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 Nickel and Dimed 
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What did you all think about Nickel and Dimed? Were you surprised that the author had such a hard time making it on minimum wage? I was astonished that she would be treated so badly by her managers and supervisors. I have been very fortunate and have never had to work for minimim wage. Have any of you had experiences like this before?

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Deborah Hess


Wed Mar 01, 2006 3:30 pm
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Deborah, I was very lucky too and have never done that. However, in college a couple of my friends (who did have scholarships) did work study as well so their education wouldn't burden their families. The one I am thinking of worked at the food court serving and running the cash register. People did look down on this person and treated him or her as if he or she was invisible. The worst part was, this person hated to see people that he or she knew while at work. To me, the only people who should have been embarrassed were the people who treated my friend as an inferior. We were all at App for the same reason!


Wed Mar 01, 2006 6:35 pm
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Deborah,

I have worked like this. Back in 1992, I left Mexico City and came to Ashe County. I wanted to get a job to make enough money so that I could spend the rest of my time spinning, knitting, and designing sweaters and other knit items. I had a hard time finding work but eventually landed a job at an ornamental tree propagation nursery. The owner couldn't pay me alot so we settled on me being paid "under the table." I was paid $5.00/hour. The work was back-breaking. I filled pots with soil mix, planted trees, moved pots around, loaded, and unloaded trees. The owner pushed so that she could get her money's worth out of me. Rarely a kind word. Easy to criticize, but hardley a word of praise. I was having trouble making it so had to take a job at Zaloo's Canoes on the week-ends. I worked two jobs - about 70 hours per week. Both jobs were seasonal. But I thought it would be okay - I'd save up enough money and then be able to design, knit, and spin during the winter.

Well, the nursery job had unexpected side effects. With handling so many pots and gripping tools, I started developing carpal tunnel syndrome. I couldn't close my hands (a necessity for a knitter!) In the middle of the night, I would wake up with cramps and spasms in my hands. But I needed the job, so I bit my tongue and took motrin.

When tax season came around, the owner of the nursery told me that her accountant had advised her to declare me on her taxes so she could write me off as an expense. I was given a 1099 (not a W-2) because she had reported me as "contract labor." As a supposed "independent contractor," I now had to report my earnings to the IRS and not only pay my share of social security and medicare, but also the employer's share. I confronted the owner about this and told her she was not only morally but also legally responsible for paying her share of the taxes since I was technically not contract labor. She grudgingly paid her percentage at my insistence. However, my $5.00 an hour job became a $4.50 an hour job after I paid my share of taxes. All that work. I don't think I've ever been so angry in all my life.

I feel for minimum wage workers. The work is thankless, endless, and grueling. Many of the hispanic families work in wreaths to earn extra money and I'll never forget one mother telling me after working for weeks making wreaths, "My hands hurt so much. I told my huband that I wish I could cut them off and hang them up right before I go to bed so that I could get a good night's sleep, then put them back on when I wake up in the morning." I knew exactly what she meant. The big difference is that I had a college education and could get out of the minimum wage rat race - she couldn't and still can't.

Thanks for hearing me out!

Cindy

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Cindy Fowler

"Read it and weep!"


Thu Mar 02, 2006 11:59 am
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:x Wow Cindy, your post makes me angry too!! I am glad you stuck up for yourself. This book and your post made me think of my mom and how I grew up. My mom worked at a factory to try to raise two girls on her own. Because she had to pay for a house and raise us, she worked and never complained although the job was very repetitive and hard. She always raised a garden to make sure we had plenty to eat. I remember well going to the grocery store with her and operating the calculator for her so that we would not spend over the $25.oo limit she had set for the three of us for a weeks worth of groceries. We didn't have chips and sodas and convenience foods but we always had lots of fresh vegetables and delicious home cooked meals. I am glad I grew up that way, although I am sad that mom had to go through all the suffering and pain she has had with her hands and fingers. She kept working when I went to college on scholarship and financial aid so she could give me a few extra spending dollars and gas money. Then she kept working at the same job still not making all that much more than when she had started to keep up her insurance and set aside money for her only grandson-Tanner! If you can believe it, my mom is still working at Leviton after 35 years and is still only making around 10-12 dollars an hour. 35 years and only that little. Hopefully this is her last year and will retire this fall. She got remarried about 10 years ago and worked up until now to help pay for health insurance. Mom's fingers are all knarled (sp?) and crooked and are very painful. She came home many a day with her fingers bleeding and sore. After I read this book, I sent my mom a card thanking her for all the sacrifices she made for me and my sister all these years. Growing up this way has really made me empathize with the families I work with.

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Teresa Goodman

ALL STUDENTS DESERVE THE CREAM!


Thu Mar 02, 2006 12:56 pm
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While reading this book, and these posts I can reflect on my own experiences. I got married after my first year of college. Luckily, both of our parents continued to pay our tuition. However, we both worked minimum wage jobs in department stores. We had a small apartment and the usual utilities. We worked AT LEAST 40 hours per week while also taking at least 15 (usually 18) credit hours.

To make a long story short, we really struggled. There were weeks on end that we would eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches because that was all we could afford.

I have worked minimum wage jobs since I could legally work. I hated every job that I had, and when reading "Nickeled and Dimed" I could relate to the attitudes of the management. I feel so fortunate that I am now out of that life. Those were the hardest days and hours to work. I know that it has left such an impression that I will never forget them.

Oh, as a side note: I have chronic back pain. This is attributed to working 12 hour shifts (for 4-5 days in a row) wearing the "required" clothing and shoes (usually dress shoes). I still hobble and have lots of trouble thanks to those jobs!

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Jamie Little


Thu Mar 02, 2006 3:38 pm
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I've had several minimum wage jobs over the years. Once I had finished high school and college most of them were part time jobs to supplement my single mom income. In my teens (13 - 19) I worked in the bean field - 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM - long hot hours. However, I was able to buy clothes and purchase supplies for school. In my 30s I worked parttime in a greenhouse - again long hot days on Saturdays and most evening during the week in the spring of the year. The owners were very nice people and were always complimentary and respectful. Later I worked for the same people making roping and wreaths. I was thankful for the opportuity to earn money, but the money did not seem to amount to a great deal. In my 40s I worked at a drugstore parttime evenings after school and on weekends. While working there, the store changed managers 3 times. Two of them were fantastic - very supportive and appreciative; however one on them seem to enjoy reminding his employees that he had authority and would occasionally belittle one of us. He knew we needed the work, so we weren't likely to quit. He also knew that if we quit someone else badly in need of a way to earn money would come along to take our place. In addition to the one manager to deal with, there were customers who were rude and demanding. A customer once called me a "Peon." Needless to say, I was not a happy camper.
Bendy

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Bendy Pennington


Thu Mar 02, 2006 10:56 pm
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