe. Affecting/changing alternate opinions, not likely. Rambling on in a stream-of-consciousness rant, most likely. Wasting my virtual breath, hope not.
Last week, I read an article on cnn.com about a Congressional hearing in D.C. on the subject of CEO compensation (i.e. huge salaries and perks) even in cases when those executives’ companies have performed miserably. While that story dealt with individuals walking away with dozens, even hundreds, of millions of dollars when their companies are tanking, it brought to mind recent developments in our community re: librarian pay cuts and consultant studies recommending double-digit pay raises for local government officials. Different stakes to be sure, but similar trends in thought and deed by those involved. Following is an excerpt from the article written by David Ellis, CNNMoney.com staff writer:
Over the past decade, the growth in executive compensation has drastically outpaced the pay gains experienced by the average American worker, according to an annual study published in August by The Institute for Policy Studies and United for a Fair Economy.
Between 1996 and 2006, CEO pay rose 45%, at a time when the average pay for an American worker grew just 7%.
That same study revealed that CEOs at 386 of the Fortune 500 companies took home $10.8 million in total compensation in 2006, more than 364 times what the average worker earned that same year.
…
In December, the same Congressional panel heard from experts about a closely related issue in executive pay: Are compensation consultants who get hired by directors to advise on executive pay conflicted?”
Thought provoking. I hear a lot these days, especially in light of the presidential campaign and debate over universal health care or college tuition assistance, about people pulling their own weight and being responsible for their own situations. Statements like, “Why should I have to pay for a poor person’s medical care when my premiums are going sky high? We’re just enabling those people who don’t want to work. That’s not what America is founded on.” These and other similar sentiments, of course, carry an element of veracity and an element of selfishness. But, am I in a minority to be particularly disturbed by the apparent immunity to risk that the ultra-rich in this country enjoy? Would any of them respond well to a 33% pay cut when their company’s budget needed tightening as has been proposed for Wausau librarians?
In my former corporate life, I saw this phenomenon again and again: Sales are down, stores are closing, people are losing jobs and the top managers are voted amazing pay increases. Some are pressured to quit due to poor performance and yet are still rewarded with huge severance packages (full year’s salary, bonus, stock options). Yet, many of the CEOs and top managers I’ve ever met have been nothing special, essentially regular people who at best talk a good game or shoot decent golf, and it’s blown my mind that they are compensated at such kingly levels. But, that’s America.
I’ve heard from some that current campaign rhetoric appealing to the “have-nots” and “used-to-haves” in our populace is socialist propaganda feeding class hatred, “striking at the heart of the country,” fueling division and class conflict (even social war). But, I wonder. I wonder if that pushback isn’t really the party line of the immune “haves” whose pro status quo stance filters down into the minds of those among us who lack the same immunity and fear for the loss of what they have. I wonder if a sense of equity is so far from our current reality that we’re out of control, with no sense of balance.
Does everyone share in prosperity? Does everyone share in times of struggle? For both questions, the answer is “Not today in this country.” Not in corporate America and not in civic America.
Some civic leaders jockey for higher pay levels while finding places and people to cut elsewhere (parks, events, staff, services, culture, future plans and dreams) while they curry personal favor with their cronies (movers and shakers, builders, investors, realtors, bankers). Tell me I’m wrong. If I’m wrong, why do some candidates invest thousands and thousands of dollars in signage and media to win an election for a job that will only make them $50K a year? Question: Will a candidate who’s pushing for trimming the fat and reducing government expenses start by reducing his or her own salary if elected? Say by 20% or so?
I worked at a company where they changed the name of the Human Resources Dept. to “Human Asset Management.” I guess this represented a new, more modern approach to dealing with the workforce (wonder if some employees were categorized as “liabilities” while others were labeled “assets”). Certainly, there was a definite dollar figure (relative worth) assigned to each and every rank-and-file employee, while the exalted execs remained immune from such demeaning categorization.
The new corporate CEO (replacing an outgoing enormously paid failure) comes in and “cleans house,” reduces overhead (i.e. cuts advertising and marketing efforts, downsizes the workforce, reduces benefits, outsources customer service to strangers offshore, hurts the local economy) and then is hailed at the annual meeting as a visionary and paid outrageously in return. Meantime, the company’s long-term goals are endangered in favor of short-term short-lived upturn, common shareholders are left with depleted value, loyal employees are tossed aside, families and whole communities are placed in jeopardy. Hey, great job, fat cat!
