Tag Archives: unemployment

How does public transportation impact employment?

Posted on by

After attending a public transit meeting back in September and listening to complaints regarding service irregularity and inconvenience, I left wondering – how much does that poor service impact employment? Many attendees mentioned that Jamaica’s unreliable public transportation hinders their ability to get from point A to B on time. So I created a survey, and took to Twitter and Facebook to try and find out…

…and in the end, I didn’t find out much. Despite posting my survey on Facebook, tweeting it several times – each time with a different hashtag in an attempt to reach different people – I got a total 12 responses.

My real quest was to find out just how far someone would go for the sake of a job. Given today’s dismal economy, I wanted to know if New Yorkers we’re traveling longer and further for the sake of a paycheck. Ultimately I discovered half of the respondents travel between 30-60 minutes to get to work, and that taking the subway was only slightly more popular than biking (six people rely on the MTA, whereas five count on their own two feet).

Despite the travel time and method, the one thing most respondents agreed on was the commute’s importance. It didn’t matter how far employees had to go, they would travel just about any distance if it meant work. On a scale of one to five, one being “It didn’t matter how far I had to travel – I would have taken it no matter how far the commute was” and five being the opposite, the average score was a two.

Job-talk in Zuccotti Park

Posted on by

Diverse in ideology and demands, many occupiers of Wall Street agree that jobs and the economy are central issues of their movement.

Protesters have gathered in Zuccotti Park for the last 26 days to express frustrations over a variety of ideas.  Jobs and the economy have been hot topics of conversation amongst the occupiers.

Photo by Alex Robinson

“10 years ago you could select what company you wanted to work for and find a job very easily. Now you have to be on a list and send out 300 resumes without any promise of employment,” said Carlos Cabrera, a 34-year-old Brooklyn man who has been at the protest since its first day, September 17.

Cabrera was a paramedic for 12 years before losing his job. He has been unemployed for the last year and a half. Cabrera said that he has considered going back to school to rebrand himself, but it would put him in debt.

Sharon Kennedy, 62, a retired attorney for the state’s court system attended the protest for the first time today.

“Two of my three children are having trouble finding work. One has actually had to go to Korea to teach English for a couple years because he couldn’t find a job when he got out of college, so there’s a very direct impact on our family,” she said.

Kennedy attributes Occupy Wall Street to the recession and unemployment. She said that the recent economic downturn highlighted the long-standing social inequalities of the country.

“I’m here to express my support for the jobs bill because I think that it will create jobs and reduce some of the income inequity by making the wealthy pay more of their fair share then they do now,” she said.

The road to…nowhere: employment and public transit in Jamaica

Posted on by

In Europe, if all roads lead to Rome, in Queens, they all lead to Jamaica. Home to the Long Island Railroad, more than 200,000 passengers pass through Jamaica Station daily, where they can transfer to one of three subway lines or hop on their choice of 18 buses. Up to 360 buses drive along Archer Ave during peak times, according to the NYC Department of Transportation’s Jamaica Bus Improvement Study. And there’s the JFK AirTran.

Commuters wait for the Q11 in Jamaica Queens (photo by Jenny Marc)

But if all roads lead to Jamaica, they don’t seem to lead out. Lack of public transit within both Jamaica itself and the neighboring communities is one of the most common complaints among locals. Inconvenient routes and unreliable schedules make it harder to do just about everything – especially work.

At last month’s Jamaica public transit town hall, a meeting hosted by the non-profit organization Transportation Alternatives, attendees rattled of a list of problems. Last year’s discontinuation of several bus lines is still making transit tough, and the buses that are still there can’t seem to stay on schedule.

Wade McDonald listens to fellow commuters during a breakout session at the Jamaica Public Transit Town Hall. (photo by Jenny Marc)

“Public transportation is supposed to connect the business areas to the residential areas,” explained Michael Murphy, a Transportation Alternatives spokesman. “It’s pretty obvious that employment is more difficult when people can’t get to the jobs that are available.”

Given these tough economic times, people are likely to travel further and longer for the sake of a job. But does there ever come a point when the job is just too far? When getting there is simply too complicated? Take a few seconds to fill out this survey, and help figure out how public transportation is effecting not only unemployment, but employment as well.

 

Social Media Diary

Posted on by
  • On September 22nd, I posted my question on Twitter and linked to my blog post in the following tweet:

Tweet

I used the hashtags #USPS, #postoffice, #SouthBronx, #Bronx, and #jobs as they seemed like they were the most relevant that would garner the most amount of hits.  I however failed in attracting any response.

After I didn’t receive any reply to this either, I started to wonder if there were better hashtags for the Bronx and the South Bronx, and found out that people use #bx as a Bronx hashtag.

