>In many places, employers are also setting wages too low, defining qualifications too narrowly, or not recruiting widely enough. Many people who are eager to work can’t because they lack transportation, or don’t have anybody to watch their children during the workday.

Well, I think that's a perfect summary. Employers either need to pay up, or pony up taxes to local governments to pay up. A competent, polite, punctual workforce doesn't happen all on its own, and trying to dragoon people into one through poverty mostly just leaves you with unusable, crappy labor and low productivity growth.