There is a Chinese saying that roughly translates to "wealth begets wealth," illustrating a common sentiment across entire cultures that having capital under your control is the fastest, easiest way to more money. The problem with the income gap is what it holds for the future of the economy; the best way to grow your wealth is through proper investments, only the wealthy can afford to invest, and so only the wealthy can afford to get wealthier. Getting by from payment to payment obviously leaves no room for investment or savings, but even higher up the financial ladder, gains are not as pronounced as investments grow exponentially with time magnifying small gaps into massive margins. Minimum wage, if even enough to survive, is certainly not enough to move up the ladder and at best holds people at the edge of a precipice in a constant game of catch-up.
Reading this, I can't help but viscerally feel the stark contrast between Maria's life and my own. She couldn't pay for vocational school, so she had to work 3 jobs and forgo sleep just to survive with minimum wage. Meanwhile, I'll most likely be going to a top university next year, almost guaranteed a relatively high paying job in just about any discipline. On an economic level, this raises concerns about under-utilization of resources; surely, Maria's unique skillset and diligence could have been better used had she had the resources to do that. On an ethical level, it's a compelling argument for doing something about increasing living standards for the working class, even if it means placing higher artificial price ceilings on labor.
This is a really sad case about Ms. Fernandes but sadly happens regularly. Because people have to work so many hours at different jobs at strange hours to make enough money to live they cut back on important things to surviving like rent. It was not safe for her or anyone to sleep in a running car but for some people its the only option that they have. The minimum wage is not enough we need a living wage. -Thomas F
I honestly can’t believe that this happened. It’s so weird because we are not accustomed to this. The most interesting line in this article to me was that “she dreamed of working two jobs, not three.” I think this line is so powerful because in the environment we live in today, this is not the norm. I can’t imagine having to work and handle three different jobs when I grow older in order to just get buy. It shows that as a country we are doing something wrong. She clearly could not get by on just minimum wage. She could barely get by on three minimum wage jobs. Clearly the standard of living has become more expensive over the years and the minimum wage should reflect this.
Damn. This article reminded me of the research book, Nickel and Dimed. The book is about a well-to-do writer who goes undercover as a minimum wage worker to determine if minimum wage is truly enough to survive on. Her cumulative research showed that minimum wage is, in fact, not even close to subsist on. The sacrifices that people like Ms. Fernandes make go unnoticed so much of the time, and it is really sad to think about all the people out there who are suffering to get by despite having one, two, or even three minimum wage paying jobs. I think this article really brings into light the issue that our extant minimum wage is simply not enough. Coming from a highly privileged background, I'm not going to even pretend that I understand the extent to which people like her have to suffer every day due to low income. However, as a citizen, I can at least convey my disgust over how severely people like Ms. Fernandes have to suffer. I know this may sound naive, but I really wish I could just wire money from the richest 1% to those who truly need it. It's not like the 1% would be severely impacted, anyways.
I do not really know what the minimum wage is in terms of a yearly income but if this woman has to work 3 jobs to support her family, maybe it should be increased. The problem is that this increase in price can cause the demand of these unskilled workers to drop drastically and even take away competition in the work force. I think that we must raise the minimum wage to keep up with inflation in the past years. -WP PERIOD 9
Doesn't this article make you wonder how many more "Maria's" are out there in this country? She worked hard and tried to get ahead, but things always seemed to go wrong. Living in New Jersey and earning a wage less than $8.50 per hour made it almost impossible to survive. According to the people who knew her, Maria was just an average person who was trying to live a good and happy life. I think it is so sad that she often took short naps in her car so that she could do more than one shift a day to earn more money. This is what eventually killed her. Because Maria did not have a college education or additional training her job opportunities were limited. She was part of the working poor in this country- who make too much for assistance, but not enough to live comfortably without fear of of falling behind. They are one paycheck ahead of disaster. - MB
Even though her situation with 3 jobs was very difficult, there is little correlation between an accidental gas can spill in a car and her difficult job schedule. I do not see how the author of this article was able to link these two events like they were connected. On the other hand, minimum wage jobs are not meant to sustain a healthy independent lifestyle. Adults that are looking to support families will have a very difficult time under the pay of minimum wage as shown in this article.
I don't know how anyone would be able to handle three minimum wage jobs at the same time. It seems that she never had enough time to just live her life. She was just thinking about how to survive. I think that it is kind of messed up that minimum wage is so low. However, I don't really know how to deal with that problem. Rasing it might help some people live more comfortable, but it might also hurt people in simiular situations. AA PER9
This article highlights the strife many people have in order to enjoy the simple amenities people like me take for granted. Ms. Fernandez was not an extreme case. She was not a rebel who didn’t care about when she was a child, she was not a delinquent. She didn’t have the capabilities of pursuing a better life, never able to go to Cosmetology school. This article exemplifies the vicious cycle that is currently going on; the cycle in which the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor. The American Dream will only be a dream for those who start with little. The term “minimum wage” is a misnomer. Minimum wage implies the least amount of money needed in order to experience “livable” conditions. However, what Ms. Fernandez was going through was not livable. What Barbara Ehrenreich, from Nickel and Dimed, experienced was not livable. What thousands, if not millions of people experience within the United States is not livable. Businesses, Politicians, and the government as a whole have the responsibility of caring for their people. Working three jobs is not a manageable life style. Living in a car is not supposed to be common. Minimum wage is not supposed to be so low.-TB Period 9 AP economics
It was really sad reading this article because there are probably thousands, maybe millions, out there trying to survive off of minimum wage just like Ms.Fernandez. After reading of Nickel and Dimed and watching 30 Days, I've learned that it's pretty much impossible to live off minimum wage even if working 3 jobs. Personally I think we should increase the minimum wage because then more people will not be in poverty and these people can spend more money which will essentially be spread throughout the economy. It also means since people will be earning more money, less money will be needed to spend on social programs because some people will be able to support themselves. I just read an article which stated that America would save $7.6 billion a year if we were to raise minimum wage to $10.10. (Here's the link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/16/minimum-wage-public-assis_n_5992458.html) Also, countries like Australia, Luxembourg, New Zealand, and Ireland are ranked as the top riches countries in the world, and they all pay over $10 minimum wages. Which proves that raising minimum wage may not ruin a country's economy, but it may have the potential to stimulate it.
