The economics discussion here needs some clarifying IMO. The free-market worshippers keep claiming that increased wages equal increased prices. The non-believers point out that prices are set by the market and can't simply be increased.
What's being missed here is that cost increases first come out of profit. If profit gets so small that the business isn't profitable enough, prices must be raised.
Now if all businesses are facing increased labor costs due to rising wages, then they can remain competitive with one another when they raise prices. THEN you get inflation.
BUT corporations have a lot of profit to chew through before they reach the point of having to raise prices. Corporate profits are now the highest they've been since 1950 as a percentage of GDP. There is plenty of room to increase wages before prices are impacted.
In reality, workers are getting a smaller piece of the pie than they have in over fifty years. It's time to take back what's ours, workers!
Just Work: It's Up to Us to Turn Minimum into Livable
My momma used to say, "Anything worth having, you must work hard for." It's the truth. But if you're a janitor or working some other low-paid job in America today, you can't just work hard; you've got to work smart.
You see, I'm one of those workers you read about that busts his butt every day, but still can't afford to pay rent. From 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. every night I clean the 9th and 10th floor of the Cincinnati Textile Building. Just as you are sitting down to eat dinner with your kids, I'm turning your messy office into a sparkling fresh work space. I get paid $6.85 per hour to clean more than 20 bathroom stalls, to take out and scrub over 200 trash cans, and to clean up the office spaces of guys making at least three times my wages. Even when my supervisor gives me overtime, I'm bringing in less than $30 a day. That's less than $600 a month.
My situation used to make me angry and frustrated all the time. Here I am paying my taxes; I'm paying my dues; I'm working my way up. But I'm still broke. At age 29 -- a grown man -- I live with my mom because I can't afford $200 monthly rent for subsidized housing. Working but still broke? It just doesn't make any sense.
A couple years ago, I stopped kicking at doors and turned my anger into power. I began to realize that millions of my fellow janitors, doormen, security guards, dishwashers, and other service workers were living the same struggle. Just in Cincinnati, thousands of building maintenance workers, some of them older than my parents, had been trapped their entire lives. They have been working everyday, trying to budget pennies, some have been in and out of homeless shelters, and none of them have been able to get ahead. For some reason, their stories made me look at my own life from a different perspective. I wasn't going to wallow in my own tough luck anymore.
That's when I heard about workers' unions. See, I always wanted to change things, but my anger and self pity weren't getting me anywhere. I started to learn that workers joining together and standing up for our rights is the only way to get the top dog to listen. It took a lot of meetings and a lot of extra unpaid hours, but last month about 1,200 of us Cincinnati janitors went from low wages with no respect, to growing wages and the knowledge that we've got the tools to change our situation.
You may have read about us -- the Justice for Janitors campaign in Cincinnati made headlines across the state and around the world. For me, the wins meant a lot more than doubling my salary in five years, vacation time, or access to health care for the first time in my life. I learned to respect myself for the work I do. I learned how to get other people to respect me for the contributions I make as a service worker in America. And I learned that I can clear the path so that others coming after me don't have to put up with poverty wages and no respect on the job.
Too many of us -- middle America, corporate America, and those of us struggling at the bottom of America -- have forgotten what it is like to a part of something bigger than ourselves. Not while I'm on this earth. I know that the trials and tribulations of my life are just going to become the stories of opportunity I tell my children someday. It's another full time job -- but we've got to come together in times of turmoil. Right now, low-wage workers in America are in a crisis and unions are our answer. Joining together and standing up for our rights is what we've got to do if we're going to turn minimum wages into livable wages in this country.
Click here to listen to rap song Craig wrote about the Cincinnati Justice for Janitors Campaign.
Craig Jones is a janitor for Professional Maintenance, a cleaning contractor that serves the Cincinnati Textile Building, and a member the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) local 3. Craig was a key leader in the Cincinnati Justice for Janitors Campaign, a city-wide property service contract that doubled the income of nearly 1200 janitors. Since joining SEIU, Craig has made community organizing his second full-time job. He's also an accomplished rapper, who hopes to make a career in music someday. Click here to listen to one of Craig's songs.
