⚙️Structural Schisms 6 Labor Market Compression

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https://thehickoryhound.blogspot.com/2025/12/structural-schisms-6-labor-market.html

⚙️Structural Schisms 6  Labor Market Compression

Labor Market Compression Summary -  Uncovering the Hidden Struggles in Catawba County's Labor Market: Beyond Low Unemployment - In Catawba County and Hickory, NC, the unemployment rate hovers below 4%—a statistic that suggests a thriving economy. But dig deeper, and you'll find a different reality: labor market compression. Jobs are plentiful, but real opportunities for advancement are scarce. Wages stagnate while living costs soar, leaving hardworking families trapped in survival mode.Key insights from our latest report, "Structural Schisms 6: Labor Market Compression":

Keypoints

• Wage Stagnation & Disappearing Ladders: Manufacturing jobs that once built careers have shifted to retail, food service, and temp work. Average hourly pay has barely budged in a decade, outpaced by housing, food, and energy prices.
• The ALICE Economy: Nearly 40% of households are Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE)—working full-time but one unexpected bill away from crisis, per the 2023 United Way report.
• Credential Barriers & Workforce Disconnect: "Credential creep" locks out experienced workers, while lack of aligned training programs leaves young graduates in dead-end roles. Immigrant labor and automation further suppress wages.
• White-Collar Stagnation: Hickory excels in production (like fiber optics from CommScope and Corning) but lags in innovation hubs, tech, and professional services—driving talent attrition and burnout.
• The Cost: High turnover, shrinking talent pools, and profits flowing to outside owners erode community wealth. It's not a lack of effort; it's a structural failure.

This isn't just a local issue—it's a warning for regions everywhere facing similar shifts. Hickory has the skills and pride to rebuild, but we need alignment: Invest in trade programs, apprenticeships, and local ownership to restore fair wages and real progress.What do you think? Is your area experiencing labor market compression too? Share your stories below. 

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#CatawbaCounty #HickoryNC #LaborMarket #WageStagnation #ALICEEconomy #WorkforceDevelopment #EconomicInequality #NorthCarolinaJobs #ManufacturingDecline #StructuralSchisms