[nabs-l] Goodwill Boycott

Wed Jun 13 18:46:50 UTC 2012

Someone made the point earlier that certain jobs are exempt from the =
minimum wage standard.  I wonder why those jobs are exempt.  I see what =
you are saying Ashley in regards to some employees not being able to =
work competitively.  I guess the solution may lie in classifying jobs =
according to whether or not they fall with in the exempt category.  That =
is a slippery slope however.  I would rather air on the side of caution =
and just say that all jobs are valuable and no job should be exempt from =
the minimum wage standard.    An employee that can't work competitively =
in a customer service job should not be hired doing customer service.  =
They definitely shouldn't be hired in that capacity and paid less than =
their peers.    If that person's aptitudes are better suited to factory =
work then they should do that and should be paid at least minimum wage.  =
Even piece work should be treated as valuable competitive employment in =
my opinion and should not be exempt from the minimum wage standard.   =20

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On =
Behalf Of Ashley Bramlett
Sent: Wednesday, June 13, 2012 1:24 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Goodwill Boycott

Zunaira,
Oh, saying they shouldn't be hired sounds a bit harsh. Workshops and =
similar settings do serve a valuable purpose since they produce products =
for the government and military. I don't think disabled people should =
have to work there, but it should be an option for them. Its doing =
something and they get out of the house. I mean, its more productive =
than say sitting at home or going to an adult day care center.

Some people cannot work competetively, and that is okay. You do what you =
can. I've seen people with lots of limitations in school and around the =
area. Some of them are in wheelchairs with speech problems from cerebral =
pulsy. Others are autistic and cannot talk or talk limitedly. Others  =
just have cognitive delays that prevent their brain from processing =
input including speech in a regular speed.
It takes a lot to work competetively, not only making accomodations to =
access text material, but also you have to have some social skills, =
dress professionally, and yes keep up with deadlines. If one area is =
lacking, it could cause problems working and holding a competetive job.

I believe in integrated settings when possible. I don't think a blind =
person need work at Good will.
But I'm sure other disabled people need or want that setting. As for the =
wage thing, I have mixed feelings. I do see the discrimination side, but =
on the other hand, why pay them a regular wage when they are not =
performing a competetive job and as I said before, many of them have =
guardians that handle their money anyway since they cannot do it =
themselves.
Ashley

-----Original Message-----
From: Wasif, Zunaira
Sent: Wednesday, June 13, 2012 12:57 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Goodwill Boycott

Ashley-
I see where you are coming from.  If someone can't work competitively =
then why should they be paid competitively?  The answer is that if they =
can't work competitively, they shouldn't be hired.  The truth is that =
many people can work competitively and employers need to realize that.

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On =
Behalf Of Brian Hatgelakas
Sent: Sunday, June 10, 2012 10:34 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Goodwill Boycott

Please email me the press release about Goodwill to =
brian.hatgelakas at verizon.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, June 10, 2012 3:55 PM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Goodwill Boycott

