Why are Jobs are paying less for more technical work?

Question

I used to work as a dental assistant, but now that I'm 40 I don't want to do that type of work anymore. I worked a couple years ago in a manufacturer warehouse assembling electrical lighting ballasts, lights, etc. I was getting paid $13 per hr.
I stopped working there so that I could start my own cleaning company, but I really hated cleaning, and so a year later I applied back at that same lighting manufacturer, but now they hired me and are only paying me $10 per hour.

That is only $2 above minimum wage!!!

They expect hard work for only $10 per hour? I used to have fun jobs when I was young that paid mimimum wage, so how come now I can only find hard working jobs that require skills to only make $2 more than minimum wage?

I live in Washington State, and the cost of living here is outrageous!

Is it because all the Mexicans & Chinese are taking the jobs? Making it an "Employer's Market"? I'm pissed I have good skills but the pay is just above minimum wage!

Do they expect me to have to collect DSHS benefits while I work? How can employees survive on these wages? I noticed a lot of employers in this area are paying very low wages for skilled labor.

Answer 1

The economy is tanking.

Most of the good middle class jobs have been "off shored".

Get used to your new standard of living, it is only going to get worse for most of us.

Sorry.

Answer 2

They are paying less because there are more people available for the job. So maybe you're skilled, but not more so than everybody else. Do some research in careers that are desparate for employees, they will pay more. You might have to go back to school.

Answer 3

Because they can, most jobs require skills so the unskilled jobs have more people applying they can offer less money. If you won't do it and nobody else will they will outsource.

Answer 4

There's not much demand left for assemblers, sorry.