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Nov. 28, 2009
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FACES OF JOBLESSNESS: Family struggles to make ends meet after construction layoff

By LYNNETTE CURTIS
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Roberta Koskela, an unemployed construction worker, stands in the living room of the three-bedroom apartment she shares with her husband and their four children. Behind her from left are her husband, Chris Koskela, and children Zachary, 16, Jennifer, 18, and Zackery Rick, 16. Another daughter, Emily Rick, 15, is not shown.
Photo by K.M. Cannon

Two years ago, Roberta Koskela decided she wanted a different, more prosperous kind of life.

So she traded in her skirts and high heels for jeans, work boots and a ponytail.

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    • She quit her general office job at a cable company, packed up her family and moved from Lake Havasu City, Ariz., to Las Vegas, where she'd heard well-paying construction jobs were plentiful, even for those with little or no experience.

    Here, she joined a laborers union and quickly received training as a construction flagger and concrete core driller.

    The now 37-year-old had no problem finding work making more than $20 an hour.

    She also discovered she was happier than at any job she'd ever had. For the first time in her life she wasn't stressed out at the end of the day.

    "I was nervous about her stepping into a man's world," said Chris Koskela, Roberta's husband of five years. "But it was like watching a rebirth."

    The money also was good, and that was important. The Koskelas have four teenagers to support, and Chris, 44, hasn't been able to work in years because of multiple health issues including severe back problems and fibromyalgia. His disability benefits were just enough to cover rent on the family's cramped three-bedroom apartment in the northwest valley. Money was tight, but the family was making it.

    That was until, a short year later, the recession caught up with the Koskelas.

    Roberta was laid off, and has been unable to find steady work since.

    "It's a lousy place to be and it feels horrible," she said. "I've never been here before."

    Of course, she isn't here alone. Nevada's unemployment rate is at 13 percent. Nearly 50 percent of construction industry jobs have disappeared.

    Not long ago, workers like Roberta could come to town and make more money in the construction or service industries than almost anywhere in the United States, said Jeremy Aguero, a principal in research firm Applied Analysis.

    "It was lucrative for them to make that move," he said.

    These days are different. Thousands of unemployed, unskilled workers are competing for a small pool of jobs. That leaves many of them agonizing about what to do next.

    Should they stay in Nevada, waiting and hoping for an economic turnaround?

    Though the economy will eventually recover, Las Vegas may never equal the explosive rates of growth in population and employment seen in the past 20 years, Aguero said.

    "The economic engine that has worked so well for us is really kicked into reverse," he said. "Unskilled laborers have a much more difficult time adapting to new economic conditions" that may require them to switch career fields.

    Many have chosen to leave, he said.

    "Construction workers are going to go where construction is."

    It's an option the Koskelas are not yet ready to consider.

    "I've worked so hard to get to where I'm at to just walk away," Roberta said.

    "How many times do you want to start over in your life?" Chris said.

    Roberta believes that if she were to leave construction for another line of work in today's job market, "I'd just be on unemployment for something else."

    So, for now, they wait, dodging bill collectors as they try to save enough money to file for bankruptcy.

    The $400 a week in unemployment benefits that Roberta collects doesn't stretch far for a family of six.

    "I don't even look at the mail anymore," she said. "I don't even want to know."

    They attempt to keep most of those worries from the kids.

    "It's not their job to be stressed about the economy and finances," Chris said.

    Roberta uses two words to describe how she keeps her head up in such difficult circumstances: "Denial, denial."

    The Koskelas also remind themselves to be grateful for what they do have: healthy kids and a roof over their heads.

    "There are people a helluva lot worse off than we are," Chris said. "As long as we remember that ... ."

    Contact reporter Lynnette Curtis at lcurtis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0285.

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    To A Contractor wrote on November 29, 2009 10:37 AM: I work for the CLV and you are pretty correct in that many senior union members are freekling lazy and over paid for what they do. I know because I work with many like this. I wish they could do away with seniority and lay off these lazy worthless senior employees who expect and feel as though they are owed something (entitlement). Your younger CLV employees will get fired and your older, lazy bastards will survive and cost more to us all.


    buddyholly wrote on November 28, 2009 11:57 PM: The ladys husband has a bad back and fibromialga sounds like a looser who does not want to work drop him lady!


    Blame Yourself Is Right wrote on November 28, 2009 11:46 PM: It's funny that these left wing nuts keep blaming Bush. When last year they were saying how good it was going to be with Obama as president. Nothing changed, the dems just spent a bunch of money on a railroad in Virginia City and other no discript places around the usa.

