On the rebound: Shifting labor market leaves many Texas communities in workforce bind

[TexasTowelie]

Corsicana's world-famous Collin Street Bakery hires hundreds of seasonal workers on an annual basis. With a sharp decline in applications, the large bakery may have to work harder producing, packing and distributing its DeLuxe fruitcakes — a Christmas staple for many families.

“We are seeing similar numbers to last year and still haven’t figured out if people are still afraid to work because of the virus, are making more from unemployment by not working or if our pay is not in line with the rest of the market,” Shipping Manager Chris Woolsey said.

Corsicana, where Collin Street Bakery is located, has an unemployment rate below the statewide average at 6%. Woolsey said the bakery staffs about 100 employees year-round, but it is unique in its need to hire a lot of people each year for a short time.

“We are still doing the same work that Collin Street Bakery has hired half the town to do for the last 100 years,” he said. “We have to fill these seasonal roles every single year but 2020 and 2021 have been a completely different ballgame, it has become a full-time job for our entire management team to try to find enough people to work.”

Read more: https://www.palestineherald.com/news/on-the-rebound-shifting-labor-market-leaves-many-texas-communities-in-workforce-bind/article_5dfcfdac-0cdd-11ec-9473-e374e48c5d1c.html

[OAITW r.2.0]

1. Hmmmm, maybe there is some merit to allowing immigration.

It appears that a lot of Americans are going to be eager to take sub-minimum wage jobs, post COVID.

[Backseat Driver]

2. Remote order-takers to feed the obese fruitcakes across Texiban

for $15 hr plus discounted product perks, lol, isn't necessarily sub-minimum for hungry senior Americans trying not to get evicted, but fruitcakes must be some kind of secret vice. Aren't fruitcakes shelf-life kind of a national joke? I happen to like Georgia's famous fruitcakes better, Claxton, anyway. Any clue about their politics? Either of them use organic, gluten-free, glyphosate free, plant-based sweeteners with all natural colors and preservative ingredients? Nah, didn't think so...

[OAITW r.2.0]

3. This may sound crude, but....

I believe, over the next 20-30 years, we are going to need a real labor force 10x what it is now To deal with climate change in a big way Make the big infrastructure decisions to protect our coastal cities and inland cities in major flood areas. We need immigrants. And if that means creating an economic justification today - based on wages - great.