Labor Survey Tells Revealing

Bridgeport Region Story

BRIDGEPORT — As Labor Day approaches and the country grapples with issues of high unemployment, a Bridgeport job survey has revealed some telling facts. The labor survey finds that job seekers at a Bridgeport Job Fair were overwhelmingly middle-aged people of color without a bachelor’s degree who have no health insurance and are insecure about how they will pay for future meals and bills.

That sobering finding came out of an annual survey conducted by Career Resources, Inc and the Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition (BCAC) at a March 2012 Job Fair.

The goal was to collect information on the circumstances of Bridgeport area job seekers in order to better direct services and advocacy. A total of 829 jobseekers took the survey.

The surveyors learned that nearly half of those who participated were African American. A third of all participants were parents. While the vast majority were from Bridgeport, those seeking jobs were from throughout the region.

Obviously, they were unemployed, sadly most for more than a year. Many were without health insurance, the survey participants were spending more than they should have to on housing, and their incomes were most often below the poverty range.

The great majority were not utilizing entitlements. Most concerning was that some lost their homes, others were forced to move in with friends or relatives, and unfortunately, others faced living in homeless shelters.

Scott Wilderman, the president of Bridgeport’s Career Resources, Inc, said he these folks daily.

“These findings reveal the macro picture to our general community,” Mr Wilderman said. “That’s useful as we develop our programming so that it continues to be responsive to our clients’ realities and as we attempt to raise money for that programming.”

Mary Pat Healy, executive director of the Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition, remarked that surveying the unemployed population is an important part of what BCAC does in that “it draws a picture of our community that illustrates the needs of families who struggle to put a roof over their heads and food on the table.”

The average age of respondent is 39 years old, with a racial/ethnic composition of 46 percent African American, 26 percent white, 20 percent Latino, 1 percent Asian, 2 percent multiracial, and 4 percent of other race or ethnicity.

Also, 35 percent have at least one child under the age of 18.

The survey also showed that unemployment is an issue that reaches beyond Bridgeport, with only 64 percent of the jobseekers who participated in the survey saying they lived in Bridgeport. Eleven percent of jobseekers came from Stratford (8 percent), Fairfield (3 percent), Trumbull (2 percent), and Monroe (1 percent), while 22 percent said they live in towns outside the greater Bridgeport region.

About three quarters of the respondents (74 percent) are not working; 15 percent are only working part-time, and 3 percent have temporary jobs.

More than half (51 percent) of those who had been laid off from work have been unemployed for more than one year.

While 34 percent report cutting back on meals, 13 percent report using a soup kitchen. Nearly half (49 percent) of people report that their housing costs more than 30 percent of their income.

More than half of respondents (54 percent) report an income of $15,000 or less and 13 percent had run out of savings.

Thirteen percent have moved in with family or friends in the last six months.

Fifteen percent reached their 99-week limit and are no longer receiving unemployment benefits.

And 40 percent have no health insurance.

Most jobseekers in the survey, however, have at least a high school degree:

*39 percent have a high school diploma or GED.

*31 percent have one to four years of postsecondary education.

*14 percent have a bachelor’s degree and 8 percent have one or more years postcollege.

The survey also found that respondents’ use of available services is uneven.

Twenty percent are behind on utility bills, yet only 2.5 percent receive either heating and/or energy assistance.

Seventeen percent receive unemployment benefits; 31 percent receive food stamps and 19 percent are on Medicaid.

Among workers who had been laid off for a year or more:

*59 percent reached their 99 week limit and lost their unemployment benefits.

*60 percent report some food insecurity; they have used a soup kitchen or food pantry or cut back on meals.

*41 percent do not have health insurance.

*36 percent moved in with family or friends, lost their home or spent time in a shelter in the past six months.