All articles tagged with #low wages
Despite increasing demand for long-term care due to an aging population, providers are struggling to find workers due to low wages, high turnover, and insufficient Medicaid reimbursement rates. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these issues, leading to severe staff shortages and overworked remaining employees. Efforts to improve wages and recruitment are ongoing, but the industry faces significant challenges in meeting future demand.
Data workers and civil society groups have called on Congress to protect their rights and prevent a "dystopian future" of surveillance and low wages in the field of AI. In a letter addressed to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the workers emphasized the critical contributions they make to advancements in AI and urged Congress to develop economic policies and labor rights to prevent worker exploitation. The letter was sent ahead of Schumer's bipartisan AI Insight Forum, where tech leaders and lawmakers are discussing AI regulation. Advocates, including NAACP and AFL-CIO representatives, are expected to attend the meeting. The letter also highlighted the need to protect workers like those at Amazon Mechanical Turk from predatory surveillance and management systems and to ensure their right to collective bargaining.
Schools across the United States are facing a severe shortage of substitute teachers, which is directly connected to the broader teacher shortage. Budget constraints and reluctance to pay subs a living wage contribute to the problem. Many substitute teachers are paid a fraction of what full-time teachers make, leading some to reconsider their careers. Lack of support and access to basic resources, such as keys to classrooms and parking spots, further exacerbate the issue. Substitutes often lack health benefits and sick days, and they are not always informed if they are filling in for a teacher who is out with COVID-19. Professionalizing substitute teaching and offering better compensation and benefits could help alleviate the shortage.
Bling Empire star Kevin Kreider has revealed that he was paid less than a UPS driver while filming for three seasons of the hit Netflix reality show. Despite appearing alongside shockingly wealthy cast members, Kreider's low wages have left him unable to afford a car and stuck in the cycle of property rental in Los Angeles. He expressed frustration at the lack of fair pay in the reality TV industry and the perception that reality stars tarnish the craft of acting. Kreider also believes that white privilege played a role in the cancellation of Bling Empire, as other shows with lower ratings were given another chance.
Cafeteria workers at the World Bank are struggling to make ends meet due to low wages, according to their union. The workers, who are represented by UNITE HERE Local 23, have been negotiating for better pay and benefits for over a year. The union claims that many workers are forced to work multiple jobs to make ends meet and that some have even been homeless.
Dollar General, a successful retailer with over 18,000 stores, has been fined $15 million by OSHA for numerous workplace safety violations related to understaffing and unsafe conditions. The company's workforce is largely underpaid, with 92% earning less than $15 an hour and 57% making less than $12 an hour. Dollar General has also been accused of wage theft and misclassifying workers to avoid paying overtime. Despite the fines, the company continues to prioritize stock buybacks and executive pay over worker wages and safety.
Many public school workers in Los Angeles went on strike for three days this week to protest against unfair labor practices and the inability to live decently in the city due to the exorbitant cost of housing. The average yearly wage of the workers is $25,000, while the median rent for a newly listed one-bedroom apartment in L.A. County is $1,619 per month. The union is aiming to raise the average yearly wage of its workers to $36,000, a 30% raise plus an additional $2 an hour for the lowest paid. The district has recognized the workers' struggles and has completed three affordable housing projects, but each one has a waitlist with more than 100 people.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass expresses disappointment over the LAUSD strike and hopes for a quick resolution. Tens of thousands of workers have walked off the job, closing schools for over 400,000 students in the second largest school district in the country. The strike is scheduled to last three days and labor talks have been at a standstill. The city of Los Angeles is providing resources for families, including grab-and-go meals at recreation centers, free admission to the LA Zoo for K-12 students, and open public libraries with hands-on activities.
The Service Employees International Union Local 99, which represents 30,000 LAUSD employees including bus drivers, custodians, and food service workers, is preparing for a three-day strike on Tuesday in their drive for higher wages. The union is pushing for a 30% pay hike plus an additional $2 per hour for the lowest paid workers. The closures caught parents by surprise, sending them scrambling to find daycare or take time off work. Teachers are sending home packets of schoolwork and computers. The school district and community organizations are throwing together plans to feed tens of thousands of children who rely on schools for most of their meals during the week.