Just Work is a series presented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to give a voice to working people to discuss their daily struggles to balance work, afford life and participate in a more just society. SEIU welcomes submissions to Just Work! Please send your story (800 words or less) to ali.jost@seiu.org.
About SEIU
The 1.9 million-member SEIU is the fastest-growing union in North America. SEIU members are winning better wages, health care, and more secure jobs for our communities, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around the world to help ensure that workers, not just corporations and CEOs, benefit from today's global economy.
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This is a wonderful story. I hope Craig's second job of union organizing expands into full-time. A person should be able to make enough at ONE job to buy a home, car, and into the so-called "American Dream."
He does not say 5pm to 9pm. He says 5-9pm. I would assume that hes talking about a 16 hour work day. At least I hope.
Nope...he says "Just as you are sitting down to eat dinner with your kids..." He's working a four hour day.
Let's not overlook the fact that many businesses won't hire people to work more than 26 hours a week or so. Plus, even working a full 40 hour week at $6.85 wouldn't pay for food, rent, etc. in most cities.
I applaud your efforts & understand your frustrations. However, am I understanding correctly that you're working only part-time?
"5:00 to 9:00 every night" is only 4 hours per day. And I would presume that the Textile building is only open Monday through Friday. Could you get another job on the weekends or increase you hours to full time? 40 hours @ $6.85 per hour would be over $1,000 per month.
I just don't think your situation will ever change working 20 hours per week.
Make no mistake. The minimum wage is a slave wage, a pittance not sustainable to make a living or survive. A system which supports such inequality is lucky that you don't resort to crime to make ends meet. I salute you not just for honest work. But for voicing the economic injustice that allows for unlivable wages in a so-called free civilized society.
You make no mistake, Hipro; Minimum wage is for high school kids. If you're 29 and still making that, you've f'ed up. Especially if you've been working only 4 hours a day since you graduated high school. !!11!! years ago. Or probably dropped out. And spent a few years f'ing around. Until your Mom made you get a FOUR hour a day job.
God I'm tired of having to feel sorry for people who think the world owes them something; I worked more than 4 hours a day when I was also going to college full-time.
As far as these `corporates` are concerned you are cattle fotter!
My moma use to say` anything worth having is free`,
put a price on great family!,loving relationships. What is it you want exactly & what is it you need Mr Jones. Separate the two and get some respect back but please dont beg for it from those that deserve none!
Wait--you work only four hours a day?
McDonald's is hiring, buddy. Move your ass.
Man, whatever job you do it may not get you rich but the lowest paid job should at least be enough to feed you and pay for your basic necessities including health insurance(in some third world country the government take care of the healthcare part). At the end of payday you should be able to save a small amount for a rainy day. This is America remember where poor is a non existing word when it comes to stantard of living. Everybody is middle class!
So what the heck! In this country If you remain broke despite working your pants off at the end of the day, then the only economics you should know is you need to be paid better! So fight for better wages join the Union or whatever(legal).
This is one basic human rights worth fighting for!
I love this guy....I wish him the best.
Why would you assume the world would collapse if all the janitors and service workers walked out?
One phrase here: illegal immigrants.
You can be replaced.
Why do you think the corps are so hipped on the amnesty and open borders bit?
Same deal for low wage factory workers: wrap your thoughts around the word CHINA.
I am struggling with his article. On one hand, I say, good for you, Mr. Jones. I hope you successfully organize, and I hope you get a better wage. On the other hand, I look at what you wrote - that you work from 5:00pm to 9:00pm every day - and I wonder: what are you doing with the rest of your day? If you work 5 days a week, that's 20 hours a week. Even if you work 7 days a week, that's only 28 hours a week.
Even if you unionize, and make $12.00 per hour, you will only be making between $12,500.00 (20 hours per week) and $17,500.00 (28 hours per week) per year.
