Editorial Cartoon: Occupy Need Jobs Now

Editorial Cartoon Occupy Wall Street by Bearman Cartoons

So I am sure this editorial cartoon may ruffle some feathers.  If you are new here first let me explain and also remember I was the guy that was praised for my last cartoon.

There were two situations in the last few weeks that prompted this.

The first was someone I was talking to who refused to continue looking for a job.  She said that she earns just as much money on government assitance as she does with the jobs she had been offered (even though several included benefits and a path to making more money)

The second I actually feel for.  His company closed and has been looking for months.  He had his mind set on getting the same salary he was earning before and has passed up several opportunities because it meant a significant drop in what his salary was.  The problem is he is so loyal to the companies he works for that he knows he isn’t the type to keep looking once he lands somewhere.   So instead of taking a job again that he could earn some money, he keeps holding out and making none.

Times are tough and I know many people are hurting because of lack of jobs.  I am very grateful for everything I have.  But I have told my wife, I am not above going back to cleaning toilets (my very first job) if it meant adding even the slightest to the household.  My dad worked a full time job and several part time jobs.  We didn’t eat dinner most nights until 8PM when he came home.

Want a job in an industry you prefer.  One suggestion.  Volunteer.  Volunteer for a trade organization or even a company you are interested in just to learn, get new marketable skills, and get connections.  When they see your value, they will come after you.   If I didn’t volunteer at various times in my life I would not have the job I have or have even met my wife.

So am I off on this one?  C’mon don’t hold punches.

UPDATE

Forgot to add this gem of fan art I got from Tony at Mental Pills.  It is his rat character Cedric trying to bring down the man wearing my I am the 1% design.  Why he put Cedric  in a baby onesie, I am not sure..haha

Tony McGurk Cedric Rat Fan Art 1 percent

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99 Responses to “Editorial Cartoon: Occupy Need Jobs Now”

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  1. -c says:

    United states department of labor says for every five unemployed American (those not having a job and self-identifying as seeking work) there is one job.

    Taxes on the rich are the lowest they have been in 30 years, and have been falling for the last sixteen years. Job growth is currently negative and has been trending downwards for almost a decade.

    • Bearman says:

      No arguments here. Rather than first just raising taxes though I would love to see them remove all the tax loopholes the uber rich seem to find.

  2. Tony McGurk says:

    Centrelink, Australia’s Government run social security agency will stop people’s welfare payments if they refuse a job interview that they are told to go to or get a job & refuse to accept it. I have heard of people purposely going to job interviews with a really bad attitude because they really don’t want a job & would rather bludge on the dole (unemployment benefit payments).

    • Bearman says:

      I’m surprised someone doesn’t call their bluff and hire them. haha

      • Friggin Loon says:

        The problem with not working for a long period of time is it leads to complacency and often low self esteem. Volunteering is a great way to stay active in the head and in the community.

        I can’t understand why there hasn’t been a few companies who have the balls to take on the Wall Street bigwigs. Imagine a competitor who can offer the same service cheaper, with out ridiculous CEO salaries. Give CEO’s options in the company (based on performance) rather than massive pay rises. The problem has always been the need to satisfy the “shareholders” and screw the customer.

  3. Indigo says:

    A little bit.

    A lot of those places who are “beneath” the people you talk about wouldn’t hire them anyway, because their resumes would indicate they’re overqualified, and therefore worth more money than the hiring person will want to pay. They are also going to seek out some fresh faced kid right out of school because they know they can pay those kids less. (And if the kid is young enough, they can abuse the kid to their own benefit and get away with it, whereas an adult wouldn’t stand for it).

    Cynical, but true.

    • Bearman says:

      You are right in that sense. There are several jobs my friend has interviewed for that the pay and benefits were right but they wouldn’t hire him because they thought he was overqualified. When you don’t have a job, sometimes you just want an opportunity even if it is a step back.

    • lisleman says:

      Overqualified is a big problem and you are absolutely right about companies going after naive workers. Many different situations out there so it’s hard to narrow down the exact problem. Another problem is companies not hiring people without a job. They like job holders better.

      • Bearman says:

        It definitely is a catch 22. I need a job. Do you have a job? No, I need a job. Well we really only want to hire people who have a job.

  4. Nate Fakes says:

    Well, how much is Liam’s Cafe going to pay? Maybe he’s taking advantage of potential employees

  5. Bo Lumpkin says:

    I think this is right on in some cases. I really appreciate the fact that you show a balance in your cartoons and are not afraid to comment on both sides of an issue. I am conservative but I can see both sides. There is a lot of greed at the top and a lot of sloth at the bottom. Great job Bman.

