Something caught my eye during a recent trip. On the horizon, huge steel and glass obelisks; a city skyline. A few, made totally of glass, caught my attention for another reason; people. Forty stories in the air, window-washers danced on the slanted mirrored surface of this monolith. Enamored, I stared and thought, "what an exciting job!?...like a thrill ride. I'm sure these people are well compensated for their skills and risks." Nope.
According to most internet sources, window washers pull down a hefty $20,000 a year (equaling the poverty level for a family of three). Considering that these jobs predominantly exist in major metropolitan areas, I can only assume that this salary wouldn't pay for rent in the same building. No scaffolding and for no reason. Does someone really need to risk their life for clean windows? Apparently the tenants of this building thought so.
I suppose that in this economy (or any economy for that matter), if there is a demand for a service, there will be a supply; such is the power of the dollar. A corporation will stoop just low enough to allow others to eek out an existence (and gladly do so at that) for the dollar at the end of the stick. It's the capitalistic caste system at work and it is evident right here in my own town in the form of human signs. Have you seen these? People paid to stand on busy street corners holding signs, usually touting "Going out of business" or "Total liquidation, everything must go" on them. Perhaps these places would still be in business if they weren't paying people to hold signs; last time I checked, it didn't cost anything to drive a stake into the ground.
Why are people risking their lives for clean windows? They have to. What is it that drives a wedge between dignity and humanity? The dollar.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment