Union Perspectives

I recently had a conversation with a person who asked why no one wants to work at minimum wage jobs. While this is a good question, it also shows how disconnected the person, who lives a comfortable life, is from the economic reality of so many in our country.  This person pays workers $9 to $11 an hour to do work in a large orchard. I suggested that perhaps some people have given up seeking work because the income they’d earn would amount to them merely existing on minimum wage. Minimum wage workers may earn enough to pay rent and maybe have a little leftover for food but little else, like gas, utilities, car insurance and clothes. Low wages are not a good motivation to go to work with the prospect of never getting ahead. It's not hard to empathize with these workers when you learn what Robert Reich recently pointed out, “Wall Street bonuses totaled $27.5 billion last year, which is more than 3 times the combined annual earnings of all American workers employed full-time at the...