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Slowing productivity

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published November 12, 2006

We've become turnips. Productive ones, though.

I'd ask of the current Associated Press article, what about the "only so much blood from a person, much less a turnip" factor in worker productivity? Trust me, employers have turned employees into turnips over the past five years.

When their profits and CEOs' salaries soared while workers' salaries flat-lined, too many companies saved on the cost of productivity tools for their workers while demanding longer hours of salaried workers who don't get overtime pay. What has happened is that workers have worked longer hours for flat wages, and (with or without productivity tools) the workers' production capability is now maxed out.

Try telling such a worker that "rising productivity" is the only way you get a higher standard of living. In economic theory, that's true. But you have a 50-50 chance he'll laugh at you or punch your lights out. He knows that the way his employer has been squeezing higher productivity out of him for the past five years has diminished his standard of living. He sleeps less, sees family less and, against the inflation in insurance and energy costs, is providing less for his family.

Employers also didn't bear the increased costs of health care for their employees; more companies shunted the insurance rate increases onto the employees. And they reduced or eliminated fixed pensions and 401(k) matching.

Remember when companies started calling their layoffs "rightsizing"? That's exactly what I'd call the current leveling off of productivity and increase in wages. I'd also call it "too little too late" - but better than never. If white-collar workers were unionized, I'd swear it was an organized work slowdown. But they're not, so it's just nature and the laws of economics taking their course.

Trude K. Diamond, Lutz

Loss of printed news a hard one to swallow

Every morning it is the Chronicle (a Citrus County paper), the St. Petersburg Times and coffee. Two papers a day has been my habit for more than 50 years.

I hate to hear of the decline of the printed page. We lived in northwest Indiana and had access to all the Chicago newspapers. We saw the loss of a couple of great daily papers. The great Chicago Tribune and Sun Times seemed as solid as stone.

My wife and I come from backgrounds where our only access to the outside world was through the avenue of reading. Sadly, I see my grandchildren in front of the TV with no newspapers in the house, and one would have to search to find a book.

Just wanted to say I like your article. The loss of the printed news hurts all of us.

Jimmie Barnes, Homosassa

Here's one not celebrating Wellcare's success

The short blurb that Tampa's Wellcare Group has reached the $1-billion mark in quarterly revenue appeared to be praise for the Medicaid-Medicare health insurer.

It should have been noted that Wellcare reached this goal through contracts with states to provide health insurance coverage to Medicaid-eligible citizens and through contracts with the federal government to provide Medicare coverage and Medicare Drug benefits. In short, Wellcare has received a billion dollars of taxpayers' money. The future growth of Wellcare's income will be heavily dependent on the largesse of federal and state governments in providing contracts to the insurers. The profitability of Wellcare will be dependent on their ability to limit access to health care services for needy citizens. I find it difficult to celebrate the windfall profits enjoyed by the CEO of Wellcare when so many citizens of Florida and the United States have no health care coverage.

Richard J. McLoy, New Port Richey

National catastrophe fund is what's needed for insurance

The modeling companies insurance people use to determine consumer rates can be quite incorrect. Their credibility is an issue. The unpredictability factor is too obvious. When the hurricane threat has been downgraded, as it was this season, where was the midyear adjustment in rates? Why is the will of the public banned from the hurricane arena? The masses are effectively marginalized.

We need a national catastrophe fund that private insurers can access. We need one solvent federal agency that will work with insurance companies to stabilize rates. The current system suffers from too many limitations, and only a sequence of positive steps can change this. To do nothing will result in continuing, costly failures for all property owners.

Robert B. Fleming, St. Petersburg

Insurer's president defends request for hefty rate increases

As reported in your paper, Allstate Floridian recently filed a rate request of 22.5 and 33.2 percent (statewide averages) with the Office of Insurance Regulation. Because of the heightened awareness of the problems in the property market, and given the political environment, we felt it important to share with our customers and your readers the reasons behind our actions.

With more than 400,000 property policies in Florida, we must continue to make difficult, yet appropriate, business decisions to ensure our ability to protect customers and sustain our operations. We want to continue to do business in Florida. While not an easy decision, the rate increase we are requesting must reflect the cost of being in this market.

No one can argue that the past few years have been difficult for Floridians - consumers, homeowners and, yes, even insurers. Thanks to unforeseen losses at the hands of major hurricanes, we face real challenges in strengthening Florida's property market. Chief among them is the ever-increasing cost of private reinsurance. These challenges have forced the hand of several insurers in recent months. Allstate Floridian has not been exempt.

And while this has been a milder-than-expected hurricane season, our rate requests reflect our potential losses from future storms. We all know this year has been the exception rather than the rule, and we must be able to adequately protect our policyholders as we move forward.

While our parent, Allstate Insurance Co., has been profitable on a national basis, these earnings reflect positive growth in other states where the risk of catastrophic loss is much lower. In Florida, Allstate Floridian has lost money. All earnings that Allstate Floridian realized in the past decade were wiped out in 2004 and 2005. We have all felt the sting of hurricanes.

We believe that responsible business decisions, like the ones we have made, only work to strengthen the stability of our company. They make us better suited to meet the needs of consumers across all lines of coverage we offer. We will continue to search for ways to strengthen our position and the market.

Phil Lawson, St. Petersburg president, Allstate Floridian Insurance Co.

What local tech scence?

Tampa Bay area tech industry is alive and well, and invites your involvement

Last Thursday, the Tampa Bay Technology Forum celebrated its third Annual Industry Achievement Awards in Tampa. More than 400 people gathered to honor the accomplishments of their peers - the people and companies who are helping to shape the direction of this region's technology industry.

For those who don't know much about the local tech scene, we're happy to report that it's thriving and becoming more diverse each year. The finalists and winners at Thursday's Awards Gala represented software, e-commerce, nanotechnology and health care companies; information technology service providers; and media companies. We honored several talented entrepreneurs who have chosen to build their companies here and acknowledged local corporations that are developing innovative programs to boost the computer, math, science and engineering skills of the least served youth in our community.

If you'd like to learn more about what's happening locally in technology, we invite you to visit www.tbtf.org. We welcome you to join our community of professionals, innovators and entrepreneurs.

Andy Hafer, Tampa president and CEO, Tampa Bay Technology Forum

It's unfortunate that Jimmy Wales doesn't see what the bay area is doing

I was extremely disappointed to hear Jimmy Wales' comments concerning what in reality is a growing Tampa Bay technology community. It's unfortunate that Mr. Wales, by his own admission, doesn't come out of his house enough to see that engineering and technology innovation, while artistic to some, only see the light of day when businesspeople have the vision to apply them and the courage to bring them to market. Anything else is a hobby.

The Tampa Bay Technology Forum provides a needed leadership voice as our region continues to mature into a competitive technology community. A hand was outstretched in friendship and respect - but met with ignorance and disdain.

Daniel Davie, Tampa president, Elevation Brand Inc.

Union workers should bear some of Ford's burden

Less than 10 percent of Ford's work force (including the white-collar retirees) will bear the initial brunt of Ford's "Way Forward" program as the company strives to make its labor and benefits costs comparable with newer companies. Imagine the savings Ford could realize if it applied these same cuts to its much larger union work force and union retirees. And let's include the high-priced executives!

R. Biggers, Clearwater

[Last modified November 12, 2006, 01:05:05]