Wages are finally starting to rise, but not for the middle class

Jorge Hunzelmann was pleased enough when his employer bumped up his pay this year by $2.50 an hour to $19.50.

Hunzelmann, a truck driver, is a beneficiary of a tightening labor market. But he does not have company-provided health benefits, and thankful as he was for the raise, the 52-year-old father of two says it's still a hand-to-mouth existence for his family.

"We don't have money to save to put into the bank. Everything is gone," said the resident of Gaithersburg, Md., tanking up his white truck loaded with recycled materials.

Across the country, wages that were stuck for years finally seem to have started to rise faster, especially in industries such as trucking, which is begging for workers.


Source : latimes