I just checked www.mcohio.com. You could work as a janitor for McDonald's in Findlay, Ohio in a full time position, and start at $9.50 per hour. That's almost $20,000 per year, and that includes health benefits and a 401k.
You mother was right. You do have to work hard. You should start by working full time.
A century ago, if this country's workers hadn't been brave enough to stand up and organize for better conditions we'd still have
6-7 day workweeks, 12 hour workdays,no childlabor laws, no safety laws, no workman's compensation -- the list goes on and on. You
and your colleagues are in that great historical tradition. Another asset you have is your youth; I wish that way, way back when I was 29 I had your vision and your forthright
attitude and guts. And you have at least one more tangible but definitely "real" asset in your ability to think clearly and express yourself in a concise way that will win others to your cause. Many young adult people in this country can't write a decent sentence -- for this we can blame -- or at least I blame --
our ineffectual educational system.
Mr. Jones, I wish you all the luck in the world and I hope your future soon becomes a brighter one.
Question for you Craig:
Do you vote?
Do many of your fellow union members vote?
Craig,
The times indeed are a changin'. Hopefully, thanks to the work done by you and other groups that are looking out for Americans and not Corporations and Greed, the change will be for the best.
GOOD FOR YOU CRAIG!
You are an inspiration to all of us who are just barely making it.
Thank You so much for the workl you are doing, and the pride you are taking in yourself and your purpose.
I have tears in my eyes to know that someone is telling the stories, making it right, once again saying NO to those who just want to take and take and take.
Thak you, thank you, thank you!
And many blessing shower upon you.
Don't you people realize that when you "demand" more money in wages, the costs of goods for everyone goes up? And then, what was a "livable wage" is back to being "non-livable". I wish everyone could earn a million a year, and live in mansions, and eat filet everynight. There are some who earn more, and those who earn less. If you are one of the latter, improve yourself to rise in society. And yes, it is possible; don't give me well, it's too hard. Don't have kids too young, get off booze and drugs, finish school, don't do crime, etc. Old fashioned, but it still works. The fact that there are so many underachievers only proves one more time, that unionizing teachers was the worst idea in education.
how does australia pay a living wage, national healthcare AND have a fantastic quality of life, then, if it's chasing an elusive phantom number? you are, hopefully out of ignorance rather than malice, grossly distorting the impact living wages would have. for one thing, many more people could afford many more goods and services, bringing prices down through economies of scale. for another thing when executive compensation isn't in excess of 10 times "working peoples'" compensation, you'd be surprised how all but the top 1% seem to GREATLY benefit.
head on over to australia, check it out, and then come back and report on how they are all suffering because of teachers' unions and being paid living wages.
You don't have a clue do you? Even people who do these things are showing stagnant wage growth. It seems the number of such 'underachievers' just keeps increasing, even amont the ranks of those who were once 'achievers'. The only people benefiting from increasing productivity are those at the top. Did you know the minimum wage in 1968 was the equivalent of $9.00 an hour? And since productivity now is higher than it was then we should be easily able to support a minimum wage $10-$12 an hour.
Maybe underachievers are a result of underfunding???
A real American would be satisfied with that which trickles down.
Craig....Congrats for the union, and the hope for the future. But I cannot help but think that doubling your wages in 5 years is no more than a crumb from the feast. Look how the cost of living (and housing) has escalated in past decades. In five years you're gonna need that doubled income just to stay where you are now....not making ends meet through no fault of your own. It would not even be enough here and now.
I pray for us all caught in the big squeeze, but fear it is going to get a lot worse before it gets better. There is always the threat for many workers that their jobs will simply be taken out of the country. Thankfully Craig does not have that risk. But though the elite who skim the wealth of our country for themselves will pat themselves on the back for making donations (and taking the tax write-offs) to charities, they are blind to the plight of the workers who create their wealth for them. The irony never registers with them. And the upper classes revile the working poor, as they prey on them for their last nickel.
