[Ncabs] From the NABS President - Goodwill Boycott

Cynthia Bennett clb5590 at gmail.com
Wed Jun 13 03:21:26 UTC 2012


I think this is a great message. But I want to say that it may seem
intimidating to admit dissent or that you do not know enough
information about something. I will be honest in saying that until I
understood the law and the information surrounding the issue, I wasn't
sure where I stood. I knew that all I had heard was how wonderful
these sheltered workshops were for disabled people, so I was inclined
to go with that argument initially. So I just want to make sure that
everyone knows that it is safe to question things. I do not think that
you should take a stance without looking for information, and I also
do not think that you should take a negative stance against the NFB
because in the past you have deemed us pretty radical. I think that
there are many misconceptions about many organizations. I think that
while some people who claim membership in the NFB can act bitter and
"overconfident," it is important to know that we are all at different
states in our quest for interdependence. You may think that someone is
crazy for insisting to do something independently that you wouldn't do
yourself. But maybe they have the training to do it. Maybe they want
to do it, and it really isn't your business. Or maybe, it will be a
learning experience in which they will realize that accepting help
really is the most efficient way. I say this to say that I have
noticed a lot of opposition with NFB legislative stances among NCABS
members since I began my leadership in 2007. It is acceptable to have
your own opinion, but I would encourage you to take the time to learn
more information about issues at hand before immediately opposing
something just because of some reservations you may have about the
organization as a hole. And, you don't have to agree with everything
or participate in every event to be an active, vibrant, and effective
member.

So, to get back to the issue at hand, I understand that many people
may not have had as many experiences in the organization as I. I am
happy to speak with anyone about any philosophical or legislative
stance the NFB has, and I would be happy to talk to you about it
individually, off list if you feel that publicly admitting your
concern or lack of understanding feels unsafe to you. I know what it's
like to be in the midst of a philosophy discussion with longtime
federationists and to feel afraid to voice opposition or a lack of
understanding. It is natural to be more reserved when you feel like
you are the only one.

That being said, I think it is important that those of us who have had
a lot of experience at NFB events, and who are passionate about the
cause not get so caught up in it that we forget that we need to
provide valid information to back up our arguments. And I think we
also need to remember to not judge others and to be willing to explain
things from the beginning, because these issues are very new to some
of us.

I think we have provided a lot of good, valid information surrounding
the subminimum wages legislation, and we can always further explain
things or point you towards more information if that would be helpful
for you.

Cindy


On 6/12/12, Justin Salisbury <PRESIDENT at alumni.ecu.edu> wrote:
> The following message was posted by Sean Whalen, President of the National
> Association of Blind Students, on the NABS email listserv:
>
> Good afternoon,
>
> One of the primary purposes of the boycott is to garner media attention for
> the minimum wage issue. The boycott effort and PR/media efforts are
> complementary rather than mutually exclusive.
>
> We "pick on" Good Will because they are one of, if not the, largest and
> most
> visible nonprofits who take advantage of the current law to pay workers
> with
> disabilities subminimum wages. When you're the biggest fish in the pond
> you're going to get noticed and your actions will be scrutinized by people
> in and out of your field. That's just the way it goes.
>
> Most of these workshops do the vast majority of their business with the
> federal government, providing goods and services through non-competitive
> set-aside contracts. These goods and services are frequently provided at
> costs that exceed their fair market value. Obviously Good Will has their
> hands in other activities as well, but the point stands. If taxpayers are
> being asked to subsidize nonprofits to create employment opportunities for
> blind or otherwise disabled individuals, and we all, in effect, subsidize
> the very good, and sometimes exorbitant, salaries of the management of
> these
> non-profits, why is it a bad idea to subsidize the wages of disabled
> individuals, even those who may not be able to produce output justifying
> the
> minimum wage in the market?
>
> I think that the number of disabled folks in these workshops who are
> incapable of truly earning the minimum wage is much lower than most people
> assume. And, again, if there is somebody whose level of output truly only
> justifies $1.50 per hour, I am happy to subsidize the wage to give them the
> dignity of equal treatment under the law.
>
> I myself worked for a time in a shop and was paid less than $4 per hour.
> I'm
> worth more than that. I saw others in the very same boat. The law is
> discriminatory, and the system is corrupt and fails to achieve its stated
> goals. Not only should the minimum wage apply, but organizations wishing to
> receive preferential treatment in government contracting should have to
> fill
> a stated percentage of their managerial positions with folks with
> disabilities and offer true training and upward mobility. As it stands now,
> there is no real opportunity in the vast majority of these workshops.
>
> While it is true that, generally speaking, the NFB only speaks for the
> blind, on this issue we have over 40 different disabilities rights
> organizations standing shoulder to shoulder with us saying that it is
> reprehensible that we, today in the United States of America, have a law on
> the books that codifies the inferiority and lesser ability of those with
> disabilities. We, and they, are completely correct. The boycott of Good
> Will
> is but one piece of the larger effort. It is incumbent upon each of us to
> keep pressure on our Members of Congress to change the law. Will it cost
> Good Will and other non-profits more money to pay all their workers minimum
> wage? Yes, it will. Is the tiny increase in cost realistically going to
> lead
> to the loss of job opportunities as many of the workshops claim? I can't
> see
> how it would. In fact, it won't. And the argument is disingenuous and,
> frankly, pretty disgusting. Say a shop worker currently makes $1.50 an
> hour.
> Say the law is changed and minimum wage now applies. Say the employee is
> now
> paid $7.50 an hour. That's an extra $6 an hour, an extra $240 a week, and
> $12,480 a year. Say Good Will has 100 employees of whom this is the case
> (in
> reality there are fewer). This would represent an annual cost increase of
> $1,248,000 to Good Will. That's a lot of money to you or me, but a pittance
> to this giant non-profit. The same can be said of smaller shops, just on a
> smaller scale. The argument that all the poor unemployable disabled folks
> will be sent home jobless if the law is changed is bogus and cynical. As I
> said before, the majority of these shops get the majority of their business
> through non-competitive contracts with the government, so the additional
> labor cost would be built right into the price the government pays. And, as
> I also said, I am happy to have my tax dollars go to affirm the dignity,
> value and legal equality of all individuals rather than to support the 70,
> 80, 100k salaries of the management types at these shops who somehow sleep
> at night under the illusion, or maybe delusion, that they are doing
> something positive for people with disabilities. It's wrong, it's
> disgusting, and, yes, it hits a raw nerve with me because I've lived it. If
> there is a minimum wage it should apply to everybody in the employment
> market, full stop.
>
> Sean
>
>
>
> 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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-- 
Cynthia Bennett
B.A. Psychology, UNC Wilmington

clb5590 at gmail.com
828.989.5383




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