  6. Good comic!
    We have the same problem here, allot of people don’t want jobs because they earn just as much on government assistance.

    • Bearman says:

      Which more than likely says we don’t value certain jobs to pay better or we need to do a better job of weeding out the people milking the system so we can improve the benefits for those who truly need it.

  7. lisleman says:

    First off – excellent name for a cafe (did I help with that?)
    I’m no expert on the occupy movement but I don’t think jobs are that high on their agenda.
    Your second situation – A job is a two way transaction and each side has different interests. Back in the late 90’s the employee had the upper hand (in the technology area certainly) but now the companies have the upper hand. They always want to pay the minimum necessary but the tricky thing is figuring out the minimum because turnover cost money too.
    Good post.

    • Bearman says:

      Yes. You were my inspiration given your William post.

      The thing is that companies are treating their best people like crap pouring on the work. The economy WILL turn and when it does, all these companies will wonder why their employees are running for the door.

  8. DadaHyena says:

    Time is also a big factor in getting work in the industry you want; I guess it all depends on how much you hussle (watch “The Pursuit of Happyness”), but getting noticed by people in an industry, and, even more important, getting them to like you enough to recommend you, can take a lot of time and effort.

    I will say that just because something takes a long time doesn’t mean you should just say, “Aw, this will take too long, the hell with it.”. I’ve been banging my head on the studio doors of my chosen industry for years and years and only made a modest dent (not just in my skull).

    Volunteering and getting noticed is a fine idea; just don’t get discouraged if the results aren’t immediate. If you really want to be in that industry enough, keep trying. It may take a long time, but if it’s what you really want, keep fighting for it.

    …at least that’s what I tell myself.

    • Bearman says:

      And please don’t think I mean volunteering as an artist to just donate work for people. I mean getting something in return besides “exposure”.

      A company likes your artistic work. Great, you need something in return. ie. I went to work for a company out of college when computer based editing just started. I told them I would only take the job at the crappy pay they were offering if they paid for me to be trained on the system.

  9. David says:

    Wouldn’t blame anyone for avoiding a job in the restaurant industry, it is one of the few jobs that pays below minimum wage legally. Averaging between 2 and 3 bucks an hour base pay with the expectation that wages and tips are supposed to bring the weekly income up, but if you get no tips (because the customers can barely afford the food let alone the gratuity) 2-3 bucks an hour waitressing or bussing tables is a nightmarish employment option that doesn’t help support the costs of living under current conditions.

    And on top of all that there is also the racket in such service industries where the tips get split between all workers and the owners/managers take a cut which distributes those earnings 4 ways, that includes 3 of the ways getting an undeserved cut of tips which are the owners, the management, who each take a cut for your privilege to work for them and the less skilled co workers who under normal circumstances would not receive a tip based on their own crappy work but somehow get a cut for working the same shift and not carrying their own weight.

    So even if one worker manages to work their ass off to stay above that minimum wage mark they still get screwed three ways from Sunday for the privilege of working.

    • Bearman says:

      That is true to a point but waiters who don’t earn enough tips to make minimum wage averages must be paid the difference by the employer. So no waiter or waitress makes $2-3 an hour. They will get at least minimum wage either through tips or being made whole by the restaurant.

      I never worked a restaurant where the manager/owners took a cut. That is awful. Though having worked as a bus boy, I can say I worked my ass off doing much of the waitresses jobs (ie setting tables, rolling silverware, filling drinks) and they would give us pittance for our help at the end of the night. I remember one 8 hour shift that most of the waiters made over $300 in tips. Ten of them gave $2 each so me and the other busser walked out with a whopping $10

      • David says:

        Not exactly true of every state unfortunately, and even the ones that have that law in place it is not always practical to enforce and usually along with the wage splitting racket the business owners ignore that part when it suits them.

        • Bearman says:

          Yeah…I can only speak for what my experience has been. Something tells me that if a business owner ignores the law, someone might want to tip off the IRS for an audit because they probably aren’t indicating it as income.

  10. Comedy Plus says:

    I agree with you here. Folks don’t even try because the government is taking care of them. We need jobs and people working. Period. I’ve seen the same attitude about working as you have and it was a family member. Awful.

    If someone wants to vilify companies they need to think about who the lawmakers are in this country to make sure companies taxes are so low. Start with Washington D.C., and I’m talking about both sides of the aisle. That’s where folks should be marching.

    Have a terrific day. 🙂

    • Bearman says:

      I don’t know if it lawmakers who make the taxes so low or the people and companies with means to skirt the tax law legally and end up not owing much.

