Herron sees tough job market as Millington's top challenge
By Trey Heath
Commercial Appeal
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Millington resident Jean Jungkans knows how difficult the job market is in Shelby County.
The 68-year-old widow re-entered the job market four years ago when her husband died, and despite having a master's degree, the only job she's been able to find is a position as a greeter at the Millington Walmart.
"There's a lot of unemployment in Millington," Jungkans said. "The only jobs people like me can get are in the service industry, like Walmart or at restaurants."
Employment specifically, how to create more of it -- was the topic that brought Jungkans out to a Saturday morning breakfast held by Tennessee state senator and Congressional candidate Roy Herron.
Herron, a native of Dresden, Tenn., is seeking the Democratic nomination to fill Rep. John Tanner's 8th District Congressional seat after he retires following the end of his term. His likely Republican opponent will be Crockett County farmer and gospel singer Stephen Fincher.
Herron addressed a crowd of Millington residents and local politicians at Old Timers Restaurant on the dire job market in West Tennessee.
"We haven't seen a recession this deep since the Great Depression," he said. "The most important thing we can do is work together and find out how we can bring new jobs to Tennessee."
The current unemployment rate in Shelby County is 10.3 percent, but if the underemployed and frustrated job-seekers who don't sign up for unemployment are included, Herron said, the rate for District 8 probably is around 20 percent.
"You can talk about numbers, but it's really about people," Herron said. "The best social program on Earth is a good job because they can care for themselves, and we know that some folks really want to find a good job, or a better job or any job at this point."
The need to find any job is what drew Jungkans out of the health-care industry to work at Walmart. Jungkans said she's tried to find jobs throughout the county, but she's often losing to younger candidates, or failing to get hired because she has too much education. It's making it harder and harder for her to pay for her home and help her kids through college.
"I'm doing everything on my own," she said. "Even at some jobs when I do apply, I'm told that I'm over-qualified for them."
Although Jungkans has struggled to find work with two degrees, Herron said Saturday that education needs to remain a priority in Tennessee in order to drive down the unemployment rate.
One example he gave was the $1 billion Volkswagen plant currently under construction in Chattanooga. The facility is bringing around 1,200 new jobs to the area, but every single job seeker must be able to first fill out an application online.
"In that plant, everyone is going to be using a computer...," Herron said. "Jobs in the 21st century require a strong work ethic, but they also require a strong mind."
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