Wages and benefits rise in 2009 by smallest amount on records going back 27 years

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Agent P
Sep 15, 2008
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Wages and benefits rise weak 1.5 percent in 2009 - Yahoo! Finance

Wages and benefits paid to U.S. workers posted a modest gain in the fourth quarter, ending a year in which recession-battered workers saw their compensation rise by the smallest amount on records going back more than a quarter-century.

The anemic gains have raised concerns about the durability of the economic recovery. The fear is that consumer spending, which accounts for 70 percent of economic activity, could falter if households don't have the income growth to support their spending.

...

The concern among economists is that the economic recovery that began in the summer could falter in coming months if consumer spending slows as households remain fearful about boosting spending in the face of such anemic wage growth.

I can certainly vouch for this in my neck of the woods. What do you kind folks think about this?
 
"Rising less" is Different from, "In the toilet. . . you must go. . . you must go," which is where all that went in the 1930's.

Millions were on the streets, of course: And did no such thing!

This time out, Federal Reserve started cranking up the money supply, even with the Bush Administration still in office. The Bush Administration then finally kicked-in with rebates, TARP, and the virtual take-over of entire economic sectors.

And so wages and benefits rose.

The Design of a recovery is different, however, from the Triggers that get pulled to get it started. "Triggers" is an intentional language, just like the arithmetic that happened, creating the outcome that was intended.

"Crow, James Crow: Shaken, Not Stirred!"
(Hmmm. Want hunting grounds back. . .with Mineral Rights. . .and Reparations. . . .and Commerical Real Estate Holdings! Thing works, and even with no negro dialect(?)--("Reagan 'Trajectory'"(?))! More Like Cheney Trajectory, are some triggers!)
 
Part of the cause would be the recession, of course. But with the uncertainty of the market going forward, and the administrations policies uncertainty. Businesses are holding off on hiring and wage adjustments. One thing businesses don't do well with is uncertainty, like with cap and tax, minimum wage increases, and healthcare.
 
Ohh I forgot about the minimum wage increase causing this meltdown.

Are you this stupid, UScitizen? I don't think so, but you sure say some stupid things sometimes.
Look at the threads title, okay? WAGE and BENEFITS, NOT ABOUT the MELTDOWN. Yes, minimum wage has some impact, or have you forgotten that the federal law now goes with a yearly revue on minimum wage increases?
 
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Part of the cause would be the recession, of course. But with the uncertainty of the market going forward, and the administrations policies uncertainty. Businesses are holding off on hiring and wage adjustments. One thing businesses don't do well with is uncertainty, like with cap and tax, minimum wage increases, and healthcare.

Agreed. There's too much uncertainty. Obama and the Democrats are anti-business which has a lot to do with it.
 
Claiming That Obama and The Democrats are anti-business is like Senator-Elect Brown of Massachusetts claiming that cutting the taxes of the people who don't pay any is the "simple" way to stimulate the economy. According to Republican pundits, that will be the message in the MidTerms!

Instead from Obama and The Democrats is as follows:

"President Obama is set to unveil a $33 billion package of tax credits later today aimed at sparking more job growth. The plan includes providing a $5,000 tax credit for each net new employee a business hires"

Putting customers to work, already opposed as "Stimulus" by GOP: Is actually not anti-business. Income tax filers, with no liability, will even be getting a refundable check in the next few weeks! That was definitely opposed by GOP, and may find even the Senator-Elect a break-away swing vote before it's over!

People have been known to change political parties, even when in office.

"Crow, James Crow: Shaken, Not Stirred!"
(Spectre. Of Death, Know How to Change! Senator In Raw Have Nothing To Change(?)!)
 
cap and trade
taxing business and employees for obamacare
energy industry in limbo
minimum wage
proposed Wallstreet regulations
deficits rising

All of this is not good for business, and by throwing a couple of bones to the hounds is not going change the the perception from this past year.
 
Wages and benefits rise weak 1.5 percent in 2009 - Yahoo! Finance

Wages and benefits paid to U.S. workers posted a modest gain in the fourth quarter, ending a year in which recession-battered workers saw their compensation rise by the smallest amount on records going back more than a quarter-century.

The anemic gains have raised concerns about the durability of the economic recovery. The fear is that consumer spending, which accounts for 70 percent of economic activity, could falter if households don't have the income growth to support their spending.

...

The concern among economists is that the economic recovery that began in the summer could falter in coming months if consumer spending slows as households remain fearful about boosting spending in the face of such anemic wage growth.

I can certainly vouch for this in my neck of the woods. What do you kind folks think about this?

I think it makes perfect sense and it shouldn't surprise anyone that isn't in a vegetated state.
 
