Inflation

[Dan Murphy]

.because the staff is all Chinese and you wonder how much is under the table.

 

[chickapin parterre]

under the table in terms of wages and social security....with the current wage in Oregon to work at Taco Bell is $16.00, I don't think the wait and cook staff are getting wages of the same merit ..if so....wouldn't it reflect in a raise in prices on the menu. .

 

[tvguy]

Certainly doesn't apply to everyone but between stimulus checks in 2020, pandemic relief programs, augmented unemployment benefits a lot of Americans made more money than usual in 2020. And they have been spending, car and home sales booming, and that fuels inflation.
I got a $1,200 and a $600 stimulus check, I got furloughed and my unemployment for that week came to $400 more than I would have made working, and then my company, realizing THEY were having a banner year (political year in TV) and they ended up handing out $1,000 pandemic bonuses. Plus working at home I saved $80 a month on gas. 2020 was my highest earning year in 42 years of working.

And I have a number of friends who had a big surprise when they did their 2020 taxes........

 

[Colleen27]

what region do you see the migrant worker visa process not working taking place?

I suspect it is happening all over, but the specific news and sources I'm referencing are in Michigan. Immigrant workers on guest worker visas are a big part of the summer tourism and agricultural industries here, and based on ICE raids, undocumented workers are pretty important in agriculture as well. And this whole year has been full of stories about staffing shortages in both of those industries, initiatives farmers are trying to convince high school and college kids to take hot/dirty ag. jobs they normally wouldn't want, resorts operating at limited capacity long after covid restrictions were lifted because they're not staffed to handle full volume, etc. Some of it is an ongoing problem - the issues with cost and caps on the guest worker program started in 2017 - and some is covid-specific as workers shy away from crossing borders and potentially getting trapped or simply aren't allowed to cross in the first place.

Another challenge: Many make more money sitting on the couch and collecting additional unemployment due to policy changes related to Covid. I’m not sure where you’re located but, “Now Hiring” signs are posted on nearly every corner of every business we visit. U continue to pay people to stay home, they will continue to do so.

That may be an issue in some industries and places, particularly retail/fast food where unemployment pays a full time wage but employers only want part-time workers, but since the categories of workers who make up the majority of our agricultural labor force don't qualify for UE benefits, I don't see how it could possibly effect the available workforce for picking crops.

 

[tcufrog]

A friend of mine's husband has a small business in which he is the exclusive US importer of some niche products. According to her, 2 years ago a container from China was $4,800 and now it's $23,000. It's $30,000 if you want to guarantee that the container is on the boat. She doesn't know how they'll stay in business with that high of markup.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Another challenge: Many make more money sitting on the couch and collecting additional unemployment due to policy changes related to Covid. I’m not sure where you’re located but, “Now Hiring” signs are posted on nearly every corner of every business we visit. U continue to pay people to stay home, they will continue to do so.

I encourage you to read a bit more into that. That might have been what some people assumed was a main driver, but nope it has not actually turned out that way.

 

[barkley]

wow....that is really amazing....has me thinking.....that our go to American Chinse restaurant has not raised prices....because the staff is all Chinese and you wonder how much is under the table. also maybe oregon is more local in meat/river shipping and easy freight system to move goods north to south.

the place that does need to raise prices is in/out burgers....still 20-30 cars waiting in line.

you may see a sharp increase in asian foods, perhaps shortages. the pnw is the only area in the united states that grows soft white wheat, other countries grow it but the most desirable for asain noodles and baked goods are exclusively from the pnw. the fields around us are in horrific shape and tonight's news reported that across the region the net yield is less than half of a normal year's. the price will be insane be it pnw grown or imported.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Meat (and poultry too) pricing issues have been a problem since the early days of the pandemic. Because BBQ is a way of life here that has been covered a lot. Some have dealt with it by raising the price, some by limiting how frequently it's on the menu, some have removed items from the menu entirely.

A couple of BBQ places recently have closed due to costs and labor issues, one closed last month and had been around for 32 years. We've seen it with the price of meat we purchase at the store.

 

[chickapin parterre]

you may see a sharp increase in asian foods, perhaps shortages. the pnw is the only area in the united states that grows soft white wheat, other countries grow it but the most desirable for asain noodles and baked goods are exclusively from the pnw. the fields around us are in horrific shape and tonight's news reported that across the region the net yield is less than half of a normal year's. the price will be insane be it pnw grown or imported.

valid response....but how many of us are aware of premium soft white wheat....may have to start eating Yuma hard wheat that is going to Italy....Yuma, if given permission...can 10x thier wheat production....all about the colorado river, from Parker to Yuma.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

At least he is still getting meat. Several of our restaurants are closed due to supply chain issues....strange. They've been open all my life, even the last year. Weird times. We own a business and I used to budget about $3500 for fuel, for the month. It's been creeping up and I finally had to have a reality check with myself. For August, I budgeted $10K for fuel and I hope that's enough. It very annoying when general public say that's not possible or whataboutism from 12 years ago. I'm not sure that is inflation, but it is me paying way to much for fuel! Bottom line, we are in business now and it is getting tight now, not last year, not at the beginning of the pandemic, now. We have been in business for 5 years and it was pretty much always in the range of what I budgeted. Like I said earlier, weird times.

