| Show WMni EliCE0 --- WIWI PEOPLE EARWcontinued I pared to their brothers' average of $29028 But fewer women are rushing into the labor force than in years increase the number holding or past After a seeking jobs has leveled off at around 58 percent of 20-ye- ar women (Among working-ag- e men 76 have raise this scales Ultimately may pay jobs) percent for everyone by limiting the number of available workers That would help black workers who last year suffered a one-poi- nt drop to 77 percent of the average earnings of whites: $17108 against S22234 Those of Hispanic descent averaged $15964 The Census Bureau fixed its official poverty level at $6652 or under for a single person $10419 fora family of three And the per capita personal income for the entire nation— e and nonworkers—was $18685 part-tim- e With the economy officially declared in recession in January—and the recession itself beginning as much as six months before—it is hardly surprising that an estimated quarter of all companies have trimmed their scheduled raises for the year Pay packets should in working-ag- e WOMEN'S SALARIES WERE HIGHER BUT FEWER JOINED THE WORK IFERCE THAN IN YEARS PAST mast by about 5 percent for most salaried waters I I But diMei PrinclPrds- -' Their pay kept up with prices rising marwhile college grads find themselves in a tough:a-joket—with hirings down an incredible 20 percent—continuing a trend of several years those with engineering degrees remain in demand Their salaries average about 5 percent higher than those of the tans of '90 Bosses did well as always frequently even when their businesses didn't The chief executive OffiCerS of America's largest companies already are paid 160 times what their average blue-collemployees make— a greater disparity than anywhere else in the industrialized wad& But this year as corporate profits dwinraises of 12 dled the bosses still won percent to 15 lament Of course all of this pales to insignificance combaseball players repared to the raises major-leagWary-and-sto- ck ue nd ceived Last season they averaged $597537 this year it's about $880000--- an increase of 473 percent Next spring the Boston Red Sox pitcher Roger with a contract calling Clemens will lead the line-u- p for $538 million a year from 1992 through 1995 One of the workers PARADE interviewed Bervein Bums McCurdy Jr also has his hopes pinned on the - collector ballpark An inveterate baseball-car- d McCurdy 35 actually lived for a while off several thousand dollars he'd received through the sale of part of his collection These days though he vats a week-o- n week-of- f calendar as a roustabout on offshore oil rigs Earning him $27200 including overtime it makes a pleasant change from his more perilous endeavors e Texas over the past few years as a entrepreneur which left him with little to show trailer properties a large tax but a few break-eve- n write-o- ff and an even larger debt "As the poorness hit and the market dropped" he says tell you! was glad to get back out on a rig" an occupation he'd previously held in 1979 and 1980 Single and currently living back at his parents' Houston home McCurdy has been able to stash a few - ' ' - small-scal- 1N4Ft IL 1 1 1 61 per- cent to an average of $59106 school superintendents made $75425 and high school teachers $3 1278 And ar ployment sector Unemployment surged in the spring and is expected to be around 7 percent by the end of the summer Ali but winning the war made us all feel real good for a while Consumer confidence soared immediately following the although many households are still ixitting off all but the most essential majof purchases retail merchants do report a tentative uptick in consumer spending In particular it has been a fine year for high school cease-fire—a- - b that is only for those fortunate enough to keep their jobs Hard times tight money and low factory orders have caused waves of layoffs in almost every em- full-tim- - 1 00' - IL i Wttike ' real-esta- te - firra-v- lir1 ' 161m4cror real-esta- te 1381' deaumako0s ' — 4000( : WHY SOME PEOPLE ARE THINKING TWICE ABOUT OSTOMY SURGERY real-esta- I She wears no appliance yet she has an ileostomy thousand into savings and some more baseball cards while at the same nine devoting a full 30 percent of his income to erasing his debts "I've probably paid off in excess of $5000 in credit over the last year" he says "Then I have MasterCard and Visa—about $2000 more—and then I'm through And I'm not getting in debt or on credit cards ever again" "But it's been a learning experience and a good one" he has found "Now! don't waste my money on anything unless it holds its value or appreciates" te Like McCurdy Donna Altis 39 also has woes but a lot stronger fall-baposition The only female supermarket manager in the Piggly Wiggly chain Altis earned $57400 last year when her company ck transferred her to Savannah Ga to open and store Her old house in operate its second-largest If you have severe medically unresponsive inflammatory bowel disease and are facing surgery or if you currently wear an appliance you owe it to yourself to find out more about the appliance free ileostomy pioneered by physicians at National Medical Enterprises today for a free package of complete information Call The Continent Ostomy Centers NATIONAL MEDICAL ENTERPRISES HEALTH CARE CENTERS Call Today Charleston however has yet to move: First she had to make the repairs required after Hurricane Hugo then the sale was delayed by the sluggish market Fortunately her employer is helping to pick up her costs Aids supports herself and her three teenage children the eldest of whom started at a local college this year (Her ex is in the Navy) While it has been a hectic period what with the move and the grand opening in November it also has been a profitable one for her "Really it has not been a bad year at all recession-wise- " she says "We've even had an increase People have cut back on going Out to dinner but they still have to eat so they eat at home—and I've had a miniboom!" A far bigger problem indeed was the Gulf war when nearby Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Air Field were both among the first to deploy 'Thank goodness 111 continued PAGES ME 23 1991 PARADE MAGAZINE IliMmonft I I |