My firm told everyone there would be no merit based pay raises or bonuses in 2009. The partners didn't take a salary and put that money in a pool. At the end of the year the firm had done well enough that they decided to use that pool of money to pay a small bonus to the employees.

This year merit based raises are back and the bonus pool will be fully funded.
 
My firm told everyone there would be no merit based pay raises or bonuses in 2009. The partners didn't take a salary and put that money in a pool. At the end of the year the firm had done well enough that they decided to use that pool of money to pay a small bonus to the employees.

This year merit based raises are back and the bonus pool will be fully funded.

Sounds like you work for a good business Article. Not many partners would do what yours did. :clap2:
 
So Meister-Poster at once concedes that business is better--enough to restore merit pay and bonuses--but that business-owners typically wouldn't do that, or forgo short-term income to keep the business open(?)!

So business really isn't on its face: Worth Supporting! These below are bad for business, posted by Meister above. My own counter-opine is in the Parentheses.

cap and trade (Air is bad for business? The Refundable Tax Credit goes to low-income filers)
taxing business and employees for obamacare (Health Care Is Bad for Everyone(?)!)
energy industry in limbo (Not so, say even the GOP Senate)
minimum wage (There has been no business for over 70 years because of Minimum Wage!?)
proposed Wallstreet regulations (The Regulatory Bail-Outs Actually Kept Wall Street Open!)
deficits rising (The Socialist Chinese are widely regarded: Good For U. S. business!)

Finally, celebrated Senator-Elect Scott Brown, at "Fantacize Along With FoxTV," will provide zero money to people who have no with a cut in the taxes they don't even owe!

Anti-Choice GOP is like that: Bad for business to boot!

"Crow, James Crow: Shaken, Not Stirred"
(And following last years celebrated remarks, what will Her Majesty's, Socialist PM, now be able to explain to the assembled former colonies, at Davos, this year? Last Year, clearly, the Socialists were clearly compelled to explain about credit, mortgages, and banking--to the fomer colonials. As opposed to the former colonials, The Socialists actually know about these subjects--and do them a whole lot better!)
 
Looks like as far as the market and GDP go this recession is technically over.
However I don't think the impact will decrease on the "Joe Plumbers" for quite a while.
 
So Meister-Poster at once concedes that business is better--enough to restore merit pay and bonuses--but that business-owners typically wouldn't do that, or forgo short-term income to keep the business open(?)!

So business really isn't on its face: Worth Supporting! These below are bad for business, posted by Meister above. My own counter-opine is in the Parentheses.

cap and trade (Air is bad for business? The Refundable Tax Credit goes to low-income filers)
taxing business and employees for obamacare (Health Care Is Bad for Everyone(?)!)
energy industry in limbo (Not so, say even the GOP Senate)
minimum wage (There has been no business for over 70 years because of Minimum Wage!?)
proposed Wallstreet regulations (The Regulatory Bail-Outs Actually Kept Wall Street Open!)
deficits rising (The Socialist Chinese are widely regarded: Good For U. S. business!)

Finally, celebrated Senator-Elect Scott Brown, at "Fantacize Along With FoxTV," will provide zero money to people who have no with a cut in the taxes they don't even owe!

Anti-Choice GOP is like that: Bad for business to boot!

"Crow, James Crow: Shaken, Not Stirred"
(And following last years celebrated remarks, what will Her Majesty's, Socialist PM, now be able to explain to the assembled former colonies, at Davos, this year? Last Year, clearly, the Socialists were clearly compelled to explain about credit, mortgages, and banking--to the fomer colonials. As opposed to the former colonials, The Socialists actually know about these subjects--and do them a whole lot better!)

Oh brother....that's what you got out of that huh? Well, I should have known.
 
Wages and benefits rise weak 1.5 percent in 2009 - Yahoo! Finance

Wages and benefits paid to U.S. workers posted a modest gain in the fourth quarter, ending a year in which recession-battered workers saw their compensation rise by the smallest amount on records going back more than a quarter-century.

The anemic gains have raised concerns about the durability of the economic recovery. The fear is that consumer spending, which accounts for 70 percent of economic activity, could falter if households don't have the income growth to support their spending.

...

The concern among economists is that the economic recovery that began in the summer could falter in coming months if consumer spending slows as households remain fearful about boosting spending in the face of such anemic wage growth.

I can certainly vouch for this in my neck of the woods. What do you kind folks think about this?

The fact that wages rose at all in 2009 is amazing, given how awful the economy has been.

It is also in line with weak income growth during the decade. The 00s saw the weakest income growth since at least WWII.
 

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