St. Tammany News

Labor Day may be a break for the working man, but 59 percent of Louisianians like their jobs

Labor Day. It's the one holiday - 113 years-old and counting - set aside to honor the working stiff, a day of barbeques and family time, a much needed break from the daily work grind. But for the 1.9 million Louisiana workers, is work really that bad?

As it turns out, work life is peachy for nearly three in five Louisianans, or 59 percent, who say they are "very happy" with their jobs, according to a new study.

But nationwide those most likely to whistle while they work are employees living in the West, Hispanic or married, according to the study by IPSOs Public Affairs, a Washington D.C.-based independent Global Marketing firm commissioned by Snagajob.com, the nation's largest online source of hourly jobs.

Western workers benefit from better cultural attitudes toward work-life balance, SnagAJob.com founder and CEO Shawn Boyer theorized about the findings.

Also, "It seems that Hispanics tend to refer friends and family into the workplace," leading to greater job satisfaction, he said.

As for why married workers are happier, that's anyone's guess, Boyer said.

The telephone survey of more than 1,000 employees also found that more than half of hourly workers consider their job a full-time career, not just a step toward a salaried position, and almost 40 percent reported a household income of $50,000 or more.

"While many Americans take hourly positions as their first jobs or to supplement their income, most hourly workers in the U.S. are unmistakably career oriented," Boyer said. "As this survey makes clear, hourly workers are not the stereotypical low-wage earners but, in fact, have great potential to make an attractive income."

In addition, more than half, or 61 percent of the working population, consider health insurance their most valuable benefit at work, followed by 19 percent voting for retirement savings plans and 11 percent for paid time off.

Slidell's Ray Bromestien considers himself in that 61 percent.

"I'm happy with my job. People are friendly and nice, and I enjoy what I do, but I need that health insurance," the computer technician said. "I have two boys who are constantly running around, getting hurt, being boys."

Bromestien is one of 86,070 St. Tammany residents employed as of July, the latest employment figures available from the state Department of Labor.

With a 4 percent unemployment rate, St. Tammany's rate is lower than the 4.4 percent state average and 4.9 national average.

"St. Tammany usually has one of the lowest employment rates in the state," said Kendra Carrone, a state Department of Labor manager who oversees St. Tammany job placement centers. "We've had tremendous growth, and new businesses are always coming in.

Plus, a lot of people who move here are already job attached.

"It's a good place to do business."