To whom is reading this,
Today is the day I have to stand up for my rights... If you have asked why everything happens to me the real answer is unknown. I have though about it and I have an idea, I am a double minority. I am a female and mexican. Well, what happens is that since the age of 15 I been working for a person/store where my salary is horrible, everyone has bad working conditions, I never get paid for overtime and our lunch and breaks have been never respected. We also get paid under the table to prevent our boss to pay more taxes. Many of my coworkers get pay less than what the minimum wage is in the State of California. The answer from my boss from all these violation to our rights is that many of them do not have the legal right to work in the United States. However, that should not be an excuse because the law says that it does not matter the employees legal status, these people still have the right to get paid at least the minimum wage and get full and on time lunch and breaks. I have talk to my boss because I know that what he is doing is not the legal thing to do, his answer to everything is that he doesn't want to make things complicated for him and that he does not make enough money to pay everyone minimum wage and that is too complicated for him to arrange everyone lunch schedule. Still he has seven working people working for him, these people know what their right are and do not do anything. Reason: Unknown. Although I think they are scared of losing their jobs. I did not say anything before because I did not know my rights and later because I needed this job to support myself I was scared of losing it.
Now, I made my point clear to my boss a least I need 30 min of break when I have to work ten hrs a day (what a hell I am thinking right!) Today, he has to talk to me because my coworkers complained about my ability to get a 30 min break out side the store when they can not do that. I thought to myself I have to stand up for my rights and if others do not want to do that I should not let this step over me...
See you later, I have to get ready to go to work!
2 comments:
Ok, i understand your point on a hundred percent (80 something to be more precise) and after reading the whole thing i can say:
If you don't care why would somebody else do it for you?
e.g.
you are worried and fighting for this other persons rights, and they don't seem to care at all because "they have a job" and let me tell you something: as sad as it sounds they will never strand up for nothing because theyre afraid! and in some point they are right but that doesn't mean that they or whoever has to slave him/herself just to get paid a misery! but no matter whatever people say or do for them because they don't care for better work conditions and better salary as long as there is a job.
and in my opinion this persons will know no better than bad salary and very bad work-shifts, just because they only accomplishment in life is to have a job ( Im not saying this is a bad thing, but is not the greatest either, it all depends on the person). The thing that makes you angry or disappointed ( or both) is that people wont fight for their rights, and yes that is something to be angry about but like i said before if people don't care about changing and don't care about themselves, why would you care about them?.
Personally i will recommend you to ALWAYS stand for what you believe on and most important NEVER give up on something you want.
and to whoever is reading this, if you only care about money i just have to say you are messed up, because if you care the most for something so banal as money, you will never be successful in life.
Once i heard a person said: "Don't chase money, chase success and then when you become successful, the money will chase you" ( or something like that, but that's the idea of it) and with this i just can say.
Godspeed
Hello,
You are being too generous and I get it more than likely I will do the same too. Yes, you have stood up for what you believe is right, and IT IS. Now, you have stated you are not able to understand why is it that the other workers do not stand up for themselves. Why would they, right? They have no voice. Your boss side: he is doing best he can given the circumstances. Bull shit!! To that I say. There will be no point in trying to expalain to him the reasons why it is his LEGAL obligation to give these people fair and just treatment. You see in his mind he believes to be 'helping these poor people' and he won't just GET IT! It is because of people like him that 12+million displaced people are not been brought forth into the light. See people that can would without a dobut and hesitation NOT sacrifice their comfortable living for others. Ok, enough bitching. My advice report him to the U.S Department of Labor. Yes, I know you are problably grinching in your chair because this is not the most comfortable situation to be in. IT NEVER IS, but remember Cesar Chavez and others which you have cited in your blog had to make the same choice you are about to make. Stand up for yourself or stand up for yourself AND others like you? Lastly, at the very least the U.S Department of Labor will most likely investigate and not pursue any legal damages since you will making this allegation anonymously (hint).
Best of luck,
Your Big Sis.
p.s
If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it. ~Mary Engelbreit
Here is the link to U.S Department of Labor:
http://www.dol.gov/opa/aboutdol/lawsprog.htm#wageandhour
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