34 Years Later

[Mechanic]

In 1970 the country's largest employer was General Motors, with 350,000 workers. Overwhelmingly union members, they earned $17.50 an hour plus health, pension, vacation benefits and cost of living increases.

Today, the country's largest employer is Wal-Mart, with over 1 million workers. They earn an average hourly wage of $8.00, with no defined benefits, pension and inadequate health care.

[digitydash]

you mean someone finnally took that away from mc-donalds and burger king

[MoeDaddy]

Damn $8 an hour I need to go and apply NOW. :D

[IroMan]

Can't believe my eyes !!!!

MoeDaddy, my dear friend, nice to cya.

Don't be a stranger.

Very best regards,

IroMan.

[mouse01]

what is really sad is the average pay at those same places today is about a buck less an hour and worse benefits.

[chaz28o]

I was an Oil & Atomic worker in the mid 70's into the early 80's

I doubt Assembler was making $17.50 an hour back then

Not doubting you Mechanic, just wondering if someone is blowing smoke up yer azz?

[quaddawg]

The average national wage was about $4.00 an hour in 1970. The average yearly was less than $8,000.00


General Motors average wage was around $5.00, with only the upper echelon making over $7.00 an hour.

That was 1970, and it changed fast, but $17.50 an hour didn't come till much later

[Mechanic]

The average national wage was about $4.00 an hour in 1970. The average yearly was less than $8,000.00


General Motors average wage was around $5.00, with only the upper echelon making over $7.00 an hour.

That was 1970, and it changed fast, but $17.50 an hour didn't come till much later

I agree that the $17.50 isn't correct, I just did a cut and paste from what I thought was a reliable source, unless that was a total cost per hour that included benefits, and that still seems high. $7.50 would be a little closer.
I don't have any of my check stubs that far back.
They say your memory is the second thing to go.

[Justin]

1970, I remember it well. Got my 1st job way back then. Minimum wage was $1.15/hr.

2nd thing to go? Hehehehe.

[XMyth]

17.50/hr is probably one of those magic numbers used to make their argument stronger. It's probably like you said, includes benefits and whatnot...plus if you take into account inflation you may start to reach it. Also if they used a small, favorable sample. Also, it just says overwhelmingly....so they could have been lumping in the $500k/yr executives in there to bring the average up....=)

[megados]

Holy Cow! MoeDaddy! Nice seein ya 'round these parts! ;)

I remember in the '70s in changing jobs at the time, I went to a place that at the time was paying $7.50/hr to start.

I don't remember what minimum wage was though.

[The Foxy One]

say what? MoeDaddy!


Foxy