I feel like no matter how much minimum wage rises, it never manages to keep up with the expenses of standard living today. Millions of Americans are still struggling to scrape by and are working 2-3 jobs just to support themselves- let alone a family. However, I really don't know how to go about tackling this problem, for again, just raising prices isn't the solution. Also, more and more people are having to resort to such jobs due to the sudden shift in the economy. Even many educated people can't find jobs, and it's because everything is electronic and technology driven these days. Therefore, the number of people who have to resort to minimum wage jobs is increasing despite their being jobs. Most of those jobs require extremely educated people and jobs that used to be available for people after high school are starting to diminish.- Maisha Savani Pd.8
First of all, it's clear that she didn't take AP economics. According to the article, she always left her car running, even when taking naps, which obviously cost her money that she could have saved. Additionally, S.U.Vs don't exactly have the best gas mileage, including the 2001 sportage she was driving, which further adds to money she could have saved. Furthermore, if she was sleeping in her car most of the time, why would she rent housing that she "rarely sleeps in"? Lastly, if she was struggling financially, why would she pay for homeless people? It's a nice thing to do, but acts of kindness won't get you anywhere financially. I believe she could've been a lot better off if she actually tried to save some money, even while working minimum wage.
But despite everything I've said, I do believe that minimum wage should be increased, at least to the point where it meets the inflation rate. After some googling, I was surprised that the current minimum wage doesn't meet up to the inflation rate, so the term "minimum" wage isn't really accurate in my opinion.
This is a terribly tragic story, though I'm sure that, unfortunately, there are probably many more like it elsewhere in the world - cases where people were literally working until the day they died. It just doesn't feel right or seem fair, how Ms. Fernandes, who worked hard to make an honest living had to suffer that fate. As I was reading the description of her job, I couldn't help but think of the hundreds of thousands of minimum-wage workers we see every day in restaurants or behind counters. A lot of them are working themselves to the bone, yet they barely make ends meet. How does that make sense? To work hard and earn less? What makes Ms. Fernandes' story even sadder is how generous of a person she was, giving to the homeless even when she could barely afford to care for herself. I hope this story will encourage its readers to look at minimum-wage workers in a new light, to treat them better, and give them the respect that so many of them deserve.
This is such an awful and appalling story. Not only does it inform readers about how minimum wage workers don't get to live their lives to the fullest, but also that people who don't work minimum wage jobs should count their blessings. Ms. Fernandes worked multiple jobs, running on no sleep, in order to provide for herself and her family, but all her hard work never paid off; she kept falling behind. Never did she complain and all she wanted was to "start over", but it wasn't possible when she didn't get paid substantial amounts. She represents the minimum wage workers of America that struggle and suffer like she did, even though she always kept a smile. She didn't deserve to live such a lifestyle of complete anxiousness and struggle. Even when she tried to nap, she never could catch a break. S.S. Pd 9
You can definitely sympathize with the lady who died, but I'm a bit concerned with her financial decisions. While you can argue that her socioeconomic status can be based on unfortunate circumstance, I don't see how having multiple pets helps her situation. I've never had a pet, but I think it's safe to assume that they take quite some money to be taken care of. Outside of that, she also runs the car when she sleeps in it. I don't see how that's remotely fiscally responsible. Also, that situation is horrible for your health. Overall, it's unfortunate that she died, given her hard lifestyle, but I think she could've prevented this with having less hardships if she made more responsible decisions.
I believe that we need a higher minimum wage, and the article, as well as other books, articles, videos, and stories, highlight just a few people's stories. The working class poor work so hard just to get through to the next day, and that's not right. Minimum wage should be the lowest liveable income for someone holding one job. But our minimum wage has not gone up while the cost of living has, creating a large gap. The working class poor are left to struggle through various jobs, little rest, poor health, and more. And still others want to decrease, get rid of, or keep minimum wage the same; that's just not right. I think that what the article highlights best is that it's not just about the jobs the person works, it's not just about the hours they work, it's not just about their highest level of education. It's about people; these are real people living a very real struggle. So many people discount these workers for being lazy or say they deserve it for not getting a college education or for dropping out of college, but many of these people work so hard just to get by. The work they do may not be like the work many of us do/will do, but it's hard work all the same. Besides, the cycle of poverty is so difficult to break, and our extremely low minimum wage doesn't help people get out of poverty. We need reform now, and I don't know that it can wait much longer, perhaps it doesn't matter to the privileged few but for millions of Americans, it's a reality they have to face every day.
It's really tragic that, after spending so much time and effort working to secure a living, Maria, died anyway to such a simple accident. However, I think it was even more tragic that she (and others of her socioeconomic class) are given little to no social mobility in America, as seen by how Maria was unable to change her lifestyle despite working harder than the vast majority of our society. Because low wage workers much live paycheck to paycheck just to maintain even the most frugal of lifestyles, they are not given the time or chance to receive higher education or to really pursue anything other than their current jobs. I personally can't imagine living a life like that.
Maria Fernandes’ story is indeed an extremely tragic and heartbreaking one. It is truly upsetting that a woman could barely survive financially, even with three jobs. In doing so, sadly, Fernandes’ body and health could not tolerate the burden. She unfortunately passed away because she kept a container full of fuel in the back, only because she couldn’t run the risk of waking up to an empty tank. As a result of such stories, I truly believe that the government should enable price floors. In other words, it should definitely regulate the lowest price a resource (in this case, labor) can be sold for. In my opinion, it is necessary to set the minimum wage at an amount with which people can survive and get by through the acquisition of basic needs, such as food, shelter, and water. If minimum wage is not regulated, out of desperation, people would work for almost nothing. Currently, in New York State, the minimum wage is less than that in New Jersey, at a mere eight dollars per hour. Even worse, many areas in New York State are of higher costs than those in New Jersey. This article connects to a book we read in English class last year. One of our assignments was to read Barbara Ehrenreich’s book Nickel and Dimed: On Getting By In America. Ehrenreich claims that in present-day, the division between the rich and the poor is unacceptable. Furthermore, the typical member of the working poor will not be able to live a healthy life with the low income he or she earns. All in all, I strongly believe that the minimum wage should be regulated by the government through the implementation of price floors.
