Jobs in Virginia

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   Sowensmomposted 12 years ago

   Correct me if I'm wrong, but were we not promised all these jobs and opportunities?  I look on job sites, and I see plenty for California, New York, places outside of where I'm at.  Not only are we lacking in employment opportunities in Virginia, but we seem to no longer have many rights as workers here.  If we get a convenience store job, most likely you are required to work over six hours without a break.  You could work twelve hours, still not supposed to get a break.  This is also true for certain fast food places out here.  We get paid so little, yet housing and cost of food goes up.  Trying to make it out here is impossible unless you're willing to commute a good ways.  Then, your paycheck or most of it is going towards gas.  And let's not get started on that one.   
   Virginia is no longer recognized as a state.  It is now a "Commonwealth"  whatever that means.  All i know is it can't be good.  Since we've turned into a Commonwealth, the rights of the people seem to be taken away.  I'm confused on all this.  I thought the United States of America was a place for the people.  Just because I live in the Commonwealth of Virginia, does that mean I'm in a different country?  I understand people are thinking of the small business owners, and the big ones too.  But why can't we think of everyone?  When you really think of it, how are these businesses supposed to make it if the people can't afford to dump money in their business?  Why doesn't any of this make since to me?  I am writing this because I'm concerned for my children when they grow up.  How will this country treat them?  We are the people that the government is supposed to be for.  Therefore, we are the ones whose voices matter.  Why is everyone keeping quiet?  We are allowing these things to take place by simply thinking we don't matter.  In actuality, it is in our hands, not theirs. It's in our hands to speak up, and say what we want. 
   Forgive me, I"m rambling.  Just wanting to understand what's going on.  Can someone out there please explain this mess to me?  And not in the whole news official way either.  Just speak it to where it makes sense.  IF no one can put it simply, then I know I'm not the only one feeling dumbfounded about all this.

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   1. 73

      Quilligrapherposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Hi there, Sowensmon,
      Your experiences seem to reflect what’s happening in the country as a whole. The economy did see 137,000 new jobs created in September 2011.(1)  This is still very encouraging news even though about one-third were telecommunications workers who had been on strike in August. On the other hand, it means very little if you weren’t hired to fill one of those jobs.
      
      Real estate and job creations are still sluggish and stubborn parts of our economy. Businesses in general saw some modest increases during the first two quarters of this year and a set back in the third but the over all gains haven’t created many new jobs.  Our economy still has a very, very long way to go and jobs and real estate may never see the levels that existed before the meltdown.
      
      Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Virginia, and Massachusetts are all officially commonwealths because they chose to place the older word rather than “state” in their title when they became part of the United States.(2) 
      
      (1)http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/ar … f18f0e.521
      (2) http://geography.about.com/b/2006/12/09 … -state.htm

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   2. 0

      Emile Rposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      For clarification, Virginia has always been a Commonwealth. This isn't a sudden change. I'm sorry to hear of your plight. I know several people who lost good jobs here in MD and have been working hourly jobs for several years now. I think they've given up hope of ever finding employment in their field again. Sounds as if it's the same all over.

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   Sowensmomposted 12 years ago

   Hello, Quilligrapher,
   Thank you for putting it simply to me.  I've been trying to understand this for a long time now.  Whenever I asked these questions before, it came out as who to blame.  I'm not trying to blame anyone.  Just trying to understand.  When I explained that, I ended up with either a dumbfounded look or all this political rubbish I don't speak!  LOL  But, is every commonwealth treating their employees so badly?  It used to be that you work six hours or over, you get a thirty minute break.  If you worked more than eight hours, you got an hour break.  Now, this is not required.  Certain businesses are allowed to work you for twelve hours, and expect you not to eat the whole time.  Some said if you were caught eating, you were fired.  And these were the ones that worked you solo.  So, you had no choice but to eat behind the register, and prayed like crazy you wouldn't get fired.  It's not like these people were stealing food, either.  They paid for their meals.  But, they just weren't allowed to eat them.  Thank you for answering most of my questions, but that one about the breaks seem to always get overlooked.

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   1. 73

      Quilligrapherposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Hi again, Sowensmom,
      
      Sadly, workers no longer enjoy the benefits and respect they had during the 30 years or so following WWII. Today, benefits and respect are as rare as jobs themselves.
      
      Federal labor laws offer little help when addressing meal and rest breaks for hourly employees. “Lunch and meal breaks are largely a function of state law, which means different states have different rules. Some states not only require the employer to provide lunch and other breaks, but also imposes [sic] very specific penalties for failure to do so.”
      http://lunchbreaklaws.uslegal.com/feder … nch-breaks
      
      Furthermore, in your state of Virginia, employers are not required to provide breaks or a meal period for workers over age 16. Nor does your state restrict how many hours an employee over age 16 can be required to work or when they work.
      http://www.doli.virginia.gov/laborlaw/l … _faqs.html
      
      It is much harder to get ahead today then ever before.  Success and progress is not guaranteed and only those willing and able to work the hardest will achieve them. I wish today’s younger adults a lot of luck, Sowensmom, knowing that alone will probably not be enough.
      
      For an excellent report on the food serving industry in Florida, I reccommend http://lmmartin.hubpages.com/hub/The-Re … weat-shops by LMMartin

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   Sowensmomposted 12 years ago

   Virginia was not always a commonwealth.  There was one point Virginia was  a state.  The state of Virginia, not the commonwealth.  I remember when it was a state.  I was in high school then.  It did become a commonwealth some years ago.  But, it wasn't always a commonwealth.

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   1. 73

      Quilligrapherposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Howdy Sowensmom,
      
      You might want to research this for yourself.  I believe you will find Virginia was the 10th state to join the Union.  When it was admitted on June 25th 1788, it chose to use the word “commonwealth” in the state’s official name but, never the less, it is and has always been a state.
      
      Virginia is rich in historic significance.

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