Rethinking the Pie: ; How Should West Virginia Pay for Itself?; to Stop Job Erosion, W.Va. Must Change the Business Climate Now

Summary

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IT was reported in the Oct. 4 Gazette that between January 2001 and January 2006 nearly 12,000 people lost their manufacturing jobs in West Virginia. The Gazette cited information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a disturbing statistic, to say the least, but not a surprising one to those of us who follow the state's economy and business climate on a daily basis.

The sad fact is that West Virginia has experienced serious erosion for two decades in manufacturing employment. Remember, the jobs that have been lost in manufacturing were high-paying, full- time jobs with benefits. These are the kinds of jobs that support families and are needed to have economically viable communities. My friends in the labor community label these jobs as ones with a "livable wage."

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Extract

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Rethinking the Pie: ; How Should West Virginia Pay for Itself?; to Stop Job Erosion, W.Va. Must Change the Business Climate Now

The West Virginia Chamber of Commerce is very concerned about the health and well-being of our state's manufacturing base. The chamber has long recognized the difficulties facing this business sector and has consistently advocated for much-needed change...

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