In article , "Dee D. Flint"
writes:

"N2EY" wrote in message
...

I recall a time when an office of any size had a "typing pool" and "file
clerks" - jobs that were relatively unskilled but paid decent wages and
benefits. Computerization almost eliminated those sorts of jobs but did
not
replace them with other jobs.

That should read "did not replace *all of them* with the same number of other
jobs"

No these jobs did not pay a decent wage. People in these jobs could not
live independenly on that income and raise a family. They either were a
second wage earner in a family or a single person living at home or with
room mates. The pay was just barely above minimum wage and it was
definitely not a "living wage".

I agree that a person couldn't raise a family on those wages, but I knew a lot
of people who lived independently on them. A lot depended on the employer,
whether the job was union or not, etc.

Also a *big* variable was the cost-of-living in a particular area. It costs a
lot more to live in, say, SF or NYC. But there's only one national minimum
wage.

73 de Jim, N2EY