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Why aren't Americans filling the manufacturing jobs we already have?

⁨92⁩ ⁨likes⁩

Submitted ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨MicroWave@lemmy.world⁩ to ⁨economics@lemmy.world⁩

https://www.npr.org/sections/planet-money/2025/05/13/g-s1-66112/why-arent-americans-filling-the-manufacturing-jobs-we-already-have

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Comments

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  • Lucky_777@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Pay more.

    Manufacturing jobs are damn boring. Having worked at a manufacturer (as the IT guy). Workers on the floor spend 8 hours a day doing the same task all day. It’s boring af.

    So have been working the same job for decades, but moving up? Not happening. You could be a manager and get a few dollars more an hour.

    You can get a factory job easy. Stay clean and show up. You just won’t be rolling in money.

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    • immutable@lemm.ee ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I think there is something of a concerted effort to lionize these boring jobs that used to support a family.

      It is amazing how many country / blue grass songs are about coal mining.

      The thing the wealthy don’t seem to understand is that what made these jobs worth identifying with was that they could support a family. People were proud to provide a good life for their loved ones.

      They are hoping they can get people to identify with the jobs, be proud of them, without having to hold up their end of the bargain.

      The entire world right now seems to be the wealthiest people going “can’t I have a little bit more though?”

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      • CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        I think some of lionization may have roots in the need to recognize and legitimize those professions as a prerequisite for unionization, and to recognize post hoc the men and women who struggled to unionize and get respect in the form of reasonable working conditions and pay.

        Coal mining has almost never been enough to support a family, though it was regular work. Regular work is a thing of the past in Appalachia.

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    • themeatbridge@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Yeah, back in the day, you didn’t need to be a manager to generate upward mobility. You could work 40 hours a week and pay for a house, a car, and a college education without going into debt.

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  • Asafum@feddit.nl ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    The answer is pay…

    I live in a VHCOL area and the factory that I work at is still looking to hire people at $17/hr… That’s taco Bell wages. Hell at this point that’s less than taco bell wages around here…

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    • VitoRobles@lemmy.today ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I was in a teacher conference and some parents were flipping out that she wasn’t providing after school support to their dipshit child. She pointed out she makes 41k.

      That’s $20.50 an hour. She could work at Costco for $30 an hour.

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      • Asafum@feddit.nl ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        That’s $20.50 an hour. She could work at Costco for $30 an hour.

        I wish! It’s really hard to get into Costco because people like working there so much they don’t leave! Lol I tried and they generally only take a few people in from their seasonal hires, working in the bakery I guess I was too “hidden” and didn’t get chosen to stay lol

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    • nokturne213@sopuli.xyz ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      That is what the soda bottling plant paid back in '96.

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      • Asafum@feddit.nl ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        I feel like this is one of the major issues we face when it comes to pay. The people setting the prices are stuck living in 2000 thinking they’re offering a good wage, then “The Market” does it’s thing and every asshat looks at every other asshats offerings and sets their wages similarly…

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      • Fredselfish@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        To be fair the factory in town in paying me 24.24 an hour and it still isn’t enough to deal with the damage it is doing to my body. I am already looking for another job. And this shit union, but goddamn at 45 can’t do it. Also it reported that it will be 120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit this summer is inside. Also working 12 hour switch shifts suck too.

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    • Raiderkev@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Yep, our techs make like $28 to start, but when in n out workers make $23, is it even worth it?

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      • socsa@piefed.social ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Also, if you are reliable and literally just show up to work reliability, retail is an easy ladder to climb because there is soooo much of it literally everywhere.

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  • Treczoks@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    recruiting and retaining workers was their No. 1 business challenge.

    Have they tried things like attractive working conditions and a salary that is actually competitive?

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    • Bakkoda@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Haha best we can do is mandatory overtime and 50% staffing.

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    • captainlezbian@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      No, but they will assure you that McDonald’s may pay better but it’s more stressful

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  • njm1314@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    From the article it seems like the answer probably seems to be a mix between pay and more importantly training. If these businesses want specialized workers they have to be willing to train these workers. You got to make an investment in your Workforce.

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  • sharkfucker420@lemmy.ml ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Pay

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  • flandish@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    when eggs are rare the price of eggs goes up. the same holds with labor. the issue is not americans filling jobs, it’s employers paying proper wages for them.

    oh no, profit will take a hit? where is your priority? that’s right, it’s to the shareholders. :/

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  • Dorkyd68@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    If i had to guess its cause the plants don’t pay enough and those very jobs used to be filled by Hispanic people that didn’t mind the dirty work.

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  • gandalf_der_12te@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Supply and Demand

    American manufacturers say they are struggling to fill the jobs they already have.

    That means there’s a demand for workers that is bigger than the supply, so as a consequence, the price for labor (aka. wages) should rise. If it does not, the demand was fake.

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    • Treczoks@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Yep. They are mostly looking for qualified workers, but they want to pay and provide job benefits and security like for a burger flipper at McD.

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  • AceFuzzLord@lemm.ee ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    One thing I’ve noticed is that my dad, who is getting up there in age, recently fell for the trap of “the youth don’t wanna work anymore” and “they’re too afraid of hurting themselves” arguments.

    Yeah, we definitely would rather collect unemployment if it’s better than 900% of all jobs willing to hire and yes we don’t want our bodies being mangled and destroyed by factory accidents, without compensation of course.

    Hell, I’ve been thinking of some creative ways to make a little extra money on the side through some shady dealings, and I’m still living with my parents and in college. Just need a shit ton of prep to avoid being caught online.

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  • JigglySackles@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Poor locations, poor conditions/protections, poor wages. Just a guess.

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  • whyrat@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Also just … Unemployment is still near historic lows. Where do they expect all these workers to come from? (While also deporting other employed individuals)

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  • aesthelete@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I’m not working in the fucking factories, NPR.

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