The New Savior of the Middle Class is…

…unions? That’s right. Forget federal stimulus or tax cuts for the wealthy or even a new, formal jobs plan. Because according to a new analysis of Census data from the Center for American Progress, a boost in incomes of the union members by just one-tenth, "would increase middle-class incomes by $1,479 per year -- even for those who aren’t members." In fact, according to the study, the rise in income is higher than if the unemployment rate dropped by four percentage points—a scenario that would increase middle class incomes by only $772 per household.  The Center for American Progress also found that the total share of income going to the middle class is below average in the states with the lowest unionization rates. This is bad news for so-called “right to work” states like North Carolina where unions are all but non-existent. But despite this ringing endorsement for the literal value of Unionization, according to The New York Times. Union rights have come “increasingly under fire as unemployment remains high and companies and municipal governments look to curb spending. In August, a Gallup poll found that approval of unions was just above its lowest-recorded level, dating back to the Great Depression, while union membership dropped to a 70-year low in 2010.“ Nevertheless, in a poll by the Pew Research Center, the number of respondents saying unions have a negative impact on the availability of jobs was believed to be the same as those saying they have a positive effect. These same types of surveys reveal why union standing is losing favor in states including Wisconsin, where last week major state employee unions lost their official status, according to Reuters--and the birthplace for unions in the United States. As The Huffington Post put it, “The waning influence of private-sector unions, such as the United Auto Workers, could have something to do with their dwindling numbers, according a Harvard University and University of Washington study. The researchers found that private-sector union membership dropped to 8 percent from 34 percent among men between 1973 and 2007 and to 6 percent from 16 percent for women during the same period.  The effect? A more than 40 percent increase in wage stratification, according to the study. “ So what other options are there for men and women living in states unwelcoming to union agreements and therefore unable to reap the benefits of a infusion of middle-class income? If you are an average American, like so many in the middle class, already struggling financially and living in fear the further fiscal impacts of a return to the economic downturn, now is the time to take on your financial woes and take back your fiscal freedoms by making a fresh start through bankruptcy. Discharging personal debt through bankruptcy now is, in some cases, the only income increase solution for so many Americans—especially unemployed persons facing years without a steady paycheck—to keep their personal lives financially afloat and creditors at bay. If you’ve already found yourself in dire straits just as America faces a lingering economic malaise without the benefits of a formal income boost, knowing a qualified bankruptcy attorney is the first best step to help you regain your post-recessionary power.  The bankruptcy attorneys at the Law Offices of John T. Orcutt offer a totally FREE debt consultation and now, more than ever, it’s time to take them up on their offer. Just call toll free to +1-833-627-0115, or during the off hours, you can make your own appointment right online at www.billsbills.com. Simply click on the yellow “FREE Consultation Now” button.