As word spread this month of a worsening jobs market and bleak economic forecast, I was disappointed by the news, but I can’t say I’m surprised.
Those of us who closely follow hiring trends and employment issues have feared that what at first appeared to be “blips†in labor market might instead be omens of a severely declining economy. It’s not often I find myself agreeing with workforce-related statements from the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, but in this instance, I too find the numbers “troubling.â€
With each passing day, more and more of us are feeling the pinch of rising prices, stagnant wages, even job losses. We all see that West Virginia is not keeping up with the rest of the country, which already is experiencing inflation and weakening payrolls. The New York Times reports that the share of workers across the country who have been out of work for more than six weeks is now at the highest level since November 2021.
We can argue about the reasons why this is happening; it won’t change the current situation.
Those in the labor movement have long known that regardless of the circumstances that cause people to lose their jobs and financial security, a reliable support system is imperative. In so many instances, that’s when unions step in.
Yes, unions are working every day to boost wages, equalize pay and ensure adequate safety protections, lifting standards for both union and nonunion workers. But seldom do people talk about the services unions offer when times are tough.
Unions assist members in applying for and receiving unemployment insurance benefits, a crucial lifeline during a layoff. Some unions are able to offer stipends or temporary financial support and help members find other positions. Here, the West Virginia AFL-CIO serves as a parent organization for many nonprofits that provide other assistance.
- The Human Resource Development Foundation, Inc. was incorporated in 1967, as a social arm of the West Virginia AFL-CIO, providing economically disadvantaged West Virginians opportunities for self-sufficiency and improved living conditions. HRDF also operates educational and skill development programs that effectively improve the employability of the unemployed, under-employed, dislocated workers, older individuals, adults, youth, persons with disabilities and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families recipients in West Virginia. HRDF is one of the largest nonprofit organizations in West Virginia.
- Human Resource Development and Employment, Inc. was incorporated in the State of West Virginia on Jan. 20, 1976. Chartered as a private nonprofit corporation, HRDE aspires to provide safe and affordable housing for income eligible persons with disabilities, the elderly and families throughout West Virginia. It assists thousands of West Virginians through advocacy, empowerment and the successful administration of almost 1,000 units of subsidized housing for elderly, financially disadvantaged and disabled individuals located throughout the state.
- In 1964, West Virginia’s first Labor Federation president, Miles Stanley, founded the Appalachian Council, now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation whose board of directors consists of 13 state AFL-CIO executive officers from up and down the East Coast.
The Council has operated major employment and training programs through the Department of Labor and Job Corps as well as, to a lesser degree, state funded programs including employee assistance programs. Currently, the Council operates Head Start programs funded and administered by the Administration for Children and Families of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. These programs provide diverse services to meet the educational, health, parent, community and social service needs of income eligible 3- and 4-year-old children and their families, including children with disabilities.
It is my deepest hope that very soon the economy in West Virginia and the rest of the country will turn around, and these services will not be in such high demand.
We look forward to celebrating the creation of reliable, safe jobs with competitive wages and benefits here in our state. But we also stand ready to help when the rug is pulled out from under folks, for whatever reason.
As we do every year, we ask everyone enjoying this holiday weekend to take a moment to honor the hard-working people who have built this country and all their achievements, and to demand the freedom, fairness and security workers deserve.
