Who Deserves a Living Wage
Who deserves a "living wage"? A better question would be, who doesn't deserve a living wage? There are many opinions out regarding this subject. Is it possible that only the "skilled" professionals are deserving of decent pay? The definition of "unskilled" should be looked at before a conclusion about who is deserving of a living wage is made. This is how the Webster-Merriam Collegiate Dictionary defines unskilled:"1: not skilled in a branch of work: lacking technical training 2: not requiring skill 3: marked by lack of skill " Based on these definitions, are any companies truly employing the "unskilled"? Would a hotel continue to employ a housekeeper who was "marked by a lack of skill", i.e. he or she is unable to properly make beds or vacuum? Would McDonald's continue to employ a worker to take orders and run the cash register who was "not skilled in a branch of work: lacking technical training", i.e. the employee was unable to understand customer orders correctly or to give proper change at the end of the transaction? I believe that one can safely assume that no company would continue to employ anyone who, by defin
Statistics have shown that the living wage standard has fallen further and further behind. Political activation is not something that we should just expect "other people" to do for us. Changes have been possible only through political activation. Groups such as ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) and JWJ (Jobs With Justice) have chapters in almost every state. Through better wages come better employees; less absenteeism, improved employee working attitudes, decreased employee turnovers (which in turn lessens the cost to employers incurred through training new employees), increased employee productivity. They will, in fact, continue to live paycheck to paycheck. Now that it has been concluded that there is no true "unskilled" workforce, the question of who deserves a living wage remains. We must unite and campaign for Living Wage ordinances in our states and neighborhoods if we want to effect positive changes. With a country so rich in natural resources, talent, and labor power the system can afford to distribute just enough wealth to just enough people to limit discontent to a troublesome minority. As of March 2002, 82 Living Wage Ordinances have been implemented in localities , with Living Wage campaigns going on in almost every state. We must join together and inform the public and the corporations that changes need to be implemented immediately.
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