Sysco was blasted in my area and my state as they had to cut deliveries to restaurants, these restaurants weren't getting their supplies like they needed. I totally believe it that a place might have been okay last year but this year having issues. They weren't necessarily getting their delivery cut off last year, at least in my area, smaller quantities yes but not completely cut off. But at least for Sysco they just up and said they couldn't deliver the supplies to these restaurants due to labor issues. And for these restaurants there have been ones told they can't take future orders leaving these places well trying to find somewhere else to get stuff.

This was their statement: “Sysco regrets that we have had to delay or pause service for a limited number of customers in various locations. This is mainly due to unprecedented labor shortages in the industry. We are aggressively recruiting delivery partners and warehouse associates, and our goal is to restore service to our impacted customers as soon as possible.”

 

[Darklord77]

And there are still plans for more multi-trillion dollar stimulus/infrastructure packages. Pretty soon our currency will be the equivalent to Monopoly money.

 

[chickapin parterre]

I suspect it is happening all over, but the specific news and sources I'm referencing are in Michigan. Immigrant workers on guest worker visas are a big part of the summer tourism and agricultural industries here,- and some is covid-specific as workers shy away from crossing borders and potentially getting trapped or simply aren't allowed to cross in the first place.



That may be an issue in some industries and places, particularly retail/fast food where unemployment pays a full time wage but employers only want part-time workers, but since the categories of workers who make up the majority of our agricultural labor force don't qualify for UE benefits, I don't see how it could possibly effect the available workforce for picking crops.

so in Yuma the visa workers are a solid force of workers and there was no problem last year with the harvest or production. They are given lodging and transportation.....the problem however is ...what if you have been following the US rules and now it is a free for all at the border. most, if not all of our workers come out of San Luis, not a place you want to live, but if you have family to support then probably not a good idea to pull of roots and work thru the system. now available to all. And there are US citizens on the harvest side of vegetables...I see many US plates on the cars parked along the fields....though those could be visa folks also who don't want to ride the buses to the fields.

Oregon had no problem with blue berry harvest, there was never signs or tv news that there was a worker shortage. Oregon farmers saw the labor problem coming ...so now what use to be healthy foods planted in fields....are now boutique foods that a machine can harvest

 

[mefordis]

I haven't really noticed any price increases except for maybe gas in some areas.

 

[randumb0]

Interesting that are here are blaming unemployment checks and the stimulus. If inflation was only a US issue then I would agree. We are seeing global inflation. Many countries are experiencing the same issues. The inflation we are experiencing is due to supply chain issues. Our reliance on other countries to produce our goods are really hurting us right now

 

[sasywtch]

Another challenge: Many make more money sitting on the couch and collecting additional unemployment due to policy changes related to Covid. I’m not sure where you’re located but, “Now Hiring” signs are posted on nearly every corner of every business we visit. U continue to pay people to stay home, they will continue to do so.

Exact same thing here in Sacramento.

 

[Christine]

I haven't really noticed any price increases except for maybe gas in some areas.

I think this week was the first week I noticed some pricing changes. Just small things, but maybe meat prices. I generally buy this particular 4 pack of Prime Rib burgers at Harris Teeter. For years they have been exactly $6.49 per pound. Yesterday I picked up the package and noticed it was a noticeably higher price on the package. Had gone up to $7.99 per pound. I've noticed this on various steaks I buy every few weeks. I haven't noticed any increase on the milk I buy (same brand every week) or eggs. Vegetables seem to be the same price also. The good news is that I've seen our gas prices come down over the last few weeks by up to 8 cents per gallon.

 

[nycdisneygal]

I have noticed virtually every grocery item on my list has a substantial increase. Although now I can go to the Whole Foods for similar things without the inflated prices (whole foods has been cheaper than the regular grocery store for many items in my area). Gas is up but I dont go anywhere for $4 a gallon - stick to around 3.30 a gallon. I know the stations near me with better prices. I know that I will be eating out less/ordering out less and buying less in the near future. Wont be able to support some of the small businesses here but hopefully others with more disposable income will.

 

[mjkacmom]

i saw that some tourism area (a boardwalk of some sort) on the east coast (maybe jersey?) was having a terrible time filling jobs b/c their traditional summer work force comes from out of the u.s. but was unable to travel this summer due to restrictions. we have a resort with popular outdoor activities and a large water park in an adjacent state that largely relies on young adults from canada to staff during the summer. border restrictions have impacted them such that despite demand for lodging they've had to reduce their operating days by at least 30% this summer. they've expressed concern for this winter's ski season b/c normally they rely on older (non college aged) staff from canada and the prospects of the border being open in coming months with the horrific delta numbers washington has right now is not looking good.

I think it was Wildwood, heard it on our local news.

 

[slo]

I know someone who owns a restaurant. He told me his supplier raised his meat prices 50%. WOW!

I also know someone that owns a restaurant and he has said the same thing. Between rising prices and not getting people to works is giving him an incredible amount of stress.

 

[Southernmiss]

Where do people live that they know all these people sitting on the couch instead of working?

I only know one who is homeschooling 3 kids under 12 who can't be vaccinated. Our schools are not mandating masks and our state is out of hospital beds. I give them a pass for 'staying home'.