When pressed, high-paid execs invariably say their boards of directors OK’d their pay levels, and that their pay is in line with what the market demands for people of their position. But I can’t help but think in terms of honest, performance-based compensation — and “risk” — the idea that when a company succeeds, so do all of its employees and when a company is struggling, then it must reflect that reality equitably from top to bottom.
Think: income taxes. What if we all paid a flat 10% without loopholes? Everyone. Every corporation. Every small business. Every tycoon. Every plant worker. And if the country needs it, everyone pays 11%. Everyone. You know, the average Joe or Jane would probably welcome this approach. The average millionaire would fight it to the death.
So, it’s a voting year. I’m listening closely to what is being said by candidates, national and local. How much do they sound like CEOs? And how much do they sound like regular Joes? What do they value? What are they fighting for? Who are they fighting for? Where do they stand in the status quo? What does equality mean to them?
by Barry D. Liss on February 27th, 2008
What are we to make of the demotion of the 3 librarians at the Marathon County Public Library? Good business? Solid fiscal prudence? Oh, I don’t think so. It’s shoddy and negligent – embarrassing to the whole community. What happened here? Nothing less than an outrageous incursion of a corporate value structure poorly overlayed on top of a public good. It’s unfair and I call rot nihilism. Had people in positions of power acted with greater prudence, this lament would be unnecessary.
The quotes by those sitting atop the hierarchy strike me as doubly wretched in that they render forth two conclusions: a moral lack of accountability in a way that undercuts civic values; as well as a basic misunderstanding regarding the distinction between public good and private entity.
Here we have an ugly form of administrative fiat – the triumph of bureaucracy for the sake of bureaucracy. No one is willing to stand up and say “I am accountable. This decision rests with me.” This was a plan launched to cut costs back in 2003, initiated by a former library director and who knows how many former board members? Only now – some 5 years later – are the cuts actually occurring. The current director notes “I would rather keep people on staff at a lower pay than fire somebody.” Fair enough, but I would rather see the director’s salary reduced than her subordinates. And what we really need is some justification for altering the status quo. She further states “We’re really becoming a community center…Our public has different requirements of us.” No. here we have slushy language masquerading as business savvy. This is not communal and these are not values one would want one’s community to embrace.
That the demotions rest on the claim that librarians’ jobs are somehow less complex than they were in the past is dubious. I think this a fabrication designed to justify poor decision-making. Community – the word shares its Latin root ‘comm’ with communication, common, commitment and sundry other terms that delineate the ‘we’ in contrast to the ‘me’ or ‘I’ – community is a lie if it doesn’t take into account association with others.
Customer service specialist librarian…corporatized gibberish. The public library as a social site is not a corporate franchise designed to make profit – it is a public good. As such, the public library is a measure of one’s society, a touchstone of civilized conduct. The library renders defense of a unique value system. Mark this – public libraries are intrinsic only to democracies – free dissemination of ideas is not tolerated in other political systems. The library is for public citizens, not customers. That is a perversion of the language we should not abide. The corporate franchise may freely use the term customer – the library no. Customer implies a quid pro quo – money for service. That is not what libraries do – libraries are sites of intellectual freedom with no charge for services. Public libraries do not refuse to provide you with books if you cannot pay, indeed their very purpose is to offer services to those who may not be able to afford them privately.
What should be done instead of the arbitrary demotions? Cut everything – and I mean everything – stop purchasing new books, end computer-services and upgrades, slash hours, even shutter the doors indefinitely with a big sign that says ‘NO MORE RESOURCES’. The public deserves what it pays for…no more nor less. It is better the public suffers as a whole. That is the true meaning of community – shared burden, not merely shared benefit. One thing is certain, people in power have no right to cheat those who have served notably and pass it off as good fiscal management.
I’ve always taken pride as a contributing friend to the Marathon County Public Library. My personal book collection has benefited greatly by the annual book sales and my children have spent many hours frolicking in or around the building. As one friend to another, don’t act with such shameful negligence.
