As you and I know, North Carolinians
are second to none when it comes to hard
work and entrepreneurial spirit, and can-do
attitude. That’s a big
reason our state is regularly listed as one
of the top states for business.
What makes our workers the best in the
nation, you ask?
To start, we were taught the value of a hard
day’s work at a young age. We
saw our parents work hard, and they
instilled in us that same work ethic. In
fact, I bet many of you grew up working
summers as a kid. My first job was working
construction every summer with my dad while
I was in high school. I
continued to work my way through college and
held several jobs – including working as a
waiter, a Radio Shack clerk, a Belk’s
salesperson and a call center operator. I’m
sure many of you have had similar
experiences.
At the same time, our state also has a
diverse and high-skilled workforce. That’s
due in part to our state’s top-notch
research and development, the best
universities and community colleges, and the
technology and innovation that comes with
it.
As we approach Labor Day, we have a lot to
celebrate. This is a
time to recognize our workers – you. It’s
a time to honor the contributions of our
incredible workforce – past and present. And
it’s a time to celebrate the men and women
whose tireless work and innovation built our
nation and keep it strong.
By the same token, we are also celebrating
your contribution to our economy. Did
you know U.S. productivity once again
exceeded expectations, growing 2.3%? This
productivity is because of your hard work,
and it’s a key component to raising living
standards across our nation. This
greater productivity will continue to
contribute to bigger paychecks and a higher
standard of living for workers and families.
That’s promising news, especially
considering paychecks are up well over 3% in
July, making it the 12th straight month
where year-over-year wage gains were at
least 3%.
While there is still room for
improvement, these higher wages are making a
difference in people’s lives. A
recent poll showed a majority of Americans
"rate their own finances as good or
excellent." This is also thanks in part to
and our historic tax cuts and efforts to cut
through bureaucratic red tape so small
business can start, grow and hire more
employees.
Hardworking families are seeing more
money in their paychecks.
At the end of the day, the
recognition truly goes to you –
the mothers and fathers who work to create
better lives for their children, the
students who study diligently to get good
jobs, the entrepreneurs who put in long
hours to turn their ideas into jobs, and the
farmers who toil their lands to provide for
our community. Our
state is open for business because of your
hard work and entrepreneurial spirit.
While we’ve made good progress and our
economy is doing well, there are still many
who are struggling to make ends meet. I
will continue to work on pro-growth
solutions to fight poverty, strengthen
job-training programs, rebuild our
infrastructure, and improve opportunities
for everyone.
Lane
Ross Designs
