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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 23, 2016)
10A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2016 Holiday splurging not an option for many workers scraping by By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO Associated Press ELIZABETH, N.J. — At the brightly lit mall, clothing stores highlight holiday sweat- ers and big signs tout the sales, while Duquan Allen keeps his expectations in check. Allen, who works full-time cleaning planes at Newark Air- port, says his mother doesn’t expect anything big, and he usually gets a hooded sweat- shirt. He plans to spend about $150 on presents for his grand- mother, mother and 21-year- old sister. “I’m good at budgeting,” says Allen, who makes $10.10 an hour. Heading into this hol- iday season, with gas and food costs down, unemploy- ment at its lowest point since 2007 and clothing prices on the decline, economists and retail executives declared it a great time to be a consumer. But seven years into the recov- ery, there’s a stubborn divide that hourly workers see more starkly during the holidays, between themselves and bet- ter-off consumers who have benefited more as the economy improved. “I see people traveling. I wish I could afford it,” said Allen. Earning more Many workers are indeed earning more. Average hourly earnings have picked up 2.5 percent over the past year, and major retailers have raised wages as competition for workers has increased. Thanksgiving weekend featured crowds of shoppers at stores and malls, snapping up new TVs and clothing. Luxury stores have promoted “feel-good” gifts like $1,000 silk pajamas. Americans spent $3.45 billion online on Cyber Monday, according to Adobe Digital Insights, and nearly that much on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. ATTENTION - OHA SPONSORS Clatsop County Chapter - Oregon Hunter’s Association “EXPRESS OUR GRADITUDE” Proceeds from our Annual Fundraising Events are used locally to support the organization’s mission: “To Provide: Abundant/Huntable Wildlife Resources in Oregon for Present and Future Generations, Enhancement of Wildlife Habitat and Protection of Hunter’s Rights.” Merry Christmas to Everyone! “We hope you enjoyed a productive/safe Field Season and have a very Happy New Year!!!” (***Money Raised Here, Stays Here!***) Michael Goulding/The Orange County Register A shopper at the Brea Mall in Brea, Calif., carries bags full of packages. Amid the holiday decorations and cheerful ads, splurging is not an option for many Americans strug- gling to get by. The National Retail Federa- tion trade group expects hol- iday sales for the November and December period to rise 3.6 percent to $655.8 billion. From the data, people seem very able to buy. Overall, peo- ple plan to spend about $935 per person this holiday season, according to an NRF survey. Behind that figure, though, there’s a split. Consumers with income under $50,000 plan to spend a little over $362 on gifts for their family and friends, while for those with income of $50,000 and higher, that num- ber is about $768. Throwing in decorations, greeting cards, flowers and food, the differ- ence is even larger — around $512, compared to about $1,020. That divide also hasn’t budged since the recession. “The U.S. economy is not creating high-wage jobs for lower- and middle-income consumers,” said Ken Per- kins, president of research firm Retail Metrics LLC. “This is making it extremely difficult for lower-income consumers to make a living. There’s really not a lot left for Santa Claus.” Shrinking growth About half of American workers have seen their share of overall income growth shrink since 1980, according to a recent study by economists Thomas Piketty, Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman. In 1980, the top 1 percent of adults earned on average 27 times more than the bottom 50 percent adults; now, they earn 81 times more. Workers at Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the nation’s larg- est private employer, now earn an average of $13.38 an hour, while the average hourly pay for cashiers and low- level retail sales staff across the industry is $9.26, accord- ing to a Hay Group survey. But some groups say hourly employees across the board still don’t make enough to live on. Their fight will face hur- dles with President-elect Don- ald Trump’s pick for labor sec- retary: fast-food CEO Andrew Puzder, who has been critical of minimum wage increases. “It’s a scary-looking admin- istration,” said Scott Courtney, executive vice president of the Service Employees Interna- tional Union. But he said the “Fight for $15” campaign that began with retail and restau- rant workers is not giving up. “You are going to see a lot more opposition and a lot more people taking part.” All Metals Fabrication All Rents Allan Schumacher Astoria Auto Parts - NAPA Bagels By The Sea Bayview Motel Bayview Transit Mix Baybreeze Barry Minkoff Bank of the Pacific Beach House Vacation Rentals Bell Buoy Seafood - Seaside Bella Espesso Bikes and Beyond Bill Hunsinger Bogh Electric Borland Coastal Electric Bornstein Seafoods Brent Solari Brevins Solid Gold Fudge Brim’s Farm & Garden CCC Outfitters City Lumber Co. Classic Bodywerks Classic Towing Clatsop Distributing Clatsop Power & Equipment Coast Hardware Coastal Restoration Columbia Bank Comfort Suites Inn David Richards D. K. Window Works Duane Bernard Dundee’s Restaurant Denise Quiltmaker Del’s OK Tire Factory Ecola Seafoods Elroy Olsen Edison Brothers Fish Co. Englund Marine Eureka Peak Outfitters Fishhawk Fisheries - Steve Fick F&B Logging Fultano’s Pizza Gannaway Bros GB Jewelers Gary & Carol Soules Gilbert District Gallery Graf’s Automotive Guido & Vito’s Restaurant - Seaside Gun and Boot Gear Hallmark Resort CB High Life Adventures Holiday Inn Express J & S Appliances Jack E. Coffey Construction Jason Kraushaar Contracting Jeffrey Hull Gallery Jim & Sharon Damon Jim Varner Automotive Josephson’s Smokehouse Johnson Jewelers John Nichols’ -Pacific Fabricators Joe Fisher KD Properties Kelly’s Adventures Kent Israel Taxidermy Klemp Family Dentistry Les Schwab Tire - Seaside Les Schwab Tire - Warrenton L & D Race Tech, Inc. Maggie’s Seafood Oceanfront Inn M & N Workwear Michele Pierce Mike & Suzy Balensifer Morisse Logging Mo’s Restaurant Morris Fireside Restaurant Mutze Macher Nygaard Logging Norma’s Restaurant North Coast Truck & Parts Ocean Crest Ocean Gallery ODFW - Jewell WMA Oregon Gallery Pacific Coast Seafoods Paul Pierce Phillips Candy Pig-n-Pancake Pizza A’Fetta Pizza Harbor Putnam Pro Lube Radio Shack Warrenton Reed & Hertig Rick Quashnick-F/V Maverick Rod’s Auto & Marine Electric Ron Williams Robert Marten’s Excavation Safe Harbor Animal Hospital Sahara Pizza Seaside Aquarium Seaside Fatory Outlet Shear Pleasures Salon & Spa Seaside Muffler and Offroad Skipanon Brand Seafoods T. J. Auto Repair Teevin & Fisher Quarry Teevin Brothers Land & Timber Trucke’s One Stop Warrenton Auto Parts - NAPA Warrenton Fiber Warrenton Mini Mart Wilcox & Flegel