This article mentions a tragic story indeed, and one that probably, unfortunately, is not the only one of its kind. Ms. Fernandes is one of thousands, if not millions of people across the United States that have to work multiple minimum wage jobs in order to make ends meet and to pay for everyday essentials that are needed to survive: food, shelter, and clothing. The fact that she was struggling to take care of herself amidst her three jobs shows that minimum wage is in fact too low in America in my opinion. No one should have to work three jobs just to be able to survive. Of course, when discussing minimum wage, the book “Nickel and Dimed” comes to mind as the other showcased her difficulty of making ends meet as she worked multiple minimum wage jobs as well. I feel that tragic stories such as this regarding minimum wage highlights the low probability of achieving the “American Dream” in today’s society in America. It is always said that America is the land of opportunity, and that is why so many immigrants flock to America, to establish themselves in a place where if you have the desire to work and work hard, you can at the very least live comfortably. But stories like this show that that’s a rarity, and almost isn’t true anymore. Ms. Fernandes was described by multiple people as a lovable person who never complained despite working three jobs, which certainly no one should have to do to survive. She was also described as the hardest working employee at multiple workplaces, showing her desire to work and work hard. But despite this desire, she could not make ends meet which is unfortunate and shows the inability of the true American Dream anymore. Certainly, a higher minimum wage would assuage the issues of people like Ms. Fernandes.
I had chills at the end of this article. The fact that the authors mentioned at the end of the article that she died while still in her uniform made me so sad. I know this isn't some sort of fiction book where there's symbolism to look for, but the fact that she did die in her uniform very accurately tells us a lot about her life. She had to constantly work to try and pay for her expenses, and even then, she couldn't. This shows how little minimum wage really is. It shows that it's not a feasible amount of money to live on. And the fact that she had to work three jobs and still couldn't pay for her rent bolsters this point even more. What really gave this article a kick was the part when it talked about how she was a person to. I feel like big businesses don't really see their employees as people. They're just an expense, like electricity or water. They don't realize that these people need the money to survive, so it doesn't matter to them that minimum wage is not sufficient. If the businesses were constantly reminded to humanize their employees, if they saw how terrible it was to work on minimum wage, I think this would change. But, nevertheless, the question arises of how show this. I don't think most people would willingly volunteer to experience life under minimum wage, especially when they're living large themselves. Unfortunately, this isn't a question I have an answer to yet.
It is really disappointing that a person who is willing to work hard and is a good worker still can't make a sustainable wage, despite having three jobs. In areas like the NY-NJ metropolitan area, a minimum wage would not even come close to meeting monthly rental payments and the cost of food/transportation/etc. But that being said, the problem is more complicated then simply raising the minimum wage. Many people claim that minimum wage jobs aren't supposed to be able to provide for a family, and that makes sense, but, at the very least, they should be able to provide for a person without a family. E.S. pd. 8
I think this article is very depressing but serves as a good reality check. While Herricks students get to live comfortably, we fail to notice the struggles millions of Americans have to face each day. Many people do not have the luxury of economic stability as they have to work multiple minimum wage jobs just to barely survive. I am sorrowful for what happened to Ms. Fernandes but that's just how our economy works. If you are not well educated or have the skills required to do higher level jobs, you will remain in a lower class and have to endure the obstacles in life. -Kevin Chao Period 8
Whenever I look at the crisis of minimum wage, I immediately reflect back to Nickel and Dimed. With the amount of bills that need to be paid and the amount of needs that have to be fulfilled, it's impossible for a minimum wage person to survive with such low wages. To have 8.25 cents is worth nothing. Ms. Fernandes is an example, not even that extreme, of the struggles of minimum wage; she had to take three jobs and sleep in her car for 2-3 hours a day yet still could barely pay her rents. Each person in minimum wage has to also face the disappointment of being unable to achieve their dreams, to live in disappointment knowing that success, even at at .01% chance, could have happened. The fact that Ms. Fernandes had to die because she had to struggle and sleep in a car is even more alarming and just further emphasizes the problems with today's poverty. As someone who favors a more liberal approach, I feel the problems with the gap between the rich and the poor and the problems with minimum wage have to be addressed.
I think that this story of Ms. Fernandes truly shows how difficult it is to survive, solely living off of minimum wage. Ms. Fernandes showed her dedication and efforts in maintaining a sustainable lifestyle as she worked at 3 different Dunkin Donuts. She rarely had time for sleep, and if she did sleep it was in her car for only short periods of time. She could not afford to miss her next shift. This story of Ms. Fernandes really impacted me in that it showed me how difficult life may be for the people that work minimum wage jobs. Despite her hard work and dedication, Ms. Fernandes unfortunately died due to what seems to be an accident. I was in shock how such a hard working woman Ms. Fernandes was, considering that not many people have the energy to work 3 different shifts. This article brought to my attention that not everyone has it easy in life and that there are people struggling to even survive. I cannot be more grateful for the 8 hours of sleep I get each day, and I feel even more grateful that I was born into a family of middle class. It is very upsetting to me that some people have to live under conditions similar to those of Ms. Fernandes.
I don't think minimum wage is right. I feel minimum wage is for college kids and teenagers trying to make some cash here and there but not for a women who struggled to pay her rent of $550 a month. Imagine if she was a mom of more than one child or a single mother doing it all on her own; her and that family would have no future. Unfortunately today many people are working multiple minimum wage jobs either to get by on their own or with a family. It is wrong how much of their life is taken away because they are not getting paid enough to live off of. This woman was working three minimum wage jobs and the thing she valued most was a couple of hours to sleep but she couldn't even do that. It brings up the question why do we have minimum wage in the first place if it’s not doing what it was originally supposed to do; help people get a head start and then move on to a higher paid job. I don't think the government is taking into account that it’s supposed to at least help make you financially stable for living life at the minimum and this woman was struggling to do so of her three jobs. It’s sad to see that she spent most of her life working not living. Jobs are meant to help you have money to live but your life means nothing if you have to live to work, if that makes any sense. I do believe that there needs to be a raise in minimum wage so that people whose only opportunity is a low paid job they have some sort of means in creating a safety net. If there is no point in time where people of lower paid jobs can have a break from work without worrying about the bills than the system of low wages is corrupt because it seems to only hurt people in the long run who find themselves stuck in a minimum wage job.
