[Ct-nfb] Goodwill Boycott

Trevor Attenberg tattenberg at gmail.com
Thu Jun 21 16:36:02 UTC 2012


Shelter and entertainment for those without resources or providing families
are one thing. Cheap labor is another thing. It seems an argument states
work of any kind is a priceless privilege, and all people should work, even
if the pay is close to zero and cannot possibly cover any personal expenses
or lead to personal advancement. People should be happy that they are making
cheap goods and supporting the wealth of the leaders of so-called charitable
providers. Are not personal advancement and self-sufficiency a couple of the
perks to being in the labor force? The argument in favor of sub-minimum
wages for the disabled is the same that was used against minimum wages for
everyone in the first place. Namely, wages should be based on productivity,
and therefore those that are not producing enough are not good enough for
living wages; whereas the highest producers deserve wealth and quality of
life. 

It seems to me that if employers are not providing a means for workers to
sustain quality of life and personal advancement, they are doing society a
disservice, as they instead rely on perpetuated dependence and poverty to
sustain their own wealth. Think of the money so-called not-for-profits like
Goodwill rake in. These guys claim to be providing support to the needy; but
at the same time, they rely on impoverished employees to sustain their
business model. Rather a vicious cycle if you ask me. Often these
organizations use government funding or charitable giving as well, therefore
the public at large is supporting the wealth of those that institute
sub-standard employment opportunities. At the same time, these employers are
spending money to lobby opposition to the Fair Wages bill the Federation is
supporting. 

Everyone has the ability to compete, but also everyone has the right to a
decent life, especially if they're not choosing to throw away that life.
Sub-minimum wages means poverty, and/or perpetual reliance on government and
families for monetary support. That doesn't sound like a good deal for
anyone, save those that are profiting at the top. We're often taught that
sweatshop labor is a condemnable practice employed by under-developed,
relatively lawless parts of the planet. So, are we going to accept such
conditions as righteous when it comes to the disabled? Remember also that
the NFB is not the only organization fighting to remove sub-minimum wages.
Many other disability organizations are doing the same-standing up for their
own livelihoods.

>From what I know, day care for seniors is a wee different, but I don't know
much about it, beyond that it supposedly provides support to seniors living
at home without family or friends available to provide necessary aid. BESB
does seem to engage in a lot of wasteful or half-hearted practices when it
comes to getting clients gainfully employed or prepped for such employment.
Why was a train from Stratford to New Haven considered unsafe? Blind people
make that trip. We truly need to improve prospective and approach to
enhancing the lives of the blind and other folks with disabilities here and
around the country. Disabled people do want to contribute to society; but
they want to do so in a meaningful way; and they don't want to
simultaneously contribute to poverty and dependency.               

 

 

From: ct-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:ct-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Blindhands at aol.com
Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2012 11:06 AM
To: ct-nfb at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [Ct-nfb] Goodwill Boycott

 

There might be a need for these places.  Such places are available for the
elderly and it is called Daycare for Seniorsor similar names and it is very
pricey for folks to partake in these places.  These so called Work Shops are
many times serve the same purpose.  

 

What upsets me is the fact that BESB considers to encourage their blind
clients to take jobs in these places.  BESB falsely paints these positions
as permanent job places and pays the blind an above minimum wage pay while
they are in training[thru some government work program].     They spent 3
months working out how I could travel from Stratford to New Haven
independently.[after it was decided the train was not a safe option, then
Bpt transit and My Ride was the choice].     I worked for 6 months part time
receiving $11.50 per hour and after the training period I was hired or went
onto Americash pay rates which worked out to be $1.20 per hour.  Since the
bus transportation cost was $12 per day and  I worked 5 hours a day and
spent another average of 4 to 5 hours on a bus or waiting for a bus, I
decided after one week  I could not afford to work there.

 

I could not believe BESB supported such job placement for a blind person.

 

Joyce Kane
www.KraftersKorner.org <http://www.krafterskorner.org/> 
Blindhands at AOL.com 

 

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