A First.

[RichSchmidt]

I work as a technician for Verizon,a good union job with over 23 years in. Last summer they were hiring "term" technicians. No experience needed,15 an hour plus benefits and the possiblity of being permanent in the future. They had a hard time filling the jobs. They had people coming in to take the test because the unemployment office sent them. It should take over an hour to do it but 90% of the class was done in 20 minutes. They were playing connect the dots with the answer sheets. As it is right now it takes 4 years to hit top pay which is currently $42 an hour plus benefits,tons of overtime,and a 401K (the new hires get a better 401K but not a pension like us). The people that they hired are a good bunch of smart,hard workers but for every one of them there are nine other guys out there on the unemployment line that are as dumb and lazy as they come. They prefer people with zero experience and zero training so that they can train you their way so it isn't even about needed to go to school. Half the company is minorities so it isn't about discrimination. It is a reflection of what our country has become.