General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Fast-Food Strikes Expand Across U.S. to 50 Cities [View all]Lurker Deluxe
(1,041 posts)I get looked down on by a whole bunch of people ... all the time. I wear my work uniform all the time, pretty much a blue/black jumpsuit and I get asked on a regular basis, "why are you dressed like that, what do you do?"
My usual reply is that I am a janitor or "in waste management", and then sometimes they notice I am driving a brand new mustang and ask some other dumb ass question. In turn my reply is, "I'm a union janitor."
The point being that I really do not much give a shit what other people think of me, or my trade.
The fact is I started out in my life "low skill" and went from there. Straight out of high school I went to work as construction labor, which was pretty much a ditch digger and I did that until I was able to figure out where the ditch was going and why it was going there, and every opportunity I got I did something beyond what I was told.
The point is that I learned a trade, actually a few of them, and I am no longer "low skill". From carpenter to equipment operator, did some time as a fitter and welder then finally found my niche as a machinist. I could move up the ladder here, I have been offered a couple of positions, purchasing agent, shop foreman ... blah blah. Fact is I am happy doing what I do, and I make pretty damn good money doing it.
You may scoff at $30/hr ... I am sure you are one of those people who make waaaaaay more than I do, and that's nifty and I'm happy for you. But, there is a huge difference between "low skill" and "highly skilled" in the business that participate in.
Most of the time when those people who look down upon my trade and think I am unskilled and offer to help me "find a better job" I listen to them and simply reply.
"That's nice and all, but I couldn't afford the pay cut."
I understand that I have been lucky and am fortunate in my health, that I am blessed to have the abilities that I have. I also understand that we need to do more to protect the less fortunate and raising the minimum wage would certainly lend a hand to that. My whole issue is that there are different levels of skill, and different levels of manual dexterity, physical prowess, mental capabilities, and personal drive that determines who ends up being where on the food chain.