My best years were in 2001 and 2002. The company I worked for at the time consolidated at another location and closed down our facility.
I'm currently working for about 10% less than what I made then.
In 2009, there were no raises and I took one week per quarter off without pay.
In 2010, I got a 1.5% raise.
Each year, my contributions for my health care coverage have increased much faster than my raises. I'm losing ground.
I haven't heard what the plan is this year, but I don't expect it to be very generous.
No matter how you look at it, the working class is being squeezed, mainly due to foreign competition. Our government doesn't have the balls to deal with the Chinese currency issue, so we will continue to lose jobs to China. I felt like gagging when the Fed declared China wasn't a currency manipulator.
I love my country, but I detest the politicians we put in office.
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