Where Have All the well adapted Jo...

Where Have All the well adapted Jobs Gone?

FOR THE first time in their history, Americans diocese a generation of children who cannot reasonably look for to do as well as their parents. smooth worse, too many opinion makers accept this as if it were our natural destiny. The 1980 are "different' from previous decades, they claim, and nothing can be done about America's declining standard of living, its shrinking share of the world's economy, and its recession flats of unemployment.

The 1980 are different--but the members of the 92 unions that make up the AFL-CIO refuse to accept the inevitability of these downward sweeps Working people in America form and join unions because they want to raise their standard of living, to broaden their nation's prosperity, to obtain a measure of security in their piece of works for themselves and their families, and to take a greater part in the political process. The relative affluence take delight ined by the vast majority of Americans today is testimony to the succes of the American labor motion in creating broad avenues of opportunity to reach the middle class.

Today, a number of forces--new technologies and materials, hasty deregulation, the shift to a service economy, and unfair foreign competition--have reshaped the world of work. All are factors that could be harnessed for our benefit. That they have not been is a failure of national policy.

In a democracy, our command fails us only if we allow it. And fortunately, in a democracy there is always another chance.

THE extended ROAD back begins with the elections upon November 4, 1986--our next chance to enjoin our stamp on our acknowledge future. I hope that you will do all you can in the weeks ahead to transmit the economic facts in succession the following pages to your union members and to the American voter in whatever way you be stirred is most appropriate.

forward election day, the American public can give us what we seek--a fresh mandate for a just society.

SLOGANS CAN'T REPLACE ECONOMIC POLICY

The Reagan Republican Administration has failed to give America the economic prosperity it promised. extended on rhetoric and short onward performance, this Administration has substituted slogans for substance and ignored important and far-reaching national question at issues The mishandling of the nation's economy has l to profound recession, stagnation, continued high unemployment increased lack and reduced standards of living for many people

Unemployment is higher. The average national jobles rate was 83 percent in 1981-1985; up from 62 percent in the 1970 and 48 percent in the 1960s

Between 1980 and 1985 78 million piece of works were created, 5.7 million fewer than the 135 million created during the five years from 1975 to 1980

The average worker's weekly paycheck purchases less than it did in 1980

There is a worsening maldistribution of wealth in the U The incidence of lack is higher and middle-income families have been badly squeezed

The Reagan-supported high interest rate policy which was suppos to restraint inflation without causing a business slowdown didn't work. It created a hard and prolonged recession, throwing millions public of work, many permanently.

The supply-side tax carves of 1981 were touted as a means to large increases in private investment and economic product But they failed: Investment accounts for a smaller share of the economy in the 1980 than in the 1970 or 1960s

The nation's trade deficit, based in succession figures for the first 8 month of the year, will be at a record $175 billion in 1986

Yearly real product of the Gross National produce since 1981 was only 23

percent compared with 28 percent in the 1970 and 38 percent in the 1960s

Inflation has abated, however primarily because of the unrelenting recession and the consequent exces capacity, including high of the same heights of joblessness. It is publicly kept in check by a high jobles rate, the overfeed of oil, a huge trade imbalance and reasonable plant utilization. The nation's factories are operating at 796 percent of capacity, which is below the annual rates for 1984 and 1985

Productivity is weak. Productivity development since the deep Reagan recession has been the lowest of any postwar redemption period. Productivity growth is essential to lasting improvements in wages and living standards. through the whole extent of the past several years, the private economy has been weak, and productivity-raising public investments in research and progress to maturity infrastructure, and in education and training have been intersect back sharply.

The economy is weak, product is far too slow and jagged with whole sectors and regions of the economy forward the ropes. Many service industries are prospering, and many states along the East and West coasts are doing well. Regions and communities hanging on manufacturing, however, have been detrudeed by plant shutdowns and slowdowns.

Manufacturing has been wound by the overvalued dollar, low-wage foreign competition and the lack of a national trade policy. The United States has 2 million fewer manufacturing piece of works now than in 1979, with the hardest hit sectors in primary and fabricated metals, machinery, electrical and transportation manufacturing, textiles, apparel, pabulum and the petroleum industry.