> Hi all,
> Brandon makes a good point. I believe media coverage and exposing the
> fact that good will pays sub minimum wage will help more than a =
boycott.
> Like Brandon, I have not shopped at Good will either nor do I plan to.
>
> Also, I don't understand why we picked on Good will when other large
> nonprofits do it.
> Second, we do not generally speak for all people with disabilities;
> most press releases say "largest consumer organization of the blind"
> or something like it, not people with disabilities.
> Our focus is usually on blind people.
> Third, I don't believe all Good will locations pay sub minimum wage.
> Where is the evidence?
> I noticed the press release gave no facts, just called for a boycott.
>
> Finally, if they do adopt minimum wage, this doesn't make sub minimum
> wage go away.
> I question why all people with disabilities should be paid minimum =
wage.
> Should people who are very cognitively delayed who have no expenses
> and are cared for in group homes be paid minimum wage? Something to
> think about.
> Should they be paid that much when they cannot see the paycheck and
> handle it like adults? No, they should not be paid $1, but I wonder if
> they really need minimum wage for work that is not comperable to that
> of other workers.
>
> I have mixed feelings on this issue. Some of you say you are surprised
> we still have sub minimum wage for disabled workers. Well, I have news
> for you.
> There are jobs exempt from minimum wage standards. Farm workers, even
> the legal workers, are one example. Read some books, and you'll see
> the exemptions and loopholes.
>
> Ashley
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sophie Trist
> Sent: Sunday, June 10, 2012 12:19 AM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Goodwill Boycott
>
> Brandon, I see what you mean at people shopping at Goodwill. But I
> have sold old clothes and stuff to Goodwill as well. I think they mean
> a boycott in the buying and selling senses.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Brandon Keith Biggs" <brandonkeithbiggs at gmail.com
> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> Date sent: Sat, 9 Jun 2012 19:42:01 -0700
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Goodwill Boycott
>
> Hello,
> I have not shopped at good will in many years. I don't know very many
> people who shop at Good Will, so I'm not sure if a Boycott alone will
> do the trick.
> Maybe if everyone contacted their newspapers and TV stations telling
> them of the boycott and why there is a boycott. Many people find that
> working without minimum wage is insane. But just to hammer the point
> home, point out that this under minimum wage is a way for the United
> States to keep a handhold on under minimum wage so there is some way
> for under minimum wage to be instituted back in for everyone else. The
> precedent is there, so everyone needs to overturn this law so no one
> anywhere in the United States can ever be paid under minimum wage
> again.
> Thanks,
>
> Brandon Keith Biggs
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Humberto Avila
> Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2012 7:10 PM
> To: 'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Goodwill Boycott
>
> Hello, I agree with this as well. I hope that by doing the boycott to
> this company, in the national / universal spectrum, we are able to put
> pressure on employers, and on other companies and corporations, as
> well as organizations who pay subminimum wages. We could eventually
> end up spreading the word of stopping companies to pay subminimum
> wages and they could even see that people with disabilities and
> including blind people are capable of being paid like the sighted
> population. If potential employers see this change happening, those
> employers will have a light bulb lit up, and will be able to see that
> blind people are competent, then will hire them. Then we can make more
> change. I see this happening, from my personal opinion. Let's hope
> that the NFB does this.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Sophie Trist
> Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2012 6:57 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Goodwill Boycott
>
> Justin,
>
> I agree with the points you've made. If Goodwill was boycotted
> universally, it would put more pressure on them to pay their disabled
> workers fair wages. Plus, if Goodwill developed a centralized wage
> policy and gave their workers fair wages, other corporations might
> follow their lead.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Justin Salisbury <PRESIDENT at alumni.ecu.edu
> To: "nabs-l at nfbnet.org" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org Date sent: Sat, 9 Jun 2012
> 23:19:15 +0000
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Goodwill Boycott
>
> One more note: I think that local business decision-makers within
> Goodwill Industries would be educated/led to philosophical change
> simply by the fact that the corporate leaders of Goodwill Industries
> adopted a universal fair wage policy (if they did), so that would help
> with the education, too.
>
> Justin M. Salisbury
> Class of 2012
> B.A. in Mathematics
> East Carolina University
> president at alumni.ecu.edu
>
> =93Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens =
can
> change the world; indeed, it=92s the only thing that ever has.?
> =97MARGARET MEAD
> ________________________________________
> From: Justin Salisbury
> Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2012 7:13 PM
> To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> Subject: Goodwill Boycott
>
> Arielle, Gabe, and all:
>
> I like the point that you've made about the decentralized wage
> policies and rewarding good locations, but do you think that perhaps a
> benefit to boycotting universally would be a possibility that Goodwill
> Industries would create a centralized
> (universal) policy that all locations must pay their workers fair
> wages?
>
> I feel like the end result that we want is for Goodwill Industries to
> adopt a universal standard of paying all workers fair wages, and the
> approach that you all have mentioned seems to me to address the
> decisions in individual locations.  I do understand the point of
> leading local business leaders to undergo philosophical change and
> choose to pay their workers fair wages, but which item is the top
> priority: education of individuals or
> achievement of fair wages?   That's not a rhetorical question; I
> want to hear opinions on it.
>
> Justin
>
> Justin M. Salisbury
> Class of 2012
> B.A. in Mathematics
> East Carolina University
> president at alumni.ecu.edu
>
> =93Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens =
can
> change the world; indeed, it=92s the only thing that ever has.?
> =97MARGARET MEAD
>
>
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