some of my thoughts on HB 3086

Joan and All,

Your observation raises the question, would these employees be better off if they earned the wage minimum and only worked 4 hours per week? 

I have a friend who is 58 years old.  He has Down's Syndrome and is non verbal.  But he loves going to work.  He lives with his parents and his sister and brother-in-law, so he has a good support network.  But he becomes restless and grumpy if all he has to do is sit around watching TV or listening to CD's.  When we first met him, he was working at least 6 hours every day.  But over the years funding has dwindled and he went to 4 hour days, then to three day weeks and currently he goes out twice a week for 2 hours a day.  If he were paid wage minimum he would go out zero hours a week.  How does that give him dignity and independence?  Is the answer forcing wage minimum down everyone's throat?  Or is the answer a tougher one.  One plan is not going to fit all disabled people.  Just because curb cuts and wheel chairs serve a large percentage of the disability population does not mean that blind people will benefit.  Nor will providing the latest technology help the severely mentally disabled people to compete in this Capitalist System we all live together in.  In fact, the Capitalist System does not meet all of our needs.  We need...must have diversity in how we solve these issues, and stop trying to shove everything into one Grand Plan.  That's the lazy way, not the smart way. 

 

Carl Jarvis

----- Original Message -----

From: Joan Ladeburg

To: Carl Jarvis

Sent: Saturday, October 08, 2011 8:51 PM

Subject: Re: [Wcb-l] some of my thoughts on HB 3086

We have some employees who are blind with developmental  disabilities at the Lighthouse.    They are a part of  the Lighthouse suportive employment program. 

Until September they were working Monday through Friday for 6 hours, but with the budget cuts, they're taking Fridays off now. 

from joan Ladeburg

----- Original Message -----

From: Carl Jarvis

To: wcb

Sent: Saturday, October 08, 2011 10:09 AM

Subject: [Wcb-l] some of my thoughts on HB 3086

Marlaina got it right.  I wonder if we are trying to fix a very complex problem with one broad swipe of the brush. 

Here's the deal.  We exist in a Capitalist System.  We are not going to change how our nation does business.  I know, some folks tell me that we can level the playing field if we work at it.  Personally I'd like to level the fellow who came up with that term.  I know this, if it's my playing field, you are not going to change it unless I gain, too. 

Now on the one hand we have a system that measures its bottom line in profit. 

On the other hand we have a very large number of people we are demanding to be paid at least minimum wage for their labor. 

Rather than phasing out special wage certificates under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 under which individuals with disabilities may be employed at subminimum wage rates, thus threatening the jobs of thousands of disabled Americans, why not establish a national board to determine which businesses are seriously working to improve the lives of the disabled, and which businesses are using them to improve their bottom line. 

Then provide Federal funding to those businesses who meet the criteria.  These grants would be used strictly to improve the income of the employees(not the Administration). 

And before anyone gets all puffy over my suggestion that the Federal Government subsidize these businesses, let me remind you that our tax dollars are already underwriting the entire Military, Industrial Complex.  We tax payers even underwrite silly stuff.  Like baseball and football fields. 

Isn't one of the functions of a government to protect and sustain their most vulnerable citizens? 

The Great Prophet Jesus once said, "Even as you have done this to the least of these, so you have done it to me". 

So let's get the cart back behind the horse and pay folks at least the wage minimum and then we can begin to sort out how to make the new system work efficiently. 

 

Carl Jarvis

*************
Too long have the workers of the world waited for some Moses to lead them out of bondage. I would not lead you out if I could; for if you could be led out, you could be led back again. I would have you make up your minds there is nothing that you cannot do for yourselves. --Eugene Victor Debs
1855-1926

 

"I am opposing a social order in which it is possible for one man who does absolutely nothing that is useful to amass a fortune of hundreds of millions of dollars, while millions of men and women who work all the days of their lives secure barely enough for a wretched existence."
Eugene Victor Debs 

 

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