It is very tragic that Maria Fernandes died in her attempt to get sleep, which appears to be something that she was not able to get regularly due to her working three jobs. It's also quite tragic how her dreams of becoming a beautician were crushed because she was not able to pay for a college education. Thus, her only option was to work multiple jobs, that were possibly all minimum wage. On top of working long hours and receiving very small pay, she was forced to risk her sleep in favor of obtaining money. I don't think that it's fair that people should have their dreams of attending college crushed just because they are not able to pay for college tuition, textbooks, etc.
I find it interesting that right after I got my first payed job working at a bakery, I take this class. Having money really changes the perspective I have on a lot of issues, like the minimum wage. I get paid minimum wage at my job, and from where I stand, I feel that is acceptable for me. I have been saving relatively all my money have build up a little fund so I can see how money grows. I don't think I could live on what I make right now, even if I was working full time. The income I am making now is for the things that I want, not that I need. The article was interesting in how it addressed the minimum wage. From a first glance, the situation looks like a women who accidentally killed herself by falling asleep in her car. When you look at her story, the problem that we face with employment and minimum wage becomes clear. From her situation, you get angry because she is the type of person who is trying her hardest to succeed, harder than many other people, but still ends up losing. It makes us angry as a society because of the American mentality that if you work hard, you can succeed wasn't true in this case because of what feels like external forces interfering. The minimum wage shouldn't be something that can sustain a family, but we've come to a point where the only jobs people are getting are for minimum wage, we need to reconsider how we deal with this situation.
This article truly showed the hardships of minimum wage workers and how this particular workers hard work led to her ultimate demise. This dunkin donuts employee's life was ended abruptly because she was forced to sleep in her car with a gas can in it so that she could keep it running. What breaks my heart the most about this incident was because she was such a hard worker and always was a model employee according to her employeer who was quoted in the article. In all this article made me change my perspective on minimum wage and showed me that as a country we really need to make a change. Stephen F.
This article does an amazing job of highlighting the faults in our economic system. Maria is an average American. She is not lazy or ignorant or unwilling to work. In fact, she is the complete opposite. She works hard to provide for her family. However, the minimum wage that currently stands in America is not a living wage. A living wage would have given Maria the resources to survive. However, Maria's salary did not do that.
I found it very sad that something like this could happen to such a hardworking person. Those that say it is possible to live on minimum wage nowadays should read this article. Ms. Fernandes not only worked one or two jobs, but three minimum wage paying jobs at Dunkin Donuts. And even with all that, she struggled to make rent to an apartment that she didnt even have time to sleep at. And while she did not die because she no longer had the funds to buy the necessities of life, her overworked schedule had a huge part in her death. Had she had a regular job that payed enough money for her to actually sustain herself, she would not have had to take naps in her running car with a can of gasoline in the back for emergencies. It really is tragic that someone working so hard to keep on ended up dying in such a horrible way. I definitely think minimum wage should be increased to an amount where someone can work reasonable hours with that pay and actually manage to survive in today's world. -KH8
I am speechless honestly. This reading was extremely horrid. It made me angry and sad and frustrated. It makes me think of all I take for granted in my daily life. I don't have to worry about any of this. My family isn't rich, but we are well off. Money isn't a major problem, or at least I don't think it is. My dad works a lot but he finds time to be home. He finds time to sleep. I can't imagine living in Ms. Fernandes' shoes, even for a day. I can't imagine having to work three jobs only to pay for an apartment I barely sleep in because I am always working. It must be extremely frustrating and tiresome but someone she found the will to do it. Its extremely sad what happened to her. She was just a person trying to make ends meat. The fact of the matter is that minimum wage isn't what it used to be. It was created so workers wouldn't get under paid by employers and that people could afford the necessities. Now, since it hasn't kept up with inflation, a minimum wage salary can barely afford anything in todays economy. People who have minimum wage jobs are struggling to survive. Minimum wage now-a-days is kind of ironic since it's causing the problems it was originally created to solve.
I think that minimum wage needs to be raised. Either that, or all the prices need to be decreased. Sure, a higher wage would mean less jobs, but the people who are earning minimum wage or slightly higher are struggling to survive and may as well be unemployed. K.K. period 8
It is upsetting that someone has to work multiple jobs just to get by. The minimum wage isn't enough for one to live off of. She wasn't lazy, she had to support her family and this was the only way she could. She spent her life working, living an unhealthy life because she didn't have time for anything else. -VG Prd. 6
Its crazy to be working 3 jobs a day just to earn enough for a living and sometimes thats not even enough. Its terrible that the inequality in our society leads to certain messed up things but many argue that this is capitalism and the angry people want to do away with this. The poor and the struggling need help. Someone needs to help them and the Government needs to step up in ways thats helpful to them but doesn’t also hurt the rest of the nation. The people who struggle are so caught up with providing just enough for their families and them that sometimes they go the cheaper route and buy something that is harmful to their health and their families health. There are people out there who earn so much and are just greedy or just waste the money. Thats not right and as humans who are built on values and morals, we should try to fix that.
