My Low Wage Life

For millions of people, the fear of living in poverty is too close for comfort. Too many people have to worry about saving every cent possible and too many people are forced to limit themselves in fear of not being able to pay off their monthly electrical bill or their taxes. Low wage jobs, though often involving manual labor and excruciatingly long hours, are oftentimes the only option for individuals to get by. Oftentimes, being a part of a low wage job involves desensitization as workers are stripped of their individuality and confined to long hours, constant drug tests, and monotonous work for a miniscule amount of money. Shipler’s “The Working Poor” evaluates the physical, emotional, and psychological consequences of being a low wage worker. Workers are viewed as assets rather than individuals and judged soely on ability rather than personality or effort. Whether it be working as a janitor at the nearest public high school, being a housekeeper for a family, or working in the fast food industry, low wage jobs are all around us. I believe that every individual can relate to being a low wage worker in some capacity because, realistically, it is a part of all of us. Did you ever consider where your favorite “Lucky Brand” shirt was made or your favorite pair of boots? Chances are, it was made by someone working in an overcrowded, stuffy factory for hours upon hours for minimum wage or less.

Although I have never been employed as a low wage worker, many of my friends have been forced to work as low wage workers in order to support themselves and help pay for their education. One of my best friends in high school was forced to work at the local Kentucky Fried Chicken. She was forced to take regular drug tests, adorn a stiff white polo shirt and musty red apron and don a smile as she took orders from rude customers. She worked long hours and was constantly bossed around by her supervisors for not filling the soft drinks quickly enough or getting customers their change in a timely fashion. However, my friend was one of the lucky ones because she did not depend on this job to get by in life as many do. For many, working at McDonalds of KFC means being able to pay the monthly bills. When I discussed with my friend her experience working at KFC for the summer, she told me that in reality she was one of the lucky ones because she did not RELY upon her 8 dollars an hour to keep her out of debt and owning a home. She told me about the devastation she would see when someone was fired and suddenly left to fend for themselves without anything to fall back on. She told me about the people she would see volunteering to work overtime just so they could have enough money to buy baby food for their newborn. Living a low wage life is far from luxurious and often involves physical and emotional breakdown. Listening to these experiences and reading in-depth about low wage work has made me realize just how fortunate I am to have a roof over my head.