Readers: You can help The Eagle keep covering work-related stories
Dear Readers,
It’s been about five months since I joined The Eagle’s staff to cover labor, workplace issues and employment. And I’m amazed by your response to these stories. Please keep sending your questions and tips my way. And thank you.
To continue this work, The Eagle is asking for support from readers. My position is funded through a partial grant via the nonprofit Report for America. You can support our reporting by making a tax-deductible contribution at givebutter.com/thewichitaeagle.
Since June, I’ve written about workers in different sectors of our local economy: those laid off from aviation manufacturing jobs, teachers who are grappling with the pandemic this school year and restaurant employees who say they weren’t paid properly.
Issues facing the working class in Wichita aren’t always directly related to work. Sometimes when you lose your job in a pandemic, you’re worried about making rent in time. I talked to people facing eviction and wrote about resources in the community where tenants and landlords can get help.
The year 2020 has not been easy on Wichita and its workers. But I’m struck every day by the resilience I find in this community. Despite losing a job, some aerospace employees found new opportunities with the help of our local Workforce Center. Two Wichita sisters built an app to help people find work. And some local companies were still hiring for hundreds of positions.
Labor and workforce issues are not always simple and don’t have straightforward solutions. So I’ve worked to dive deeper and explain complicated topics. Wichita has talked for decades about diversifying its economy — but what does that really mean, and what impact could it have on your job? I talked to experts to break it down.
Injured workers could face a hurdle in Kansas Workers’ Compensation depending on the outcome of a case before the state Supreme Court. How did the system reach this point and what are the consequences at stake? I wanted to help readers understand.
I have plans to write more stories about Kansas unemployment, about food insecurity families face after experiencing a layoff and about workplace safety concerns as the coronavirus continues to spread.
Women have left the workforce in record numbers this year and the unemployment rate in Sedgwick County isn’t experienced equally across gender and race lines. Let’s talk about that.
I want to look into not just the problems, but also the solutions, so the Wichita community can move forward together.
All of this reporting takes time and resources. This work is possible because of subscribers and people who donate to The Eagle. That’s why we need your help to make it possible.
If you’re able to help support this work, you can make a tax-deductible contribution at givebutter.com/thewichitaeagle.
We hold power to account and you hold us accountable in return. You make sure we’re representing our community and getting you the information you really need.
You can also help ensure The Eagle continues this in-depth reporting by signing up for a digital subscription or a combined print/digital subscription.
To existing subscribers: Thank you.
I’m grateful to work at The Wichita Eagle and I would love to keep hearing from you. My inbox is always open and my phone is available. Please send me an email or give me a call to talk about what stories you want to see in relation to labor, the workplace and employment in our community. You can reach me at mstringer@wichitaeagle.com or 316-347-7442.
Lastly, as a reporter covering employment, I know these times are not easy for many of us. For those of you able to contribute to our journalism, we appreciate it greatly. For those who are unable to do so right now, we understand and thank you for turning to us for your news.
This story was originally published November 8, 2020 at 4:21 AM.
