[nabs-l] Goodwill Boycott

Wed Jun 13 20:37:25 UTC 2012

good point. Its hard to put a value on work. Some people may be able to 
handle only factory work.
I also wondered just who is exempt from minimum wage standards. I know 
certain jobs are under FLSA, fair labor standards Act.
But don't know which ones. Not all disabled employees in factory jobs fall 
within sub minimum wage. So just who is exempt and why is a good question.

Maybe I'll research that.

-----Original Message----- 
From: Wasif, Zunaira
Sent: Wednesday, June 13, 2012 2:46 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Goodwill Boycott

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.

-----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
>
> “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: 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
>
> “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
>
>
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