Recently the unemployment numbers were released which shows nationally, 3.6 percent and 2.4 percent for Iowa. While those numbers look good, they do not tell the whole story of employment/unemployment. The real numbers we should see is how many men and women are working two to three jobs or more that only pay $9 to $11 per hour or less.
Some we know are working minimum wage jobs and they all need to work several different jobs to just get by. And remember, in a previous legislative session, the Iowa Republican legislatures passed a bill that was signed into law by the Republican governor freezing the Iowa minimum wage and restricted cities and counties from raising their own minimum wage. That was just the latest effort by Republicans to slap Iowa workers one more time.
Also we have reports that wages have gone up 3 percent. While that may be better than a sharp stick in the eye, rest assured all Iowa workers would not have received a 3 percent wage increase, I submit most would have received zero increase.
The point is, don’t get overly impressed by the numbers. The real story is not being reported, and the real picture is not as rosy as we are being led to believe.
Max Tipton
Newton