Fair wages for all
Your servant Alex Águilar is very pleased to be back again after a few months’ absence. This time I’m addressing a topic which is a bit controversial, the wages paid to the Hispanic people – hard-working, responsible and above all, full of dreams and aspirations.
I need to point out that in my old country the first thing that comes to mind at the mention of “the United States” is its good economy. Everyone knows this is one of the chief characteristics of this world power, the land of the Yankee. But for us immigrants, is it really the way our countrymen imagined it over the years, where you need a big broom to sweep up all the dollars? Perhaps not quite like that. But still it is true that there are infinite ways to create a good economic existence for oneself or one’s family.
The doors of opportunity are high and wide for anyone who has the will to get ahead. And as I’ve mentioned in earlier columns, there are many keys to opportunity, education being the most powerful. In this life, we can “turn” the key so many different ways. We can grasp it firmly, with honesty, honor and perseverance – I know you know what I’m talking about.
But what happens when we come up against factors that put a halt to, or hinder, our quest for the so-called American dream? We can offer endless examples of such factors: the boss who refuses to acknowledge that a worker is gaining skill; refusal to pay the appropriate wage to someone who does a job well but lacks the requisite credentials; accidents; limited English; and, all too often, immigration status. The list goes on,.
Everything in life is “balanced,” or at least so it seems. Living in a place where the wages are high means quality of life is high too. But unquestionably it is all relative, so the cost of everything is high, too. Rent, tax, gas prices, utilities, etc. And that is why everyone, whether local or foreigner, has the unquestionable right to ask for a fair wage, decent working conditions and a good work environment, all part of healthy community development.
And so, dear readers, in conclusion, I want to say that most of us who emigrate to this country do so confident of improving our quality of life. And the path to this is our honest work. We’re not asking for astronomical salaries. The term is clear, “fair wages” — wages that correspond to our responsibilities. I pray to God that the proposals for increasing the minimum wage get to the appropriate authorities, and that they give them the attention they deserve.
Meanwhile, we will go on faithfully working at our jobs. And please keep in mind that every day, before we turn on the computer, hold a white board marker, pick up a hammer or a spoon – or whatever tool we use in our work – we are always trying to improve our work, hoping to contribute to this country that has taken us in.
