Granderson: U.S. policy basically discourages having kids. Now our economy is paying the price
Granderson: U.S. policy basically discourages having kids. Now our ... Los Angeles Times
sdgtalks
The Largest Healthcare Strike in U.S. History Ends with Tentative Agreement
The largest healthcare strike in U.S. history was called off Thursday as Kaiser Permanente and unions representing 75,000 workers finally reached a tentative agreement. This after a planned three-day work stoppage by the unions gave their employer a preview of what would have been ahead if an impasse continued. Kaiser clearly wasn’t interested in seeing more.
Emphasis on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
It’s good news for America’s workers, who were quick to feel the pinch from record-high inflation but slow to reap the benefits of the record profits that came with it. Since last August we’ve seen 42 work stoppages of at least 1,000 employees across the country, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There’s a theme here, as workers have been squeezed too hard for too long — as if the corporate brain trust thought “The Hunger Games” were a how-to manual.
It’s not just that wages have been slow to rise, and it’s not just that housing and food cost increases have outpaced inflation. Look at the barriers we’ve created to adequate child care.
As of the end of last month, states are coping with the loss of $39 billion in federal funding for child care, a financial catastrophe that threatens the solvency of 70,000 programs, employment for more than 200,000 workers and the care for more than 3 million children.
“There was a child-care crisis even before the pandemic,” Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said. Last month she and other Senate Democrats introduced a bill to try to soften the blow of losing this aid. “This is an urgent economic priority at every level: Child care is what allows parents to go to work, businesses to hire workers, and it’s an investment in our kids’ futures. The child-care industry holds up every sector of our economy.”
Before the pandemic, the Department of Health and Human Services reported that what families spent on child care was roughly 40% higher than what was considered affordable. Combine that with the fact that this year’s average wage increases trail last year’s pace. And the fact that the gap in buying power caused by record inflation is forecast to last until late 2024.
What exactly are working parents supposed to do?
Challenges in Child Care and Workforce
While many white-collar industries offer child-care options, the fastest-growing job sector — leisure and hospitality — isn’t exactly a leader in this area. In Germany, municipalities are required by law to provide child care. In America, we’re less accommodating. Sort of a “don’t have children unless you can afford them” attitude.
The thing is, we’re running out of people who can afford to raise kids without assistance.
September marked the 33rd consecutive month in which the U.S. economy added jobs. The labor-market participation rate is up, and there are more than 9 million job openings across the country. This is all great news — unless you need child care. Then you have to figure out whether any of the jobs available to you would pay more than you’d be spending on child care, assuming you’re not among the 50% of Americans who live in so-called child-care deserts — the areas in America where pre-K bodies outnumber available spots.
“It’s a nonstop financial and logistical burden for the whole family,” Murray said.
Addressing the Issue
Take your pick — Medicaid, welfare, Social Security — conservatives have historically spoken about entitlements and safety nets as if those who would benefit are lazy and not part of the workforce. The reality of just how inaccurate that assessment is about to smack them in the face because of the connection between labor and child care.
These folks would rather cut government programs than finance social services, but here’s the rub: If would-be workers can’t afford to work, how exactly is austerity going to address the issue?
When we talk of the work ethic of the “greatest generation,” we often skip over the part where the federal government came in and subsidized child care — built centers and everything. Without that assistance, most of the 6 million women who kept this country going during World War II wouldn’t have been able to enter the work force.
By contrast, today, 68% of Oklahomans live in a child-care desert. The state is also estimated to be 40,000 workers short. Do you think that’s a coincidence?
The proliferation of the gig economy, in combination with passage of the Affordable Care Act, has worked to create a pathway where
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
-
SDG 1: No Poverty
- Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women, and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.
- Indicator: Proportion of population living below the national poverty line.
-
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
- Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services, and access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.
- Indicator: Proportion of population with access to affordable essential medicines and vaccines.
-
SDG 4: Quality Education
- Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care, and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.
- Indicator: Proportion of children under 5 years of age who are developmentally on track in health, learning, and psychosocial well-being.
-
SDG 5: Gender Equality
- Target 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure, and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate.
- Indicator: Proportion of time spent on unpaid domestic and care work.
-
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
- Indicator: Employment-to-population ratio by sex, age group, and persons with disabilities.
-
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
- Target 10.4: Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage, and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality.
- Indicator: Income growth of the bottom 40% of the population.
-
SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
- Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels.
- Indicator: Proportion of population satisfied with their last experience of public services.
Analysis
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
The issues highlighted in the article are connected to multiple SDGs. The relevant SDGs are:
- SDG 1: No Poverty
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
- SDG 4: Quality Education
- SDG 5: Gender Equality
- SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
- SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
Based on the article’s content, the specific targets that can be identified are:
- Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women, and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.
- Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services, and access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.
- Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care, and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.
- Target 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure, and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate.
- Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
- Target 10.4: Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage, and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality.
- Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
Yes, there are indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. The indicators are:
- Proportion of population living below the national poverty line (Target 1.2)
- Proportion of population with access to affordable essential medicines and vaccines (Target 3.8)
- Proportion of children under 5 years of age who are developmentally on track in health, learning, and psychosocial well-being (Target 4.2)
- Proportion of time spent on unpaid domestic and care work (Target 5.4)
- Employment-to-population ratio by sex, age group, and persons with disabilities (Target 8.5)
- Income growth of the bottom 40% of the population (Target 10.4)
- Proportion of population satisfied with their last experience of public services (Target 16.6)