I tried using some other hashtags, and rephrasing my query in order to attract possibly business owners in the South Bronx.  I still did not unfortunately receive any response. Because so much of the South Bronx’s population is living under the poverty line, I think it is safe to assume that a lot of them have very limited internet access. A lot of the unemployed people of the South Bronx (who are the people who I am most interested in speaking with, in all likely-hood do not peruse Twitter).

  • On October 5th, I posted the following on Flickr to promote my question and blog post:

I posted my question and link in the description of the photo, and added relevant tags (Melrose, South Bronx, Post Office, USPS…).

Are You Shopping Locally?

Posted on by

Behrens Pharmacy in Clinton Hill

Mohammad Rahman has been working at Behren’s Pharmacy in Clinton Hill for decades. He is one of the millions of workers employed at a small business, the lifeblood of the American economy (PDF).  And to New Yorkers, and Green Point and Clinton Hill, Brooklyn residents in particular, small businesses are a way of life. The threat of their disappearance is enough to incite protest, as seen with the Atlantic Yards development.

But, according to Rahman and workers at other businesses in the neighborhood the deadliest small business killer is less tangible than the Atlantic Yards and local residents have less control over it’s operation: it’s the American economy.

Rahman, standing behind the pharmacy counter waiting for customers said business was very slow, but doesn’t blame people for not shopping locally.

Unless people have a disposable income – unless they have money in their pocket, this economy can’t work…people don’t have the jobs, how will they spend the money?

Rahman said local residents are shopping online at places that don’t have the overhead that a local store like Behren’s does.

Down the street at the cafe Tillies of Brooklyn barista Khephran Riddick echoed Rahman’s sentiment.

“It’s been a little show…It’s tough to find jobs out here.”

Still, small businesses seem to be holding on, despite the continued economic downturn.

Where do you fit in?

If you are a small business owner in Fort Greene or Clinton Hill:

How has your business been affected by the ecomonic downturn?

And residents:

Are you still shopping locally and eating out?

Please respond in the comments.

New York City: Looking for job answers in odd places

Posted on by

Are textbooks and squeegees the key to NYC’s economic future?

As New York City’s unemployment rate holds steady at nearly 9 percent, the city is making a grab for any project that could bring jobs to its increasingly hopeless residents – no matter how niche or obscure.

That’s the driving force for a new deal between the city and Pearson PLC, the British education and publishing giant that also – in a small twist of ironic fate – owns the Financial Times. Pearson will be putting down roots on Hudson Street, bringing an estimated 628 jobs to NYC. (Never mind that the building renovation alone will cost almost $135 million before those jobs ever even materialize.)

See Mayor Michael Bloomberg announce the Pearson deal here.

But some New Yorkers aren’t waiting around for the city’s fancy plans to come to fruition. The Daily News recently reported on the reappearance of so-called “squeegee men” in the city – guys who wander through traffic with a bucket of water and a squeegee, offering to clean car windows for a buck or two. It’s a job that had virtually disappeared since the early ‘90s – the last time city unemployment was as high as it is now.

Another city jobs plan that may not pan out so well: The upcoming “Wal-Martization” of NYC. New numbers show that if Wal-Mart reaches the same market share – 21 percent – in New York City that it has in the rest of the country, the city will lose nearly 4,000 jobs and more than 100 smaller local businesses. Maybe Wal-Mart doesn’t really have everything New Yorkers need.

But what, then, do New Yorkers need? What industry (or industries) holds the answer to the city’s unemployment crisis?

No Youth Jobs = Violence ?

Posted on by

Ten days after 18-year-old basketball star Tayshana Murphy was gunned down in Harlem, the two young men allegedly responsible for her murder are in police custody, officials said Wednesday.

Despite a visible police presence in Harlem, youth violence has spiked in the past few years. (Photo: Sarah M. Kazadi)

As Murphy’s family mourns, her killing has shed light on the steady rise in youth violence and gang related crimes in the area. East Harlem community leaders say the surge could be largely attributed to the lack of jobs, and initiatives to create more opportunities for youth employment are underway.

Harlem hasn’t been spared from the job market’s downward slant. With overall unemployment in the area almost doubling the national rate, the youth labor force – falling between the ages of 16 and 24 – is also feeling the blow. The National Urban League reports that youth unemployment among minorities, who make up a large chunk of East Harlem’s population, hovers around 39 percent.

The high unemployment rate has coincided with the recent spike in youth violence, and community leaders have tied the two trends. Raichelle Thompson, a 21-year-old lifelong East Harlem resident, said youth violence in her neighborhood is at an all time peak. “The younger the group, the more deaths. Kids with guns and no diplomas, it’s really crazy out here,” she said.