  11. You are not off on this one. It tells another part of the story that is unfortunately true as well. It does not excuse Wall Street or anything it just shows that some folks do not have the same integrity to get out there and do whatever it takes to make things happen for themselves. Aim guilty of this too. There is plenty to complaint about but there are only two choices – let it go or do something about it. Another lesson I need to put into practice.

    • Bearman says:

      There is plenty I complain about including when someone has something I don’t. Sometimes I am justified because they did nothing special to get it but many times I am just a sore loser who doesn’t want to put in the effort they did. I am more jealous of their efforts than the results.

  12. Dr. Cynicism says:

    That really is a good one Bearman — no feathers are ruffled here.

  13. George says:

    I believe it’s hard to hold down a job of a certain stature or pay wage, then lose it. Searching for a replacement can be a hassle.

    If I got a divorce and wanted to try my luck at romance again, i don’t want a lesser woman than whom I already had. I wanna upgrade. The same can be said for people looking for work.

    When I first moved to California, I wanted something in Art. I didn’t wanna make burritos, mos lawns, or rob a whole lotta elderly. I wanted something I felt was equal to my capabilities (that’s why I’m drawing free comics ever day).

    My wife would bring home application for groundsman in 100 degree summer weather. Or landscaping assistant. Trust me, CA is not the state for working outdoors. I swear to you. I would politely decline or ignore her altogether.

    That went on for a few months. Eventually, i was able to find what I was looking for. It’s not the greatest, best-paid job in the world, but I help others, have a lotta private time to reply to blogs, and I get to keep chairs from floating into the atmosphere while enjoying some cool conditioned air. Patience pays off.

    Now, let me go see what you’ve written about in your blog for today. 😀

    • Binky says:

      Need an assistant?

    • Bearman says:

      The point isn’t to take any job. The point is to not be so blindsided by jobs that are dealbreakers that you miss an opportunity.

      You gave up some things relative to salary but gained some with the autonomy of your job. And the lawns of CA are glad they don’t have you messing up the mulch.

      • George says:

        Most of the jobs I get are dealbreakers for other opportunities. Once I start working somewhere, Is top looking for other work. I’m there until I die, get fired, or run the place in the ground by selling their stationary at bargain-basement prices. My wife will start working and by the second day will be filling out applications (even if she likes her new job).

  14. Friggin Loon says:

    Thumbs up to volunteering Bearman. My first job was working in a photo lab because I wanted to learn about photography and color correcting. I sent letters to all the photo labs where I lived and offered my services free. Within a few days I had several offers. Within a month I was on the payroll working throughout the night processing the backlogs. To this day I still use the skills I learned from that opportunity. Sometimes it isn’t just about the money.

    Blahahaha our OCCUPY PERTH protestors sucked. They gave up after one night sleeping on concrete!!!!

    A question to these protestors? If a Wall Street CEO came out and offered a job opportunity, with a massive salary and all the perks, to one of the protestors ,would they refuse it?

    • Bearman says:

      That would be an interesting experiment. But most sociology college professors are so liberal they would not engage in that kind of social experiment.

  15. Binky says:

    I’d take any job that involves chocolate.

  16. Mark Stokes says:

    What gets me is that some people will do anything to avoid getting a real job. I’ve got a couple of friends who’ve been without work for some time and always seem to manage. I don’t ask. Something that seems to work, especially for art type jobs is finding work through temp agencies. That way you can go into a business and see if there is a fit and if they’re interested in hiring, you’ve already got a foot in. I don’t see taking a lesser job that big of a deal, especially if you are down to your last package of Ramen.

  17. nursemyra says:

    One of my sons got laid off from his corporate job. He’s currently delivering pizzas while he looks for something where he can use his qualifications

  18. Barbaric Bob says:

    getting a job aint easy at the moment but people also shouldn’t be picky as f*ck
    if you can’t get a job you like just deal with it untill an opportunity arives

  19. Louise says:

    Hi! I totally agree with your cartoon. My husband has a small restaurant. There are jobs out there but people are too picky and just won’t roll up their sleeves.

    I believe that if you can’t find anything out there, just create something. It is a lot better then complaining and doing nothing.

    Great job.

    Cheers,
    Louise

    • Bearman says:

      Hey Louise…thanks for stopping by and finding me. If you want, let us know the details of your restaurant. If any of us are near it, we should visit!

  20. planetross says:

    Who would call their cafe “Liam’s Cafe”?
    … that’s just weird.

    note: there is a government work-type program happening in the building I work in. It’s for people who are struggling to find jobs: I’m not sure what they are doing in there, but it’s 100,000 yen pay a month (about $1,300 US) for 6 months … and a bit of education/info/ideas.

