Today I've decided to change things up a bit and include more personal experiences within this blog. Short snippets of my opinions on various topics of the day. I've realized throughout this blogging experience that I care very much about social issues of our day. I care about those at the bottom of society and I've been personally offended at how these people are constantly demonized. I'm also aware of the political environment now more so than ever because I have seen how laws can either empower people or make them vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Here in Texas the business establishment takes advantage of the lax regulations and lack of employee protections to abuse people and to rip off people. To exploit people. Recently I had an experience with a temporary staffing agency that I am working part time through in addition to my full time job. As with all positions we had to sign a large stack of papers on hire. We were in a group and the Recruiter handed us about two dozen forms and said "hurry, you have 5 minutes". One of the other guys in the room asked "aren't we suppose to read these"? At which she replied "well some people read fast". There was no way we could read 24 pages of information in 5 minutes. Sadly these are the kinds of people, rude, ignorant and indifferent, that I often find working in staffing offices. Five days into working on the assignment I was sent a form that stated that if we were to terminate our employment for "any reason" we would have our pay (on our last check) dropped down to minimum wage. That was a significant drop from what the position paid. Reluctant to sign this form I brought my concerns to the agency representative who informed me my employment was "contingent" on my signing that form. Wth? I was already working by that time. When I made it home I called the the Texas workforce labor law department in Austin, TX (you can also call the office of the ombudsman and they will direct you to the labor office that handles wage disputes) and I spoke to a representative and I asked her could the business actually do that. She transferred me, in a rare move, to a labor law attorney and he advised me that companies cannot retroactively go back and change pay for any reason after the hours have been worked. I was advised by the attorney that in Texas many businesses try to do this hoping the employee won't contest the lower wage, however if it is contested and a wage claim is filed that signed document means nothing and that the business would have to pay the original amount of the contracted hourly wage. In an unusual move the attorney and I spoke at some length and he told me that in Texas many businesses push the boundaries of the law and engage in exploitative acts against employees and that this business environment was simply because Texas was a right to work state and employees had very few protections.
I know that there are ethical and honest businessmen out there, however, it seems to me (and many others as well), that capitalism is not the noble endeavor it once was. Capitalism has morphed into something very exploitative. The businesses are flooding into Texas because the republicans have created an environment in Texas that is very close to a CHINESE "LIKE" SWEATSHOP, full of low wage, desperate, uninsured, vulnerable people who do not have the protections of strong employee rights laws to protect them.
The racism - let me correct myself, the "SYSTEMIC RACISM" is so prevalent in this state. White males are still the most preferred employees. They often have the same qualifications as minorities, however, they have management opportunities presented to them far more often than what equally qualified black employees have offered to us. This has angered me tremendously and has left me disillusioned about the accessibility of the So-called American dream.
The most insidious change in the work environment and in society in general I have seen is a push by those in dominant positions and those of the white/non black races to try and guilt blacks into silence when it comes to pointing out racist behavior by white people. As long as we push for true racial equality there will be those who push against us. Racial equality endangers the racial privilege that many have become accustomed to in our society. The recent unemployment numbers released a few days ago had an insidious message when the numbers were analyzed. The good news was that unemployment had dropped. The troubling news was that blacks of all educational backgrounds were twice as likely as whites to be unemployed and twice as likely as whites to have longer unemployment. Blacks of all educational backgrounds also, according to a CNN analysis, made LESS on average than similarly qualified whites.
Racism angers me. This shit is growing old. America has to get beyond this. Blacks, when we work hard, should have equal access to good jobs and good pay that whites have. Living in the south and often working alongside college educated blacks who were passed over time and time again (along with myself) for promotions and for positions has reinforced to me that the Klan has simply taken off their robes and put on suits.
If America doesn't right this ship (and soon) a permanent underclass will erupt into civil unrest.
I know that there are ethical and honest businessmen out there, however, it seems to me (and many others as well), that capitalism is not the noble endeavor it once was. Capitalism has morphed into something very exploitative. The businesses are flooding into Texas because the republicans have created an environment in Texas that is very close to a CHINESE "LIKE" SWEATSHOP, full of low wage, desperate, uninsured, vulnerable people who do not have the protections of strong employee rights laws to protect them.
The racism - let me correct myself, the "SYSTEMIC RACISM" is so prevalent in this state. White males are still the most preferred employees. They often have the same qualifications as minorities, however, they have management opportunities presented to them far more often than what equally qualified black employees have offered to us. This has angered me tremendously and has left me disillusioned about the accessibility of the So-called American dream.
The most insidious change in the work environment and in society in general I have seen is a push by those in dominant positions and those of the white/non black races to try and guilt blacks into silence when it comes to pointing out racist behavior by white people. As long as we push for true racial equality there will be those who push against us. Racial equality endangers the racial privilege that many have become accustomed to in our society. The recent unemployment numbers released a few days ago had an insidious message when the numbers were analyzed. The good news was that unemployment had dropped. The troubling news was that blacks of all educational backgrounds were twice as likely as whites to be unemployed and twice as likely as whites to have longer unemployment. Blacks of all educational backgrounds also, according to a CNN analysis, made LESS on average than similarly qualified whites.
Racism angers me. This shit is growing old. America has to get beyond this. Blacks, when we work hard, should have equal access to good jobs and good pay that whites have. Living in the south and often working alongside college educated blacks who were passed over time and time again (along with myself) for promotions and for positions has reinforced to me that the Klan has simply taken off their robes and put on suits.
If America doesn't right this ship (and soon) a permanent underclass will erupt into civil unrest.
