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 [e-mail].

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.

Comments

[BeerNotWar]

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!

[jeannie35]

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."

[ipv4]

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.

[BeerNotWar]

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.

[thegaygardener]

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.

[hiprogloho]

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.

[libertron]

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.

[dobberdoss]

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!

[texasyank]

Wait--you work only four hours a day?

McDonald's is hiring, buddy. Move your ass.

[Jonahson]

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!

[jneems]

I love this guy....I wish him the best.

[babylonandon]

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.

[Giglawyer]

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.

[Aunt Shecky]

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.

[AuntSally]

Question for you Craig:

Do you vote?
Do many of your fellow union members vote?

[AsaNisMasa]

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.

[accountability]

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.