The Working Poor

Paper Summary:

In this paper, the writer discusses how his perceptions of America's working poor were greatly affected by Barbara Ehrenreich's book "Nickel and Dimed". The writer then discusses how Ehrenreich shows the exploitation of working people and the real situation of of millions of lower-income citizens. The writer also describes the unfair situation where those who give the most to America are the most exploited.

From the Paper:

"In some critical respects, my perceptions of blue-collared Americans were reinforced - at least when it came to how they were treated by their employers. For instance, I knew full-well that unscrupulous employers could take advantage of uneducated and trusting working-class men and women, but some of Ehrenreich's anecdotes about her life as a faux waitress in a small Florida community were genuinely startling - even when one is cognizant of the fact that the exploitation of waitresses in the hospitality sector is pervasive and can be especially severe when immigrant waitresses are the targets (American Civil Liberties Union, para.1-8)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• American Civil Liberties Union. "New Jersey Chinese Restaurant Settles Waitress Exploitation Lawsuit brought by ACLU." Women's Rights: Employment. 2 May 2006. American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU Foundation). 8 May 2007 <http://www.aclu.org/womensrights/employ/25392prs20060502.html>
• Ehrenreich, Barbara. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America. New York: Henry Holt & Company, 2001.
• WorldWatch Institute. "Rich-Poor Gap Widening." Online Features: Vital Signs Facts. 12 Nov. 2003. WorldWatch Institute. 9 May 2007 <http://www.worldwatch.org/node/82>

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