Top five employers in the United States in 2005 and 1995.

[KansDem]

I ran across this yesterday:

Top five employers in the United States and number of employees in 2005*

Manpower, Inc 23,000,000
Wal-Mart 1,500,000
Kelly Services, Inc 707,900
Labor Ready, Inc 602,770
McDonald's Corp. 418,000

Here are the top five employers and number of employees in 1995**

Manpower, Inc 1,206,700
Manpower International, Inc (Suby of Manpower, Inc) 1,200,00
General Motors Corp, 694,000
Kelly Services, Inc 634,000
Wal-Mart 528,000

In 2005, General Motors ranked no. 8 with 326,000 employees.

Look at the jump in number of employees for Manpower and other companies specializing in temporary and part-time employment.

Call me an alarmist, but I don't think this bodes well for American workers (at least if you believe in good jobs with good wages and benefits).
________
*Dun & Bradstreet Business Rankings, 2005
** Dun & Bradstreet Business Rankings, 1995

[ceile]

1. I don't think you're being an alarmist....

1 mill to 23 mill? And our economy is booming they say. Bullshit! I'd sign up with an agency, but all the work barely pays $10hr. Maybe for a second or third job....

[corporate_mike]

5. Why would they pay even $10/hr

when there is an unlimited supply of illegals willing to work for $6-7/hr

[TX-RAT]

2. Shouldn't federal employees be on that list?

I think it's around 1.9 to 2 mil

[annabanana]

6. (my thought too - missing numbers). . .eom

[Solon]

8. I don't think so...

They usually limit the list to private employers, not governments. The Federal Government is one of the largest employers in the nation, that's a given, but also, it doesn't go through HUGE variations like private employment does.

[CrispyQ]

3. Great post!!

Going to send to everyone on my email list if you don't mind?


kick & recommended

:kick:

[Media_Lies_Daily]

4. Thanks! Good post.

[-..__...]

7. Are those temp agency numbers cumulative or constant?

Say a person works for Manpower for a few weeks, is off the payroll for a month or two then goes back to work for Manpower for another few weeks. Are they counted once or twice?

An increase of 21,793,300 in the span of 10 years is enormous. How much of that is due to immigration (legal or illegal)?

[Solon]

9. Don't know...

I do know in my area that Manpower is the largest employer for manufacturing jobs. It worked like this, you worked full time at a factory, making well over 10 bucks an hour or so, they then lay their entire workforce off, and bring Manpower in, the ironic thing is that most of Manpower's workforce is the employees that were just laid off. The companies claim this is done, with reduced pay, no benefits, etc. because they can't compete with China otherwise, don't know if I believe that entirely, but it doesn't surprise me.

[Yavin4]

11. They Count The Number of Employees At The Time of the Survey

Whenever they call Manpower, that's when they take the number. It's not so surprising. Corporate America has been temp-sizing their labor force for the past 25 years.

Also, this reflects the tech bust. Many employed ITers are taking the temp jobs now.

[Yavin4]

10. Now You Know How The UE Rate Is So Low

If you work one day, or even one hour, as a temp, then you are counted as employed by the BLS.

[ThomWV]

12. Allow Me To Be An Optimist Here

This is a terrible trend, no doubt about that. There may be a ray of hope here though, and maybe we saw just a hint of it on May the first.

People with temporary jobs do not have benefits. Flat out simple, they get paid for when they are there, no pay for when they are not, and not another damned thing. The jobs are for the most part low paying service industry slots.

People who fill those jobs are not without a need for the things that what we think of as full employment generally bring. Health Insurance is certainly on the top of that list but it broadens with dental and mental provisions as well. There is also the question of the future, no part time job I ever say had a pension plant. So what happens when those needs are not filled by the workplace? Government is forced to step in.

And that is what I see as the only possible upside to this trend. As more and more people work in jobs with no benefits those same people will come more and more to rely on Government to fill those needs.

Hard-hearted and deaf to need as our current bunch of Republicans are it is wise to keep in mind that this batch will not be in there forever. All of our Class 1 Senators are up this time around, Class 2 Senators terms expire in '09. All of the House goes every time. It would not take long for an enraged public to make a big change in this country. When people are driven into poverty and deprived of abundant and obvious means to fill needs they will take to the streets. Witness May the 1st.

So I think this trend may likely lead to improved public services. As more and more people loose what benefits they have Government will be forced to take up the slack.