"Given these wages, I would not have a near new car if it were not for my wife's income and my military pension"

No shit, Sherlock? Please explain who said this job a nutless monkey could do is supposed to pay for new cars? In spite of his heart-rending depiction of the job, it's not your average off-loader who is responsible for not screwing up the cargo plane, but his supervisor... who I bet makes more than $8.50/hour.

Yeah, this is another one of the military hee-rohs some people here want me to bend knee and worship.

The day I have to bend knee to someone because they *chose* to put on the uniform is the day I go to war on my own behalf. And not with foreigners.

"(without relying on my military pension and my wife's active duty military salary)."
There was a time when no American male would utter that comment without feeling immense shame. That'd be back when we were vigorous and growing.

This reads like pure campaign propaganda... think John effing Kerry (He was in Vietnam, did you hear?)

"an average Kentuckian and American simply trying to build a life and future for him/herself and their family."

The years he spent building his credentials is why he *doesn't* work an entry level job at UPS.

"Like a growing number of Kentuckians and Americans I worked less than full time though I sought full time employment for this period. I averaged about five and a half hours nightly. America is increasingly becoming an economy of part-time and/or "independent contractors" without benefits, without job security, and for most -far from earning a living wage."

Ding ding ding ding... "living wage"... gives it all away. He's a leftist propagandist.

Does this guy know what an "independent contractor" is? To be "contract labor" is not the same thing; and each has its requirements to fit the respective definitions, and as such there's little incentive nowadays to hire "contract labor" except in special circumstances.

He worked 5 1/2 hours nightly... where was his 2nd part-time job until he got the full time position he applied for? (remember, this is a possibility I face, and many of my co-workers at Wal-mart work a full shift and then go to their part-time job).

"Starting wage at UPS (and for a year without increase unless the Teamsters can secure a new contract) is $8.50 per hour - only $1.25 or 17% over Minimum wage and NO benefits for one year. As a seasonal employee I did receive time and a half for time beyond 5 hours nightly - thank you Teamsters local 89."

Another alarm bell... smooching the evil, corrupt crooks known as the Teamsters. So, in fact, he wasn't making $8.50 an hour, he was making $12.75 an hour. How many nights a week did he work? Let's say 5. 5 x 5.5 = 27.5 hours.
At that rate he was pulling in $350 a week before taxes, or about the same amount I do working 40 hours.

Let's say the Teamsters weren't their usual corrupt selves, and he only got time and a half for the half hour a day he was over... He'd get $244.44 a week... again, for working 27.5 hours.
Leaving 12.5 hours to work before reaching 40, or just over two days.
Each day he has 2.5 hours he could work another part time job and still slide in under 8 hours a day.
"I worked for UPS in the mid 80's while earning my undergraduate degree in Agriculture Science and major in education."

"an average Kentuckian and American simply trying to build a life and future for him/herself and their family."

Sightly different situations.

"One with an Aeronautics degree who despite now years of experience out on the air ramp in and around aircraft, prior experience as an air crew member in the US Air National Guard (and deployments to Afghanistan) has been unable to gain employment that FULLY UTILIZES AND COMPENSATES HIM FOR HIS SPECIALTY SKILLS, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE.." (caps mine)
So, it's not that he can't get a job in his field... he can't get a job paying what he wants to be paid. Boo hoo.

"Another fellow crew member has an Ecology and Environmental Science degree -yet years post graduation continues to work at UPS with no comparable wage and benefit opportunities found to utilize his degree and specialty training." Again, it's not that there's no work; it's that there's no work that pays him what he wants to be paid, doing what he wants to do. And if he's worked at UPS for years, and is still making entry level pay, working part time hours, and has neither advanced or found another job... he needs to take a hard look in the mirror. Hell, this is the age of the ecophreaks... start his own Green company.

Me, I wouldn't hire him to draw bathwater.

"Had I had to purchase essential clothing and boots I could easily have had to spend well over $200.00 - exceeding a single week take home pay just to be able to work. "

My workboots were $26. The most expensive work boots at Walmart (and this is from someone who grew up in construction) that would do the job were under $60.
As for clothing... I doubt UPS requires uniforms for cargo handlers, and if he has no old clothes in his closet... again, boo hoo.
Who do you think paid for the boots he wears to UPS?

I have to drive too far to work... about 10 miles. Who the hell commutes 38 miles to work 5.5 hours? I'm sure some folks do... but don't call them "average".

Oh, I've had enough of this nonsense.

"UPS gave its chairman and CEO compensation valued at $10.7 million last year - or about 200 times the national median income or 250 times the median annual income here in Kentucky."

He switches from "average" to "median".

Tell me, how many of those offloading the planes could guide the company without running it into the ground? And if they could... why haven't they applied for the CEO job? The guy with the CEO job did what he had to do to *get* the CEO job.