Q: Minimum wage workers often report feeling invisible. Where do you encounter minimum wage workers? What sorts of services do they provide? Have you ever worked in a low-wage job? If so, what was your experience?
A:Everywhere we turn there are minimum wage workers all around us. We see them in stores, we see them on the streets and we may even see them at home. We encounter them everyday; I encounter minimum wage workers at Wal-Mart every time I go. It’s not a bad thing; they are still making a living off of minimum wage and its fine. They provide many services such as workers at grocery stores, workers at clothing stores like jeans warehouse or hot topic, Jamba juice workers, Starbucks’ workers, waitresses, waiters. Even my brother used to be one before he went off to college. He worked at McDonalds for about 2 years getting paid $8.30 an hour. He would come home mad and frustrated because he hated work, but he still did it because he needed the money. I guess you just have to suck it up sometimes because it’s not always so easy.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Question #1
Q: Early in the book Nickel and Diimed, author Barbara Ehrenreich admits that she has many advantages over "real" low-wage workers. What sets her apart from the average low wage worker? In her desire to "experience poverty," what rules does she set for herself?
A:In the book Nickel and Dimed the author really does have some huge advantages or things that set her apart from real low wage workers. One thing is that she is a white and Native English speaker, unlike many real low wage workers. Another is that she, unlike others has a car and doesn’t have to always wait for a bus or the subway. The last advantage over real low-wage workers is that she “probably is in a lot better health than most members of the long-term low-wage workforce” (Ehrenreich 7) Also in her desire to experience poverty she does actually set a few rules for herself, like in her search for jobs she could not fall back on any skills from her education or work. Also she had to take the lowest paying job no matter what and she had to take the cheapest accommodations possible. She then set some limits like she would always have a car, she would never go homeless or hungry, and if she ever did she would either decide to cheat or quit.
A:In the book Nickel and Dimed the author really does have some huge advantages or things that set her apart from real low wage workers. One thing is that she is a white and Native English speaker, unlike many real low wage workers. Another is that she, unlike others has a car and doesn’t have to always wait for a bus or the subway. The last advantage over real low-wage workers is that she “probably is in a lot better health than most members of the long-term low-wage workforce” (Ehrenreich 7) Also in her desire to experience poverty she does actually set a few rules for herself, like in her search for jobs she could not fall back on any skills from her education or work. Also she had to take the lowest paying job no matter what and she had to take the cheapest accommodations possible. She then set some limits like she would always have a car, she would never go homeless or hungry, and if she ever did she would either decide to cheat or quit.
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