    Now, they say 'It's still G.W.'s fault', when the fact is that we had the best economic times of this countrys history when there were conservatives in the house, sentate, and white house.

    All you liberals seem to forget that this economy turned for the worse when the house and sentate were taken over by the democrats. Look it up, Nov. 06. That's when the roof started to cave in.

    This is your hope and change. Thanks alot.


    Blame Yourself wrote on November 28, 2009 11:08 PM: Blame George W:

    What did George Bush do that was bad besides siding with the Democrats on that last $700 Billion bail out? At least he didn't spend all our money like Obama.

    George Bush was a great president who took on the challenge of taking on the war on global terrorism after 911. He stood up to the terror networks when my family was recovering from the towers going down. You misguided fools can go pound sand. History will show the truth. This blame game is liberal distortion.

    Foolish people who voted for Obama thought the last election was Obama vs. Bush when Bush wasn't even running. No transparency, spend and tax, no values = Obama.

    Yeah, keep blaming Bush when you and the Democratic controlled congress is where the real blame is. Your heros Reid, Pelosi and Franks. Obama is on the way to be the worst president in US history after Carter. He's a proven liar. Time for him to go.


    DOWN WITH UNIONS wrote on November 28, 2009 09:59 PM: I AGREE WITH "A CONTRACTOR"

    The UNIONS have served their purpose in the past, but are UNNECESSARY in todays business world!!! UNIONS ARE GREEDY AND LAZY!!!!


    Blame George W wrote on November 28, 2009 09:24 PM: Only one person to blame - George W.

    You conservatives like to bash Obama but I notice you are quiet on the subject of George W., whose inadequacy caused this economic mess we're in. Let's not forget - he was in denial while we were eight months into the recession. And I notice you conservative fools don't mention anything about the stimulus plan he pushed through.

    That's what I like about you Republicans - you shift blame for your own failures. No wonder Sarah Palin is your poster child.


    Time to move on wrote on November 28, 2009 09:08 PM: It's wonderful that most of you came to LV and were able to secure great jobs it the American way.Back to reality the economy has been broken and it's time for you newcomers to move on.The area is overgrazed too many animals and not enough water and grass if you know what I mean.


    A Contractor wrote on November 28, 2009 08:54 PM: When you have Firefighters that are raking in over $200,000.00 per year, and have worked for the City/County for less than 20 years.... Something is VERY wrong. The Unions are to blame for 99% of the economical mess that we are in, and it will only get worse, until unions are disallowed for ANY public sector work. Police get so many sick days, vacation days, flex days, J.O days. Firefighters bget PAID to be on call and go to the gym, and have cookouts. This is ridiculous, and if anyone wants to question the greedy corporations, you should begin with the greedy unions, that have created an atomsphere of LAZY workers that EXPECT to be handed everything. What a joke !!!


    no help to come wrote on November 28, 2009 08:48 PM: There is no saving program out there for Las Vegas. Move on and find employment elsewhere. Elko, NV is hiring. How about loosening up the environmental protections and allow more mining and put the people to work. There will be no Hoover Dam project to save Las Vegas this go around. With no industry, this towns going bust. Just a smaller percentage of the casinos will survive. All the stimulus money was well spent don't you think. What jobs were created in Las Vegas, NV? Where? Good luck to all in this recession, but it's time to jump ship before it sinks. Move to where the jobs are. Mining for gold is one industry.


    CLV accounting office wrote on November 28, 2009 07:58 PM: The city manager wants to lay people off, which will put CLV employees out of work. One person said the city can’t afford to pay high city employee salaries. Do you think their salaries shot up overnight? These salaries are negotiated over a period of time, fool. Who the hell do you think makes the CLV daily operations possible? CLV employees do each and every day and you have to pay them to work. When you call to reserve a park or need services like parking enforcement, animal control, public safety in your parks, answering the phones, running the city jails, fixing street lights, covering the graffiti your puke kids are tagging, etc, etc who do you think is handling this stuff?

    How about this folks:

    The CLV spend money on the RJ news paper so that they can have it delivered to various administrators and managers around the city Monday -Friday. Here is another one folks. The CLV spent about $100,000.00 last year just on coffee, city wide and the coffee is poor. How many jobs would this money save or does Mayor "Drunkman" need to read the paper every morning to see if he is in it? The city of LV pisses off so much money it's not even funny. Get an outside accountant and the light will shine upon you all.

    And like we need a new city hall, what a sham this is. People need to unit and protest this type of government abuse. There is only one council member who has stood steady against “Drunkman’s” dream of a new tower.


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