[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by GoRedSox!

There is a reason that 70% of Social Security recipients start collecting at age 62.

Not even close to correct. According the the SSA, as of 2023, it was closer to 23%

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

Here are facts vs. your fake news:

In the U.S., you can retire as early as 62 and start claiming your Social Security. And as of 2021, according to the Congressional Research Service, about 30% of Social Security applicants were 62.

And retirement at that age has been steadily dropping. As of 2023, it was around 23%...

[jimbomaybe]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Actually, we CAN produce it all. We CAN be self-sufficient. However, we're not willing to work for low wages and substandard benefits, and we're not willing to pay a premium for products manufactured by people who demand fair wages and benefits.

And so, we import from countries that have gone the authoritarian route, whose workers get paid what the government tells them they get paid, they work for however many hours per day the government tells them they work, with no prospect of "retirement," and they can sell product to us for less than it costs us to make it ourselves as a result.

I'd rather not live like that. I'm not willing for my country to turn into "that." I also would like to pay *less* for things. But in a capitalistic society, the shareholder of the stocks are the boss. If the shareholder says "bring us more profits" then the CEO does whatever he has to, to bring us more profits. He isn't being paid to care about his employees. He's being paid to return higher dividends to shareholders. Period.

Business react to economic conditions ,businesses have to compete with other business for customers and for employee the government makes fiscal and monetary policy a governmental agency controls interest rates, there by controlling the economy, without the lure/hope of profits/ ROI, no business, people put their money where it will give the best return, it isn't possible just to dial up a greater return, its a very complex balancing of resources for any business

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by GoRedSox!

I misspoke about 70% of people taking Social Security at 62. I was trying to say that 70% take it before full retirement age. And I was not looking at the most current data, which someone posted above.

As for how many people are retired and at what age, according to the Motley Fool:

The average retirement age for Americans is 61.
The average retirement age has increased by a few years since the early 1990s, when the average American retired at 57.

This article with is current as of April 2024 provides much more info on retirement age and why people left the workforce, including involuntary reasons. According to CBS, 70% of Americans are retiring before age 65. Planning on retiring at 65? Most Americans retire far earlier — and not by choice. - CBS News

Life expectancy rose as much as the retirement age did...

[GoRedSox!]

Originally Posted by JMintzer

Life expectancy rose as much as the retirement age did...

The point I am trying to make and provide some data to support is that MANY employees don’t make it to full Social Security Retirement age. 70% don’t make it to 65. Somewhere between 60-70% take Social Security benefits early. Many of these retirements are not voluntary. Corporations sever ties with a good number of employees before age 65.

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by GoRedSox!

The point I am trying to make and provide some data to support is that MANY employees don’t make it to full Social Security Retirement age. 70% don’t make it to 65. Somewhere between 60-70% take Social Security benefits early. Many of these retirements are not voluntary. Corporations sever ties with a good number of employees before age 65.

Absolute nonsense...

A simple google search proves you're incorrect...
…
In 2022, the life expectancy in the United States was 77.5 years, an increase of 1.1 years from 2021. The life expectancy for males was 74.8 years and for females it was 80.2 years."

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by GoRedSox!

The point I am trying to make and provide some data to support is that MANY employees don’t make it to full Social Security Retirement age. 70% don’t make it to 65. Somewhere between 60-70% take Social Security benefits early. Many of these retirements are not voluntary. Corporations sever ties with a good number of employees before age 65.

Originally Posted by JMintzer

Absolute nonsense...

A simple google search proves you're incorrect...
…
In 2022, the life expectancy in the United States was 77.5 years, an increase of 1.1 years from 2021. The life expectancy for males was 74.8 years and for females it was 80.2 years."

I'm pretty sure you're misinterpreting RedSox's post. When they say "won't make it to 65" they mean "won't choose to wait to retire until they turn 65, which is the full retirement age." Has nothing to do with dying, and everything to do with retiring from the work force and choosing to take their earned social security checks.

