The Working Class In San Jose

From SFGate.com:

"Working people in Silicon Valley are walking an economic tightrope, and any unexpected medical bill or even a car breakdown can push them over the edge," said Louise Auerhahn of Working Partnerships USA, a San Jose nonprofit backed by foundations, labor and faith-based activist groups.
Auerhahn is the principal author of "Life in the Valley Economy," a 128-report that likens Silicon Valley's economy to a barbell or an hourglass - great jobs at the top for software engineers and biotech scientists, and lots of low-paying jobs at the bottom for janitors and home health aides. This basic thesis drew support from business-affiliated public policy groups including Joint Venture Silicon Valley, whose reports spanning both corporate and governmental perspectives have painted the region's economy similarly in the past.
"The Bay Area Council has seen increasing evidence that an increasing wage disparity is putting the region at significant risk," Wunderman said in a telephone interview. For instance, he argued that the San Jose City Council should broaden its current living wage ordinance to cover contract workers at the city-controlled Mineta San Jose International Airport.
Other suggestions from the Working Partnerships report include partnerships between unions, business, community colleges and other local authorities to create job training programs to boost the skills of current or laid-off workers.