As more jobs get automated, and the working class and working poor continue to struggle, we may have to consider government intervention. I’m never inclined in that direction, but when you try everything else, what’s left?

Without some recognition of capitalism's responsibilities to society and any government intervention decried as "socialism" what you have described is the fate of the entire working class, if not now, very soon. It is the natural result of any "race to the bottom" dynamic that appears to be the common thread of American life.

One proposed fix to this is to guarantee a public service job to anyone who wants one. This would set the bottom for private-sector employment by offering a livable wage and benefits that allow one to retain their dignity. If properly funded, not managed, by the federal currency-issuing government such a program would also inject new dollars exactly where and when they are needed to shore up supply chains and local economies.

Managing such a program should be left to states and communities, as long as federal guidelines are adhered to. Employers would gain the advantage of a stable of workers with their job and social skills intact, a present problem in employing long-term unemployed people. They would simply have to outbid the wage, and/or benefits, of the program to enlarge their workforce.

The job descriptions can be anything states and local communities decide. They would likely involve a lot of present volunteer work that only lacks sufficient funding for wages to entice people. Many could find their work meshing with their loves/passions and may even remain in the program as a choice over corporate/business employment, regardless of the offerings to entice them away.