    • Bearman says:

      Lisleman informed me the other day that Liam was short for William. I actually never heard that before. But it was so stupid that I hadn’t. So in honor of him, I named the cafe that.

      How far does 100,000 yen a month go?

  21. The same goes for my friends. I have many hold out cause it is more money to stay on unemployment. The state we are in today is just sad.

  22. Long-time listener, first time caller. You knew I’d eventually have to stop by, Bearman… we haunt all of the same places!

    It’s easy to blame the victim, and I can see a bit of that going on. Okay… cut everyone off from unemployment. The unemployed then stop spending, which reduces demand, then more businesses go under, and more people become unemployed. Before you know it, real unemployment goes to 20% or 30%. Then things get REALLY ugly.

    The occupy wall street movement is something that is badly needed. To cut spending in this environment is counter-productive, and insane. There needs to be a second New Deal. Conservatives steadfastly refuse government spending that would pull us out of this mess. It is the Keynsian third leg of the stool. When other sectors of the economy fail, government needs to step in and create jobs. The policies of the last 30 years have benefited the 1% tremendously. They’ve used and benefited from our infrastructure to get to where they are, now they need to give back a bit more in a time of crisis.

    As far as telling protestors to get jobs, think about shouting that at abolitionists and suffragettes. Protest is a very important part of who we are.

    You can certainly point out this lazy so-and-so who won’t get a job. His unemployment will eventually run out. And someone that is “making so much money on unemployment they won’t get anything else”, are, in reality, collecting a small fraction of their previous wage. Their previous job must’ve paid really well. Don’t forget, also, that they’ve paid into unemployment in the first place. What isn’t often recounted in this sort of discussion, is how many have been able to survive a difficult time because if government assistance. I believe those that “milk it” in any real sense are probably a tiny fraction. It’s likely that friend that won’t get a job “because he is too lazy” has been emotionally crushed at being deprived of a livelihood, because our society is so geared to “what do you do for a living”.

    • Bearman says:

      Hey Jerry thanks for stopping to comment (about time..haha j/k)

      I am all for the OWS but unlike the abolitionists and the suffragettes, it is too hard to get a cohesive understanding of what people want. When you say end slavery, it is a clear cut goal. Women’s right to vote..same thing. When you say it is the blame of the 1% only, I lose the goal.

      Calls to move money out of big banks only work to put more people out of a job. So for me sadly OWS is becoming the Tea Party in that fringe elements are going to drive the agenda and the discussion. Both started with areas I agreed with but both are being overrun by others who don’t care about what the collective really needs. It’s becoming more of a I want mine attitude versus fixing the elements of the system that are unfair.

      This isn’t a call to get a job instead of protesting like an old man might yell at a hippie. It is about people taking responsibility for their own shortcomings and blind spots when it comes to what they want that might be in front of them or attainable without trying to get government to do it.

      • The answer may not be to move the money out of the big banks, but something needs to be done to get them to loan out money again. Many businesses are hurt my their lack of access to the resources held by the big banks who won’t loan money.

        I think a big part of what OWS is about, is accountability. Those who damaged the economy have not had to suffer any consequences for millions losing their livelihoods. They need to reinstate Glass Steagal-like rules to make sure wall street doesn’t continue to be some sort of casino and cause another crash or great depression.

        As you say, each movement has it’s fringes, but I find the left fringe less scary. The right fringe often includes authoritarians, dominionists (people who want to govern with biblical law) and racists.

        Ultimately, people will suffer the consequences from their own shortcomings. If someone is lazy, they will reap what they sow. Safety net programs are intended as a temporary measure, and not a lifestyle. No one WANTS to be poor.

        • Bearman says:

          The government told banks to lower lending standards. People who really shouldn’t have been in loans took them or took larger loans than they should have. Some banks got really greedy and did subprime lending. Many did not but have been lumped together. Then when the crash happened, the government forced banks to hold more cash under their “stress test” That along with other requirements have made banks gun shy. Too much so IMO and as you said it has hurt many small business.

          I am all for more restrictions on Wall Street (not a fan of shorting or day trading and would love to see a higher tax rate for gains on stocks held less than a certain time. Not familiar with Glass Steagal…need to look that one up)

          OWS fringe is less scary than avowed supporters including Louis Farrakhan, Nazi Party, White Supremists? I think the problem with some on the left is they feel because they are liberal that they can’t be racist.

          • I am on the left, and I have never said that liberals can’t be racists. Anyone of any color or political stripe can be.