I think it is wrong for people like Maria Fernandes to be trapped in a cycle of meaningless work, unable to pursue her life's goals or spend time with her family. If employers could pay the millions of people like her a living wage, our society would be a much stronger and peaceful place. I believe that this unfairness is a direct result of the concentration of wealth in the hands of the few people. No one can deny that we live in a contrasted society when it comes to wealth and opportunity. For many workers it doesn't matter how hard they work or how well they perform at their jobs, they will still never escape the prison of poverty which was depicted in the tragedy of Ms. Fernandes. -Maresa Misir Pd. 8
What happened to Maria Fernandes is exemplary of the type of things that minimum wage workers have to deal with. She had to commute between 3 different jobs and didn’t ever get a full night’s rest. Only 2 or 3 hours of sleep at a time is not healthy for anyone. And the gas cans spilling in her trunk are beside the point. What really led to this woman’s tragic death were the nearly impossible hours that she worked and the fact that she had to sleep in her car and carry extra cans of gas just so she wouldn’t be late for her next job. Some people may say that she was warned about the gas cans, but what can you expect her to do if she has to be on time for work or get fired? The problem is not that Maria Fernandes left gas cans in her car. The problem is that she was forced to work 3 minimum wage jobs in order to support herself. I think our minimum wage should be changed so that one minimum wage job can support one adult and one child. I'm not saying give 100,000 a year to minimum wage workers. But give enough money and benefits so that the workers only have to pay for lodging and food and water. -Arjun L Pd. 8
Although this article is obviously very sad I don't think anything will be done to change this situation for those struggling with minimum wage. It's very hard to believe that even with 3 minimum wage jobs Maria Fernandez was not able to get by when there are people that can get by with just one plus a family to support. But the fact that she couldn't get by with even 3 jobs shows that something is wrong with our society and the way we are letting ourselves live. This kind of goes back to the article about the distribution of wage based on occupation. I don't think an athlete should be getting anywhere near what they make just for entertaining us when there are more beneficial and life changing jobs out there that make much less. There are also people like Maria that are working much harder but are still not living comfortably. -Lauren Thomas
I do feel bad for her death, as she seemed like a good person who was very charitable. However, with the money she could be saving by turning off her car while she sleeps, she could probably get more sleeping time and be able to work less. By turning off the car, she also would not have to worry about leaving gas in the car because the gas would not run out while she was sleeping, and she should have noticed this considering she was clearly warned not to leave the gas in her car. That would have saved her life and tons of money. Also, I don't think she should have so many pets if she can't afford to even live on her own. - Karan L. Period 8
What this article shows to the reader is that minimum wage is not something that can be lived off of safely for the worker and perhaps even the consumer. It shows that working so many hours can threaten people's lives by making them unaware of the dangers around them, which can potentially harm consumers. Raising the minimum wage would allow these people to work less and more efficiently and more effectively.
This story is an eye opening account. I think everyone knows that minimum wage is far from the living wage, but they're impressions of those working minimum wage is lazy. This was extremely sad to hear. It is ridiculous how she had to work 3 jobs, 3 jobs wasn't enough for her to live. that shows the true value of the one minimum wage. Its not much
I think this article perfectly portrays the current status of our economy. It certainly serves as a wakeup call for not only just future employees, but also employers as well. Maria Fernandes had three jobs, earning little more than $8.25 an hour, which is New Jersey’s minimum wage; however, she still fell behind on her rent bills, which was $550 a month. If she was known as the “model” employee, she should have gotten a raise somewhere down the road of her employment at Dunkin. In addition, I think it’s a tad bit suspicious how Ms. King, a spokeswoman for Dunkin’ Brands, refused to provide contact information for the three franchisees Maria worked in. In addition, I am disappointed at the fact that Mr. Carter, her boyfriend, never even bothered to check up on her or provide her with some help by sending her money. Overall, I’ve earned so much respect for this woman because she has never stopped working toward her goal of living in leafy towns of Pennsylvania and she even paid for coffee and doughnuts for a homeless man regularly. I wish I could live by the same morals and values in the future when hardships arise.
Reading this story about Maria, I feel bad that some Americans are going through this struggle everyday, and I'm here just taking what I have for granted. She had dreams and aspirations like anyone else, and because of her desire to fulfill those dreams, she ended up dying. I think this shows us how the economy is severely is trouble and if one women has to work 3 jobs just to pay rent, there is a problem that needs to be addressed. Personally my family isnt rich, but we definitely are very fortunate. My parents dont work strenuous hours, and I have never felt that I was underprivileged. Minimum wage, in my opinion, is just an excuse for employers to pay as low as legally possible. My thoughts go out to the Friends and Family of Maria.
Reading this story about Maria, I feel bad that some Americans are going through this struggle everyday, and I'm here just taking what I have for granted. She had dreams and aspirations like anyone else, and because of her desire to fulfill those dreams, she ended up dying. I think this shows us how the economy is severely is trouble and if one women has to work 3 jobs just to pay rent, there is a problem that needs to be addressed. Personally my family isnt rich, but we definitely are very fortunate. My parents dont work strenuous hours, and I have never felt that I was underprivileged. Minimum wage, in my opinion, is just an excuse for employers to pay as low as legally possible. My thoughts go out to the Friends and Family of Maria. -Yash Shah pd 8
The fact that Maria died in her work uniform in her car really says something about our economy today. Many people, unfortunately, have to resort to extreme measures like holding a gas tank in the car or sacrificing a great amount of sleep in order to pay the bills on time. This really puts a greater perspective on money and what we use it for. I think education should be more affordable for those who are simply not able to make ends meet. We would not be losing innocent hardworking citizens if we as a country can really assess why many people are working 3 jobs instead of one that pays really well. Maria did not deserve to lose her life at such a young age. Paridhi Vayda
This article is so tragic and scary. It really demonstrates the struggle some Americans face trying to live on minimum wage. Many people argue that a person can live on minimum wage but I would disagree. I think that as America becomes more expensive and such minor things like coffee in the morning from Starbucks costs $4, minimum wage is not sufficient.This article of the poor lady who died trying to live on 3 jobs in one day reminded me of the 30 days video we watched in class. Although Ms. Fernandes was white and had a family, she was not able to live unless she had 3 jobs and slept for 3 hours every night. his story of Ms. Fernandes really impacted me in that it showed me how difficult life may be for the people that work minimum wage jobs. Despite her efforts, she was not able to succeed in the work she was doing because she was hurting her body. Minimum wage causes more harm than it does solution so I think that it should be raised so that situations like these can be avoided.
I think that minimum wage is alright but they have to change many of the underlying problems in which you cannot afford to live on Minimum Wage. They need to fix the healthcare problem because it is to expensive for people with minimum wage to afford it. They have stop privatizing hospitals because hospitals that are private institutions where they try to make profit where as if the gov controls it they will try to break even and not make profit so everyone pays same amount.