[mike234]

Originally Posted by mraines

I disagree. I am here because of a union. I had fair wages and a nice pension because of a union.

me too........when I see my union guys. our leaders, I thank them everytime.....arguing with people about unions is like the abortion issue, and politics......blah blah blah...I know they are jealous that they arent in a union......

[Skelly]

Clearly your not a union worker…..

[Marmaduke]

Originally Posted by JoMar

As the world passes us by.

Agreed!
...As the world passes us by, is correct!!!
Education in America leaves students illiterate throughout their school years and especially by the time they reach college. Cannot compete in math or science.

Students find that they'll need Unions to protect them, just like they did for their ancestors, because their college degrees don't mean a thing.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Marmaduke

Agreed!
...As the world passes us by, is correct!!!
Education in America leaves students illiterate throughout their school years and especially by the time they reach college. Cannot compete in math or science.

Students find that they'll need Unions to protect them, just like they did for their ancestors, because their college degrees don't mean a thing.

That depends on what they plan on doing with their degree.

You should probably have a degree in medicine if you want to be a doctor.
If you want to be a lawyer, you need a law degree.
A degree in business administration isn't "necessary" but it sure is super-helpful if you want to run a large business. If you want to be HIRED by someone else to run THEIR business, a degree would probably be required.
I wouldn't trust any school teacher that didn't have a degree.
A degree isn't necessary to become an elected official. But the education from attending a university or other higher learning institute would help a candidate open up their mind to new ideas, and I consider that a consideration, even though it's not a requisite.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by RRGuyNJ

Florida like most of the less educated south are anti union. Therefore, crappy benefits, crappy wages and crappy pensions. It's not difficult to understand.

Please provide support.

Florida education attainment is: 90% for High School & 33% for Bachelor's Degree or higher.

USA Average is: 90% for High School & 35% Bachelor's Degree or higher.

Pretty much average.
"It's not difficult to understand"

[Jim1mack]

[QUOTE=Boomer;2376082]There are companies where perhaps a union is/was not needed. Many years ago I asked someone who worked in the manufacturing part of a huge, well-known company if they had a union. The response was, “We don’t need one.”

Also, said company made a lot of regular people very comfortable through profit-sharing. Can you imagine if companies like Walmart, for example, would have made profit-sharing available to ALL employees. Not only would there have been a lot of loyal employees on those cash registers, etc., just think of the learning experience that would have come from owning stock.

But a lot of companies plan to earn huge profits on the backs of employees and never consider how effective company stock all-around can be in moving a company forward with loyal employees. For companies that do not have stock, there are other ways to keep loyal employees and keep unions at bay. The employers’ choice to exploit is what brings in unions.

I am not saying all unions are perfect. But if unions are stomped into non-existence by those who have motives that risk our future overall economy, we will turn into another country.

This thread is going to turn into union-bashing. I can feel those wagons circling already.

Of course, most of those circling up will be the same people who expect teachers to devote their lives to working for basically nothing.

My point is — the middle class has been the backbone of our economy. Unions were instrumental in creating a strong middle class. If we lose our middle class, we are done. Unrestrained greed is bad

[Jim1mack]

While going to college I worked for the phone in Wisconsin during summers. Their union was Communication Workers of America. The union specified how long it should take to do various tasks. With that, when I got my morning work load I found I could complete it in half a day. Many afternoons I and other workers would take in a matinee or sit in a bar or run household chores. Upon leaving the company's garbage in the morning it was off to a diner first thing for an hour or so breakfast. This union apparently was against maximum productivity.

The father of my girl friend at the time also worked for the phone company and was a union steward. He got both I and my girl friend jobs there. I do thank him for that. It paid quite well.

[Jim1mack]

I’m with you on this. They’re inflationary with bargaining for higher and higher wages and benefits and minimize producdtivity. They had their purpose at one time long long ago.