Okay. This is a bit embarrassing to admit because I am almost done with my M.A., but it is true: I did not know if I should laugh or cry at the supermarket the other day when I realized that I had to work for a whole hour to buy body wash and a tiny container of tuna. So I put the body wash back. And I was mad when I got home because I realized that in the 2 and a half years that I have been out of the U.S., the tuna can has gotten significantly smaller AND more expensive. Yet I am still making the exact same wage as I did 7 years ago working at a fabric store. Only now I am in debt for grad school. Awesome.
Am I the only one who thinks there is something wrong with this picture?
I was out and about today and I had a short, pleasant conversation with a young store clerk. He had a sling on his arm, but he was still working cheerfully. I asked him about it, and he disclosed that he had been injured in a football game and had to have surgery in just a few days. I said that I hope his insurance was covering it. He said that his insurance coughs up 80% and he has to cover the rest, which is over $1000. In a very lighthearted manner, he said he has been working 3 jobs just so he can pay for it. This nice kid couldn't have been more than 20.
Gas and food prices have gone up. Rent has gone up. There are less jobs and wages have stayed exactly the same. Why isn't anyone talking about this?
Although you have a good point about the wages you made in the past and what you might make tomorrow, imagine what the dairy and grain farmers think about their wages ? In addition, if our government was not subsidizing corn farms then perhaps there would be more of a drive to produce something more useful as opposed to just paying the rent.. Thankfully our minimum wage has gone up a couple of times recently but don't tell you're server that ! :)
ReplyDelete