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"You've undoubtedly already come into contact with a number of low-wage workers today, either directly or indirectly-at the coffee shop, the bakery, or the grocery store; the dry cleaners; the pharmacy; the day care center where you dropped your kids or the nursing home where you visited your mother."
Thus did Anne Ladky, CEW's Winter 2007 Twink Frey Visiting Social Activist, begin her February 22 presentation in the Michigan Union. Anne's public address marked the culmination of her intensive, month-long residence at the Center.
Anne is the Executive Director of Women Employed (WE), a Chicago-based non-profit organization
established to help women enter the workforce and overcome discrimination. WE is especially concerned about a number of issues for low-income workers (those who earn less than $30,000 a year), including no access to medical benefits; no paid sick or vacation leaves; lack of consistent, dependable schedules ("Predictability of job hours is more important than flexibility"); and lack of respect.
In her February remarks, Anne pointed out that 20 percent of jobs in this country do not pay enough to support a family of four and that one third of American women are paid less that $25,000 a year. She also described some common myths about low-wage workers that she and her WE colleagues work to dispel.
Low-wage workers don't have skills. Yes, they do. And the jobs they perform are essential to everyone's daily existence.
Low-wage, entry-level jobs are just stepping stones for people. Not true. Low-wage jobs lack career ladders; without additional education or training, people are not likely to rise to jobs that pay substantially better wages.
There's "something wrong" with people who take low-wage jobs. They should be able to "pull themselves up by their bootstraps" and improve their conditions. Unfortunately, "blaming the victim" is reassuring and keeps us from looking at systemic problems in our society that make it difficult for low-wage workers to improve their lives.
While at CEW, Anne worked on creating a strong business case, an argument to convince the business world that improving the conditions for their low-wage workers is good for everyone. Among the arguments are these:
Women in low-wage jobs are often forced to work two or three jobs to maintain their families. As a result, they are unable to devote the time to their children that would help ensure the welfare of the next generation of citizens and workers.
The "fundamentally dehumanizing" conditions of some low-wage work make workers not value their jobs, which has many negative consequences for their employers, including high turnover costs and poor customer service.
The Twink Frey Visiting Social Activist Award was created in 2006, the result of a generous gift from Twink and her husband Jim McKay, CEW's good friends and supporters. The award is designed to allow prominent community activists to be in residence at the University of Michigan and take advantage of the time and resources to advance their causes. It is also an opportunity for members of the CEW and University community to learn about the valuable work being done by social activists around the country.
Anne tells us that her time at CEW was valuable because she was able to escape her normal, hectic routine, "create new energy around myself, and focus on my work in a new way." She was also able to meet and build collaborative relationships with UM scholars who are researching the same issues with which Women Employed is involved.
Anne calls the Center "a rich resource for activists, full of positive energy and support. I was excited about the prospect of being a Twink Frey Visiting Activist from the beginning but, when I actually met Twink and saw how committed and encouraging she is and understood her vision, I knew this would be a valuable experience."
Anne Ladky's visit was a valuable experience for us too. Thank you, Anne, for sharing your knowledge and commitment with us.society that make it difficult for low-wage workers to improve their lives.