            You may want to look at the sources for that Nazi/White Supremacist story, though. It’s largely something fomented by right wing sites like The Blaze and Free Republic. Nazis in Germany started by imprisoning the left… Social Democrats and Communists, so genuine support by Nazis of a liberal cause like OWS makes no sense.

          • Bearman says:

            I wholly agree with your first statement. Sadly those who are always seem to have an excuse for why what they say isn’t -ist.

            Not sure. Only based on reported statements. I dont tend to to read the blaze or stuff like that. But if you hold a belief that Jews contol the banks and you have a movement that is anti banks it might seem like that fringe can seek airtime. I warned the tea party that they needed to control their fringe and not let it take over. Now the tea party has become something of a far right movement. I don’t want to see OWS be taken over or muddied.

  23. Brad says:

    I’d like to think I’d snatch up the first job I could get. But who knows…

  24. Tim says:

    I love that it leaves much for the reader to interprett, bravo!

  25. Love It. It is sad that many people can’t get a job with the same pay as they could before. I was out of work for 8 months and almost went back to being a waitress. I am glad I help out and got back into working on the net.

    • Bearman says:

      Someone asked me if I would take a pay cut. I said sure, if there was a natural progression that eventually (in a few years not 10) get me above where I am now.

  26. Mark Stokes says:

    Wanted to add it’s nice to see Cedric in your great t-shirt design. Great job, Tony!

  27. G says:

    To me it seems that both people are in the wrong. I agree with what the lady said about making as much on guv’ment assisstance than having a job, but it still doesn’t make it right. She may think that she’s getting a “free” deal, but the reality is that hers and everyone else’s taxes are paying for this “free” deal.

    As for the guy, at this point with the bad economy, its better to take a job to earn money than not to take a job in the hopes of getting what you previousl had.

    Reality check: you ain’t gonna get what you had previously. Nobody is gonna get what they had previously, and if by some slim chance you were able to get your job back (which is very plausible in the public sector) after getting fired, you better make damn sure that you find a way to straighten up and keep your job.

    I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people get their jobs back after getting fired, yet continue to shoot themselves in the foot by doing the exact same thing that got them canned in the first place.

  28. MC/Curtis says:

    Cedric rules!

    I think the economy is improving a bit because I’m working much more often as a drummer again. Live music is the first thing scratched from every budget even though it’s a small part of most budgets.

    I also do day labor, donate plasma, take part in marketing research studies… work and money is out there to be had and it isn’t even very hard to find.

    I’ve cleaned a lot of toilets too. Neither pride or laziness are any excuse as far as I’m concerned either. Making less money is still making money.

    And don’t get me started on begging! I’ve been homeless and I know it’s a scam to get free money from suckers. If you are going to beg offer something back! Sell pencils, play guitar, tell jokes, juggle, puppet show, make art. Those are just a few ideas. Give something back! No more something for nothing. I don’t care if you make more money begging than I make working. That doesn’t make it cool.

    • Bearman says:

      You should write a blog on all the things you do to make money. That would be a good read.

      If you find yourself needing a place to crash in L.A., I’ll give you George’s number..haha

    • Tony McGurk says:

      Once when I was unemployed for a while I rang Centrelink (Australia’s Social Security Agency) to volunteer to join their “Work for the Dole” program as I wanted to give something back for the unemployment benefits I was receiving. I was in my early 40’s at the time & was told I wasn’t allowed to do it as the program was only for teens through to 25 year olds. It was made compulsory for them. At the time there was a lot of problems with those who were told they had to do it protesting about not wanting too. For some reason the idea of work was too objectional to such bludgers whereas I was more than happy to do it but wasn’t allowed. Go figure???

  29. Scholar Mel says:

    Since moving to Germany and staring at a television that blares only German, I haven’t kept up on this whole wall street thingy ma jig.

    One can’t go wrong with volunteering.

    Question: Who are these people who are occupying Wall Street? Are they affiliated with a certain party or just frustrated people, or what?

    • Bearman says:

      It depends on who you ask. Most are upset at government and the financial industry and want people to be held accountable. Much like the Tea Party, it started as non partisan but is pushing quickly to the left and the agenda of those on the far left.

  30. Scholar Mel says:

    Thanks for the explanation.

  31. Hahaha…
    that onesie might be a bit more comfortable with a tail hole…
    unless it comes with one of those built-in flaps…
    🙂

  32. Deb Adams says:

    It’s a shame when someone won’t take less to get more in the long run. A lot of this is just laziness and greed.
    xx

  33. jynksie says:

    I was looking at the comments swearing on everything holy I had said something, but nothing to be found. I posted a comment on google+ … I’m getting confused as to where to leave my comments man! o.O



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