This story was very upsetting to read. Living in America we like to think that everyone who comes here has the opportunity to follow their dreams and live a happy, healthy and financially stable life. It’s unfortunate to see a story like this where someone is working so hard to achieve this life, and has trouble doing so because it is unrealistic. It’s very sad to see that this woman died dedicated to her three jobs. She brushed caution aside when someone mentioned the potential dangers of keeping fuel in the back of her car, but she wanted to make sure that she had gas to get to work just in case she ran out. I couldn’t help but feel guilty for complaining about my little sleep during the school week when I heard she slept two or three hours in her car. It was also upsetting to hear that she struggled to pay her 550 dollar rent for a house she couldn’t even sleep in. Overall it really gave off the message that Americans cannot get by on not only one but three minimum wage jobs, and something needs to be done about it. -Tara O'Shea
This article exemplifies to extent to which individuals need to work under minimum wage to make ends meet. The minimum wage needs to be raised, as Morgan Spurlock proves in 30 days, even a medical bill can spiral into debts. The individuals who work under minimum wage often have to work multiple jobs and take health risks- such as the gas tank in the trunk that was being kept unsafely. Under normal circumstances this accident would not have happened, but because of the risk of missing a workday- too risky for a minimum wage laborer, she slept in the car to be able to commute on time between jobs. A higher minimum wage would segway into a better standard of living and minimize the risks associated with those who live on minimum wage. D.M, 8
There is a Chinese saying that roughly translates to "wealth begets wealth," illustrating a common sentiment across entire cultures that having capital under your control is the fastest, easiest way to more money. The problem with the income gap is what it holds for the future of the economy; the best way to grow your wealth is through proper investments, only the wealthy can afford to invest, and so only the wealthy can afford to get wealthier. Getting by from payment to payment obviously leaves no room for investment or savings, but even higher up the financial ladder, gains are not as pronounced as investments grow exponentially with time magnifying small gaps into massive margins. Minimum wage, if even enough to survive, is certainly not enough to move up the ladder and at best holds people at the edge of a precipice in a constant game of catch-up.
ReplyDelete-JW p. 8
Reading this, I can't help but viscerally feel the stark contrast between Maria's life and my own. She couldn't pay for vocational school, so she had to work 3 jobs and forgo sleep just to survive with minimum wage. Meanwhile, I'll most likely be going to a top university next year, almost guaranteed a relatively high paying job in just about any discipline. On an economic level, this raises concerns about under-utilization of resources; surely, Maria's unique skillset and diligence could have been better used had she had the resources to do that. On an ethical level, it's a compelling argument for doing something about increasing living standards for the working class, even if it means placing higher artificial price ceilings on labor.
ReplyDeleteKaran Singhal Pd. 9
This is a really sad case about Ms. Fernandes but sadly happens regularly. Because people have to work so many hours at different jobs at strange hours to make enough money to live they cut back on important things to surviving like rent. It was not safe for her or anyone to sleep in a running car but for some people its the only option that they have. The minimum wage is not enough we need a living wage.
ReplyDelete-Thomas F
I honestly can’t believe that this happened. It’s so weird because we are not accustomed to this. The most interesting line in this article to me was that “she dreamed of working two jobs, not three.” I think this line is so powerful because in the environment we live in today, this is not the norm. I can’t imagine having to work and handle three different jobs when I grow older in order to just get buy. It shows that as a country we are doing something wrong. She clearly could not get by on just minimum wage. She could barely get by on three minimum wage jobs. Clearly the standard of living has become more expensive over the years and the minimum wage should reflect this.
ReplyDeleteIsabel pd. 6
Damn.
ReplyDeleteThis article reminded me of the research book, Nickel and Dimed. The book is about a well-to-do writer who goes undercover as a minimum wage worker to determine if minimum wage is truly enough to survive on. Her cumulative research showed that minimum wage is, in fact, not even close to subsist on.
The sacrifices that people like Ms. Fernandes make go unnoticed so much of the time, and it is really sad to think about all the people out there who are suffering to get by despite having one, two, or even three minimum wage paying jobs. I think this article really brings into light the issue that our extant minimum wage is simply not enough. Coming from a highly privileged background, I'm not going to even pretend that I understand the extent to which people like her have to suffer every day due to low income. However, as a citizen, I can at least convey my disgust over how severely people like Ms. Fernandes have to suffer. I know this may sound naive, but I really wish I could just wire money from the richest 1% to those who truly need it. It's not like the 1% would be severely impacted, anyways.
Shweta L.
Pd 8
I do not really know what the minimum wage is in terms of a yearly income but if this woman has to work 3 jobs to support her family, maybe it should be increased. The problem is that this increase in price can cause the demand of these unskilled workers to drop drastically and even take away competition in the work force. I think that we must raise the minimum wage to keep up with inflation in the past years. -WP PERIOD 9
ReplyDeleteDoesn't this article make you wonder how many more "Maria's" are out there in this country? She worked hard and tried to get ahead, but things always seemed to go wrong. Living in New Jersey and earning a wage less than $8.50 per hour made it almost impossible to survive. According to the people who knew her, Maria was just an average person who was trying to live a good and happy life. I think it is so sad that she often took short naps in her car so that she could do more than one shift a day to earn more money. This is what eventually killed her. Because Maria did not have a college education or additional training her job opportunities were limited. She was part of the working poor in this country- who make too much for assistance, but not enough to live comfortably without fear of of falling behind. They are one paycheck ahead of disaster. - MB
ReplyDeleteChirag Soni pd.8
ReplyDeleteEven though her situation with 3 jobs was very difficult, there is little correlation between an accidental gas can spill in a car and her difficult job schedule. I do not see how the author of this article was able to link these two events like they were connected. On the other hand, minimum wage jobs are not meant to sustain a healthy independent lifestyle. Adults that are looking to support families will have a very difficult time under the pay of minimum wage as shown in this article.
