US Men Falling Away From The Workforce

The recession may be behind us, but men in their prime working ages — 25 to 54 — are not joining the U.S. labor force.

According to U.S. Labor Department statistics, about 7 million males are currently not employed or even trying to find work.

The numbers are revealing.

In 1954, almost 98 percent of men in this age range were working. That's steadily declined to a current rate of about 88 percent this August.

Michael Regan of Bloomberg News tells Here & Now's Robin Young that a key reason is a decline in construction and manufacturing jobs, and that men without a college degree are most affected.