[Ct-nfb] Goodwill Boycott

Thu Jun 21 12:57:31 UTC 2012

I'm quite sure that they can actually be competitively employed, even without meeting them.

A lot of people "with multiple disabilities" are disillusioned into believing that sheltered employment is all that they can achieve.  One problem with sheltered workshops is that these disabled workers are often not exposed to competitively employed co-workers to show them what it's really like.  Rehab counselors often channel them into these jobs because they have too many people on their case loads to properly serve all, and that's an easy, "temporary" solution.  Some rehab counselors actually don't expect competitive employment of their disabled clients, which is really disgusting.  I don't think that happens in Connecticut, but it does happen.

First, let's assume that the jobs that they're doing at Easter Seals are the only tasks that they can perform in life.  Don't assume that they can do anything that they don't do on the job presently.  Chances are pretty darn good that these companies that employ them can afford to pay them a minimum wage.  The fat and happy executives might have to suffer a pay cut, but they'll still be well off.  There is significant employment data to show that companies do have the funds available to pay their workers fair wages.  Call the NFB national office to inquire about the data if you'd like.  410.659.9314

The reality is that human beings are flexible in their skill sets, regardless of disability.  There are competitive employment placement professionals who can take someone who simply knows, for example, left from right and how to differentiate colors and find them competitive employment.  One way that this is done is through a process called "job carving."  Job placement professionals go into a work environment and assess the tasks being performed by everyone involved.  Here's an example: A placement professional saw that highly-skilled business professionals were spending time at the copier that they could have spent doing other things that produced more revenue for the company.  These professionals were being paid over $40 per hour, and their productivity was not being maximized.  The company carved out the task of using the copier and created a minimum wage job so that the disabled person could work the copier all day long, and the highly-skilled professionals were no longer wasting their time at the copier.  The company ended up increasing profits, and a disabled person got a job.  All the disabled person had to be able to do was put papers in a copier, type in a number, and push a start button.

Anil Lewis, Director of Strategic Communications for the National Federation of the Blind, was diagnosed "educationally mentally retarded" when he was in school.  Obviously, he's not, but it's easy for people to be incorrectly diagnosed with other disabilities.  If we made it illegal for people who are just blind to be paid subminimum wages, a lot of people who really are just blind would be diagnosed with something else so that they could still work in subminimum wage jobs.  

Good, capable people are often broken when they enter these sheltered workshops.  Anil's big brother was, according to Anil, more intelligent and capable than he was.  His big brother started working at a subminimum wage job at the Georgia Industries for the Blind.  He wasn't stimulated by the work, and it led to terrible depression and alcoholism.  That job ruined his brother, and he would have been better off being unemployed than working in that job.  He could have found competitive employment, but he didn't because he was pushed into that job by someone with no expectations for disabled people.

Sure, maybe ten people in all of Connecticut will actually not be justifiably employable at the minimum wage and will lose their jobs.  If they need to be out and about to have a reason to get up every day, there's volunteer work for those ten people.  If they weren't earning minimum wage, they weren't living independently, anyway, so they will need to depend more heavily on their support mechanisms.  As a former US President once said, "to save lives, we must take lives."  We will be saving astronomically more than we will be disrupting.

Justin

Justin M. Salisbury
Class of 2012
B.A. in Mathematics
East Carolina University
president at alumni.ecu.edu

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”    —MARGARET MEAD
________________________________________
From: ct-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org [ct-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of Suzanne Westhaver [swesthaver at comcast.net]
Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2012 3:51 AM
To: NFB of Connecticut Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Ct-nfb] Goodwill Boycott

Justin,

I am competitively employed and commute using a Para transit system.  I have
met a number of individuals employed in sheltered workshops through Easter
Seals and Goodwill as a result of my commute.  These individuals have
multiple disabilities. None of the folks I am talking about are blind.

These multiple disabilities reach beyond ADA accommodations or adaptive
skills training. These folks are not able to find competitive employment but
going to the workshop allows them a routine of work, satisfaction in
contributing and, in some cases, gives their family a break from care
giving. They also earn money from their work.

These multiple disabilities make it impossible for these individuals to work
independently or competitively.

What will happen for these individuals?