At a community board meeting in February, East Harlem police said gang violence was their toughest challenge, and that gang members ranged from 13 to 21 years old. There are about 24 active youth gangs spanning Harlem, according to a DNAinfo report, some even using social websites like YouTube to taunt each other.

Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito established the El Barrio/East Harlem Youth Task Force in response to the alarming numbers, organizing events on youth violence and putting an emphasis on youth jobs. Congressman Charles Rangel has teamed with other local elected officials and the NUL to gain support for the Urban Jobs Act, which promises to “provide critical resources for non-profit groups to prepare at-risk youth for new employment and educational opportunities.”

With the initiatives freshly under way, it will be a while before we can determine whether they can create more youth jobs and slow down youth violence. Percentage wise, how much do you think the lack of jobs is to blame for the spike in violent youth crimes? What other factors should be addressed to stop the trend in communities like Harlem?

Does lack of employment for NYC youth increase gun violence?

Posted on by

Employment has been difficult for many since the recession. And despite Harlem being listed as one of the top 10 safe neighborhoods in Manhattan, there is still violence, especially gun violence. A New York State Mission Society organization, Operation SNUG, is working to halt gun violence throughout the state of New York while implementing employment program experience that NYSMS has.

In West Harlem, Operation SNUG Project Director Robin Holmes said that she works with summer internship programs, and this past summer she had around 1,300 applicants when only 300 jobs were available. According to Holmes, the gun violence could be related to the lack of employment for younger individuals

“Even though a lot of people think crime is down, murders and shootings are not,” Holmes said.

Operation SNUG (“guns” spelled backwards) was launched by the NY state senate in 2009 and has been working toward reducing gun violence mostly with adolescents.

The most recent shooting was of a young girl, prominent is basketball, named Tayshana Murphy, 18. She was shot and killed on Sept. 11 in the Grant House in West Harlem between Morningside and Old Broadway. According to an article on the NY Daily News, she was killed by other teens because of mistaken identity during a “turf war.”

Ray McLaughlin, who works as a community assistant at the CD9 board, located by the Grant House, said that he feels most violence in NYC is community based and lack of money for desired lifestyles cause violence. “People within the communities are fighting. People try living above their means in Harlem and it causes tension and crime,” he said.

According to an article on Patch.com, unemployment dropped from 6.9 percent in August 2010 to 6.6 percent last month and the labor force also dropped from 17,500 to 17,100 workers from 2010 to 2011, according to a recent New York State Department of Labor report.

This poses the question, does the lack of employment for adolescents in NYC increase the threat of their involvement with gun violence?

 

Small Business Solutions in NYC’s Five Boroughs

Posted on by

One of the pillars of the President’s American Jobs Act is providing relief to small businesses. By boosting them, Obama believes that the economy will follow, and according to the U.S. Small Business Administration there might be some truth to this – small firms created 65 percent of net new jobs in the last 17 years.

This graph, categorized by firm size, depicts private-sector net job creation from 1993 - 2009. Courtesy of the Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy.

Other experts argue, however, that helping small businesses isn’t a quick fix. As the Fiscal Times explains, most of them close just as quickly as they open.

Regardless of which side wins the small business debate, New Yorkers aren’t wasting time to see if Obama’s plan works, or even passes. Instead, small business owners in each of New York City’s five boroughs are creatively taking matters into their own hands:

  • Bronx: Plagued with the highest unemployment rate of NYC’s five boroughs, locals are reverting to good old-fashioned brainstorming for answers. On September 13, New York State Senator Jeffrey Klein launched ThoughtRaisers, a forum for small business owners and elected officials to discuss problems and generate solutions.
  • Brooklyn: To improve their workforce, four small businesses agreed to match funds doled out by Mayor Bloomberg. Believing that small businesses are critical to economic recovery, the Mayor is providing funds to train and educate the small business employees.
  •  Manhattan: When Starbucks threatened to close out an independent coffee house, one small business resorted to the cheapest survival tactic possible: word of mouth. When The Bean was forced from their storefront to make way for the mega-chain, outraged customers spread the word. Now, the business plans to relocate just down the street and is confident that its loyal clientele will follow.
  • Queens: Frustrated with the economic situation, the traditionally democratic ninth district in Brooklyn and Queens voted in Republic Bob Turner, a move that some see as an indicator of America’s frustration with Obama’s economic policies.
  • Staten Island: Choosing not to rely on anyone else, small businesses in this borough decided to ban together in an attempt to help one another. On the same night as Obama’s jobs speech, locals launched the 3/50 campaign, an initiative encouraging shoppers to patronize the three business that they would miss most if they were forced to close.

Each of the five locations mapped out below:

View Businesses in a larger map