I don't know how anyone would be able to handle three minimum wage jobs at the same time. It seems that she never had enough time to just live her life. She was just thinking about how to survive. I think that it is kind of messed up that minimum wage is so low. However, I don't really know how to deal with that problem. Rasing it might help some people live more comfortable, but it might also hurt people in simiular situations. AA PER9
ReplyDeleteThis article highlights the strife many people have in order to enjoy the simple amenities people like me take for granted. Ms. Fernandez was not an extreme case. She was not a rebel who didn’t care about when she was a child, she was not a delinquent. She didn’t have the capabilities of pursuing a better life, never able to go to Cosmetology school. This article exemplifies the vicious cycle that is currently going on; the cycle in which the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor. The American Dream will only be a dream for those who start with little. The term “minimum wage” is a misnomer. Minimum wage implies the least amount of money needed in order to experience “livable” conditions. However, what Ms. Fernandez was going through was not livable. What Barbara Ehrenreich, from Nickel and Dimed, experienced was not livable. What thousands, if not millions of people experience within the United States is not livable. Businesses, Politicians, and the government as a whole have the responsibility of caring for their people. Working three jobs is not a manageable life style. Living in a car is not supposed to be common. Minimum wage is not supposed to be so low.-TB Period 9 AP economics
ReplyDeleteLP Pd 8
ReplyDeleteIt was really sad reading this article because there are probably thousands, maybe millions, out there trying to survive off of minimum wage just like Ms.Fernandez. After reading of Nickel and Dimed and watching 30 Days, I've learned that it's pretty much impossible to live off minimum wage even if working 3 jobs. Personally I think we should increase the minimum wage because then more people will not be in poverty and these people can spend more money which will essentially be spread throughout the economy. It also means since people will be earning more money, less money will be needed to spend on social programs because some people will be able to support themselves. I just read an article which stated that America would save $7.6 billion a year if we were to raise minimum wage to $10.10. (Here's the link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/16/minimum-wage-public-assis_n_5992458.html) Also, countries like Australia, Luxembourg, New Zealand, and Ireland are ranked as the top riches countries in the world, and they all pay over $10 minimum wages. Which proves that raising minimum wage may not ruin a country's economy, but it may have the potential to stimulate it.
I feel like no matter how much minimum wage rises, it never manages to keep up with the expenses of standard living today. Millions of Americans are still struggling to scrape by and are working 2-3 jobs just to support themselves- let alone a family. However, I really don't know how to go about tackling this problem, for again, just raising prices isn't the solution. Also, more and more people are having to resort to such jobs due to the sudden shift in the economy. Even many educated people can't find jobs, and it's because everything is electronic and technology driven these days. Therefore, the number of people who have to resort to minimum wage jobs is increasing despite their being jobs. Most of those jobs require extremely educated people and jobs that used to be available for people after high school are starting to diminish.- Maisha Savani Pd.8
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, it's clear that she didn't take AP economics. According to the article, she always left her car running, even when taking naps, which obviously cost her money that she could have saved. Additionally, S.U.Vs don't exactly have the best gas mileage, including the 2001 sportage she was driving, which further adds to money she could have saved. Furthermore, if she was sleeping in her car most of the time, why would she rent housing that she "rarely sleeps in"? Lastly, if she was struggling financially, why would she pay for homeless people? It's a nice thing to do, but acts of kindness won't get you anywhere financially. I believe she could've been a lot better off if she actually tried to save some money, even while working minimum wage.
ReplyDeleteBut despite everything I've said, I do believe that minimum wage should be increased, at least to the point where it meets the inflation rate. After some googling, I was surprised that the current minimum wage doesn't meet up to the inflation rate, so the term "minimum" wage isn't really accurate in my opinion.
-Ben Jung AP Economics period 9
This is a terribly tragic story, though I'm sure that, unfortunately, there are probably many more like it elsewhere in the world - cases where people were literally working until the day they died. It just doesn't feel right or seem fair, how Ms. Fernandes, who worked hard to make an honest living had to suffer that fate. As I was reading the description of her job, I couldn't help but think of the hundreds of thousands of minimum-wage workers we see every day in restaurants or behind counters. A lot of them are working themselves to the bone, yet they barely make ends meet. How does that make sense? To work hard and earn less? What makes Ms. Fernandes' story even sadder is how generous of a person she was, giving to the homeless even when she could barely afford to care for herself. I hope this story will encourage its readers to look at minimum-wage workers in a new light, to treat them better, and give them the respect that so many of them deserve.
ReplyDelete- VL Period 8
This is such an awful and appalling story. Not only does it inform readers about how minimum wage workers don't get to live their lives to the fullest, but also that people who don't work minimum wage jobs should count their blessings. Ms. Fernandes worked multiple jobs, running on no sleep, in order to provide for herself and her family, but all her hard work never paid off; she kept falling behind. Never did she complain and all she wanted was to "start over", but it wasn't possible when she didn't get paid substantial amounts. She represents the minimum wage workers of America that struggle and suffer like she did, even though she always kept a smile. She didn't deserve to live such a lifestyle of complete anxiousness and struggle. Even when she tried to nap, she never could catch a break. S.S. Pd 9
ReplyDeleteAHirani Prd 9
ReplyDeleteYou can definitely sympathize with the lady who died, but I'm a bit concerned with her financial decisions. While you can argue that her socioeconomic status can be based on unfortunate circumstance, I don't see how having multiple pets helps her situation. I've never had a pet, but I think it's safe to assume that they take quite some money to be taken care of. Outside of that, she also runs the car when she sleeps in it. I don't see how that's remotely fiscally responsible. Also, that situation is horrible for your health. Overall, it's unfortunate that she died, given her hard lifestyle, but I think she could've prevented this with having less hardships if she made more responsible decisions.
I believe that we need a higher minimum wage, and the article, as well as other books, articles, videos, and stories, highlight just a few people's stories. The working class poor work so hard just to get through to the next day, and that's not right. Minimum wage should be the lowest liveable income for someone holding one job. But our minimum wage has not gone up while the cost of living has, creating a large gap. The working class poor are left to struggle through various jobs, little rest, poor health, and more. And still others want to decrease, get rid of, or keep minimum wage the same; that's just not right. I think that what the article highlights best is that it's not just about the jobs the person works, it's not just about the hours they work, it's not just about their highest level of education. It's about people; these are real people living a very real struggle. So many people discount these workers for being lazy or say they deserve it for not getting a college education or for dropping out of college, but many of these people work so hard just to get by. The work they do may not be like the work many of us do/will do, but it's hard work all the same. Besides, the cycle of poverty is so difficult to break, and our extremely low minimum wage doesn't help people get out of poverty. We need reform now, and I don't know that it can wait much longer, perhaps it doesn't matter to the privileged few but for millions of Americans, it's a reality they have to face every day.