-----Original Message-----
From: Justin Salisbury
Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2012 10:29 PM
To: NFB of Connecticut Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Ct-nfb] Goodwill Boycott

Suzanne:

We've had a lot of messages-particularly press releases-sent over the
national list to which we all are subscribed that summarize the boycott, HR
3086, and the issue of subminimum wages.  I wish not to burden people with
reading unnecessary recaps of information that they already know.  I have
spent many hours learning these issues as deeply as possible and advertising
the boycott in local media outlets.  I am nowhere near confident that I am
the best educated person in the affiliate about the boycott, but it is
faintly possible.  I could write fifteen pages about these issues, and I
also don't expect anyone to read it all.  With that said, I'm offering to
help people come to terms with their difficulties with these issues.  If
people are more comfortable emailing me off-list, I'm totally open to it.
Knowledge is meaningless if we don't share it.

Yours in Federationism,

Justin Salisbury

Justin M. Salisbury
Class of 2012
B.A. in Mathematics
East Carolina University
president at alumni.ecu.edu

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change
the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”    —MARGARET MEAD
________________________________________
From: ct-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org [ct-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of
MONICA WEBSTER [monicawebster at me.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2012 9:55 PM
To: NFB of Connecticut Mailing List
Cc: NFB of Connecticut Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Ct-nfb] Goodwill Boycott

Suzanne,
He is saying he has shared but there is still ignorance to the effect. If
you don't want to e enlightened fine, but let it go
Monica Webster

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 20, 2012, at 6:49 PM, Suzanne Westhaver <swesthaver at comcast.net>
wrote:

> Why does someone have to voice disagreement to become enlightened.
> Why don't you share the information you have that will bring these silent
> individuals to the right way of thinking?
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Justin Salisbury
> Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2012 6:11 PM
> To: NFB of Connecticut Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [Ct-nfb] Goodwill Boycott
>
> Some people silently disagree with the boycott. In all cases I've seen so
> far, it's because they don't know as much about it as they need to know in
> order for it to make sense.
>
> If these people don't pipe up, we can't help them become comfortable with
> it.
>
> At the end of the day, I want to see fair wages for workers with
> disabilities and our people happy and comfortable with the initiatives of
> the National Federation of the Blind.
>
> If people are not yet comfortable supporting the boycott, I am asking them
> to speak up and explain why not so that we can help them become
> comfortable.
>
> Justin
>
> Justin M. Salisbury
> Class of 2012
> B.A. in Mathematics
> East Carolina University
> president at alumni.ecu.edu
>
> “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
> change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”    —MARGARET
> MEAD
> ________________________________________
> From: ct-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org [ct-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of
> Suzanne Westhaver [swesthaver at comcast.net]
> Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2012 5:46 PM
> To: NFB of Connecticut Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [Ct-nfb] Goodwill Boycott
>
> Good evening Justin,
>
> I'm not sure I understand your message.  Did you wish to hear from those
> that disagree so you can understand their point of view or so you could
> attempt to alter their point of view?
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Justin Salisbury
> Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2012 5:13 PM
> To: ct-nfb at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [Ct-nfb] Goodwill Boycott
>
> Fellow Connecticut Federationists:
>
>    Is everyone here in universal agreement about our boycott of Goodwill
> Industries International, Inc.?  The student email lists have been
> thoroughly discussing the boycott, HR 3086, and subminimum wages in the
> past
> few weeks, but I haven't seen any discussion of it here.  If you are not
> in
> agreement with it, please voice your concerns so that the rest of us can
> help you come to terms with it.  Please do not fear being judged.
>
> From the Last Green Valley,
>
> Justin Salisbury
>
>
> Justin M. Salisbury
> Class of 2012
> B.A. in Mathematics
> East Carolina University
> president at alumni.ecu.edu
>
> “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
> change
> the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”    —MARGARET MEAD
>
> _______________________________________________
> Ct-nfb mailing list
> Ct-nfb at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Ct-nfb:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org/swesthaver%40comcast.net
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Ct-nfb mailing list
> Ct-nfb at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Ct-nfb:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org/president%40alumni.ecu.edu
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Ct-nfb mailing list
> Ct-nfb at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Ct-nfb:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org/swesthaver%40comcast.net
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Ct-nfb mailing list
> Ct-nfb at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Ct-nfb:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org/monicawebster%40me.com

_______________________________________________
Ct-nfb mailing list
Ct-nfb at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Ct-nfb:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org/president%40alumni.ecu.edu

_______________________________________________
Ct-nfb mailing list
Ct-nfb at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Ct-nfb:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org/swesthaver%40comcast.net

_______________________________________________
Ct-nfb mailing list
Ct-nfb at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Ct-nfb:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ct-nfb_nfbnet.org/president%40alumni.ecu.edu