It's going to take a miracle, or decades of deprevations, to get workers in the US to unionize. Unless workers DO get up from in front of their TVs and unite, and yes there will be sacrifices to be made....we are doomed to stay the course.
And for every minute that goes by that our elected officials do not make moves to eliminate the road blocks to every American making a livable wage....well I just consider that taxation without representation.
Continue to pray as you work. Many say that work is an effective form of prayer. Prayer may not discourage those who prey upon you & others but it can make it more difficult for others to prey upon you. It might even induce those who choose to prey upon you for a fast $ & easy money to stop preying you & others. It would be a miracle if they tried working, succeeded & gave up on preying on others. Prayer is credited with causing miracles. It's worth a try.
Thank you for your excellent post, and for your efforts in unionizing.
While working my way through college, I worked as a janitor, and in several other basic labor situations. The pay was uniformly terrible, the benefits nonexistant, and the respect very low.
But the work world would come to a grinding halt if the janitors, and other service people ceased to be there.
I was raised in a strong union background, and watched my brother get the shaft when his the grocery store he worked in deunionized, and he watched his pay drop by ~40%, and his benefits disappear completely in the mid 80's.
Unionization needs to become the norm again. I don't need it in my current position, but most people do. I support unionization, period!
You go Mr. Jones! Maybe your job is not as glamorous as a CEO's, but you still deserve the respect that ANY worker deserves.
My hat is off to you, sir!
i definitely applaud your eloquence, your positive attitude and your team spirit. all these things will take you very far if the system doesn't take you down first. please understand i am saying this out of support, not criticism, but you may well wish to channel some of your energies into taking classes at the local junior college, which should be very affordable (they may have grant programs, too, so be sure to look at financial aid options).
i say this because it is one thing to "pay your dues" in an industry by working at the bottom, learning the industry and moving up the ladder. it is entirely another to work very hard at a thankless job that will never give you any opportunities beyond a slightly higher hourly wage. i don't really know the structure of the maintenance industry, so i may be selling it short when i suggest that you use that position for "money" then "pay your dues" by busting your a** somewhere like college and/or a career path with more of a future.
this is not some "top down" theory, either. i worked for crap wages 20 hours a week in high school, 30 in college and 40+ during grad school. i paid for all of it myself (and am still paying). some of the jobs were "career" oriented (i had no idea what i wanted to be), others just cash, but i learned a lot - certainly enough to know that i could not be happy in a job where i didn't see a future...
i really hope you succeed both in the union and in your life. you are smart, hard-working, ambitious and honest and you deserve a real shot at success.
Your Mom did good teaching you about work. You & your union did better. You have a union that's YOUR union, not the union of a bunch of union bureaucrats. That is a rare thing. You & YOUR union are teaching Cincynasty manners too. Good luck.
I just helped my husband write a letter of resignation from his $7.00 an hour job. He will be working independantly, and paid cash, under the table. He is 65 years old and has an incredible work ethic.
Screw the capitalists, make our own world work!
My love to all the workers.
Mr. Jones:
May God bless you.
This country has been stolen by Wall Street. It's our duty to fight them with everything we have.
Good luck, and keep fighting.
Craig,
Welcome to the struggle! You have a long road ahead of you, and it will be filled with challenges from all sides. It's difficult ground you're breaking but you have the strength and power to to do it and make your life and the lives of your fellow workers better. The pride you feel is justly deserved, the wage and benefits your fighting for are justly deserved - let no one tell you otherwise.
If I can offer one suggestion: talk to the other unions around you. Talk to the local teacher's union, talk to the carpenters, steamfitters, and teamsters. Learn from their wins and losses, discuss strategy and planning. You'll find that they've fought your battles many times and their experiences can help you grow.
Welcome again to the fight, brother worker! Your accomplishment is something we can all point to with pride and honor.
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Posted September 2, 2007 | 10:28 PM (EST)