Retirement Age Myths

            The March 2011 issue of The American Prospect magazine has a pair of articles examining whether the average age of retirement in the United States should be lowered or raised.  James K. Galbraith sees early retirement as a quick fix for unemployment.  He says that we will probably have unusually high unemployment for another decade, so young people seeking their first real jobs will have little chance of finding any unless more of our older workers move aside and retire.  This problem, says Galbraith, is coupled with the fact that many older workers continue to work at jobs that they find physically painful, because they cannot afford to retire under the present system, even though their jobs are too demanding physically for anyone their age.  Under our present system, to get full Social Security benefits, you must work past 66. You can take early retirement at 62, but with reduced benefits, and with no Medicare coverage till age 65. Galbraith suggests that we temporarily allow retirement at age 62 with less reduction in benefits, and that we allow Medicare eligibility for retirees at 62. These measures would allow those who want to leave the workforce to leave, thereby allowing those who wish to enter the workforce to enter. As usual, Mr. Galbraith understands the situation and has a reasonable solution.

            The other article is entitled “The Progressive Case Against Subsidizing Middle-Aged Retirement,” by Eugene Steuerle.  Mr Steuerle utterly misses the point, as demonstrated by the fact that he apparently considers age 62 “middle aged.”   I hate to be the one to tell you this, Eugene, but 62 is not the middle.  People do not generally live to be 124.  Sixty-two is old. Perhaps not too old to do what you get paid to do—sitting behind a desk and writing articles expounding the virtues of work—but way too old to be a skilled construction worker, which is what I did for 40 years.  Let me explain it to you:

            If a man says, “I’m 80 years old and I work every day—and I love it,” we assume that his most likely occupation is:

1.      1. Steeplejack;

2.      2. Professional Heavyweight Boxer

3.      3. Green Beret Soldier;

4.      4. Longshoreman;

5.     5. Firefighter;

6.      6. Foundry Worker;

7.      7. Coal Miner;

8.      8. Construction Worker;

9.      9. Emergency Room Nurse;

10   10. Guy who gets paid to sit behind a desk and shuffle paper and punch computer keys.

The correct answer is (10).   Mr. Steuerle, you are assuming that we all do sedentary jobs now.  We do not.  The percentage of American workers doing sedentary work is large and growing, but it is still a minority, and it always will be.  Those in non-sedentary occupations don’t quit working when they choose to quit—the choice is made for them.  They quit when their bodies give out.

            Sedentary work can be difficult, frustrating, and in some cases hazardous to your health.  If you have arteriosclerosis, a sedentary job can kill you. But except for carpal-tunnel problems, sedentary workers don’t suffer the kind of skeletal injuries that account for most industrial disability.

            The main trend in job requirements today is that more jobs require a high technical/creative/intellectual component. But the introduction of this new requirement seldom negates the old requirement for physical strength, agility, and endurance.  The premier example is the military. Combat troops now apply every new technology years before it is in civilian use, but are required to be in such top physical shape that they are mostly too old for their jobs by the time they turn 35, although many remain on active duty much longer.

            They same applies to many industrial jobs, where employers want the technical wizardry of a Tom Edison,  but still demand the endurance of a Jim Thorp.  I spent nearly 40 years as a skilled construction electrician, mostly on heavy industrial jobsites. In our trade, the earliest retirement age is 62.  Among my close friends who started the trade when I did, I’m the only one who made it to retirement. The others all either died or became disabled in their 50s with knee or back injuries. When a young person applies for an apprenticeship today, the selection committee asks two questions:   “Did you get all “A”s in math and science?” and “Were you good at sports?”  Before asking when a person should retire, you should first ask, “Retire from what?”