ReplyDeleteJonathan Chen
ReplyDeleteIt's really tragic that, after spending so much time and effort working to secure a living, Maria, died anyway to such a simple accident. However, I think it was even more tragic that she (and others of her socioeconomic class) are given little to no social mobility in America, as seen by how Maria was unable to change her lifestyle despite working harder than the vast majority of our society. Because low wage workers much live paycheck to paycheck just to maintain even the most frugal of lifestyles, they are not given the time or chance to receive higher education or to really pursue anything other than their current jobs. I personally can't imagine living a life like that.
Zeeshan Anwar
ReplyDeleteMaria Fernandes’ story is indeed an extremely tragic and heartbreaking one. It is truly upsetting that a woman could barely survive financially, even with three jobs. In doing so, sadly, Fernandes’ body and health could not tolerate the burden. She unfortunately passed away because she kept a container full of fuel in the back, only because she couldn’t run the risk of waking up to an empty tank. As a result of such stories, I truly believe that the government should enable price floors. In other words, it should definitely regulate the lowest price a resource (in this case, labor) can be sold for. In my opinion, it is necessary to set the minimum wage at an amount with which people can survive and get by through the acquisition of basic needs, such as food, shelter, and water. If minimum wage is not regulated, out of desperation, people would work for almost nothing. Currently, in New York State, the minimum wage is less than that in New Jersey, at a mere eight dollars per hour. Even worse, many areas in New York State are of higher costs than those in New Jersey. This article connects to a book we read in English class last year. One of our assignments was to read Barbara Ehrenreich’s book Nickel and Dimed: On Getting By In America. Ehrenreich claims that in present-day, the division between the rich and the poor is unacceptable. Furthermore, the typical member of the working poor will not be able to live a healthy life with the low income he or she earns. All in all, I strongly believe that the minimum wage should be regulated by the government through the implementation of price floors.
This article mentions a tragic story indeed, and one that probably, unfortunately, is not the only one of its kind. Ms. Fernandes is one of thousands, if not millions of people across the United States that have to work multiple minimum wage jobs in order to make ends meet and to pay for everyday essentials that are needed to survive: food, shelter, and clothing. The fact that she was struggling to take care of herself amidst her three jobs shows that minimum wage is in fact too low in America in my opinion. No one should have to work three jobs just to be able to survive. Of course, when discussing minimum wage, the book “Nickel and Dimed” comes to mind as the other showcased her difficulty of making ends meet as she worked multiple minimum wage jobs as well. I feel that tragic stories such as this regarding minimum wage highlights the low probability of achieving the “American Dream” in today’s society in America. It is always said that America is the land of opportunity, and that is why so many immigrants flock to America, to establish themselves in a place where if you have the desire to work and work hard, you can at the very least live comfortably. But stories like this show that that’s a rarity, and almost isn’t true anymore. Ms. Fernandes was described by multiple people as a lovable person who never complained despite working three jobs, which certainly no one should have to do to survive. She was also described as the hardest working employee at multiple workplaces, showing her desire to work and work hard. But despite this desire, she could not make ends meet which is unfortunate and shows the inability of the true American Dream anymore. Certainly, a higher minimum wage would assuage the issues of people like Ms. Fernandes.
ReplyDeleteI had chills at the end of this article. The fact that the authors mentioned at the end of the article that she died while still in her uniform made me so sad. I know this isn't some sort of fiction book where there's symbolism to look for, but the fact that she did die in her uniform very accurately tells us a lot about her life. She had to constantly work to try and pay for her expenses, and even then, she couldn't. This shows how little minimum wage really is. It shows that it's not a feasible amount of money to live on. And the fact that she had to work three jobs and still couldn't pay for her rent bolsters this point even more. What really gave this article a kick was the part when it talked about how she was a person to. I feel like big businesses don't really see their employees as people. They're just an expense, like electricity or water. They don't realize that these people need the money to survive, so it doesn't matter to them that minimum wage is not sufficient. If the businesses were constantly reminded to humanize their employees, if they saw how terrible it was to work on minimum wage, I think this would change. But, nevertheless, the question arises of how show this. I don't think most people would willingly volunteer to experience life under minimum wage, especially when they're living large themselves. Unfortunately, this isn't a question I have an answer to yet.
ReplyDeleteIt is really disappointing that a person who is willing to work hard and is a good worker still can't make a sustainable wage, despite having three jobs. In areas like the NY-NJ metropolitan area, a minimum wage would not even come close to meeting monthly rental payments and the cost of food/transportation/etc. But that being said, the problem is more complicated then simply raising the minimum wage. Many people claim that minimum wage jobs aren't supposed to be able to provide for a family, and that makes sense, but, at the very least, they should be able to provide for a person without a family.
ReplyDeleteE.S. pd. 8
I think this article is very depressing but serves as a good reality check. While Herricks students get to live comfortably, we fail to notice the struggles millions of Americans have to face each day. Many people do not have the luxury of economic stability as they have to work multiple minimum wage jobs just to barely survive. I am sorrowful for what happened to Ms. Fernandes but that's just how our economy works. If you are not well educated or have the skills required to do higher level jobs, you will remain in a lower class and have to endure the obstacles in life.
ReplyDelete-Kevin Chao Period 8
Whenever I look at the crisis of minimum wage, I immediately reflect back to Nickel and Dimed. With the amount of bills that need to be paid and the amount of needs that have to be fulfilled, it's impossible for a minimum wage person to survive with such low wages. To have 8.25 cents is worth nothing. Ms. Fernandes is an example, not even that extreme, of the struggles of minimum wage; she had to take three jobs and sleep in her car for 2-3 hours a day yet still could barely pay her rents. Each person in minimum wage has to also face the disappointment of being unable to achieve their dreams, to live in disappointment knowing that success, even at at .01% chance, could have happened. The fact that Ms. Fernandes had to die because she had to struggle and sleep in a car is even more alarming and just further emphasizes the problems with today's poverty. As someone who favors a more liberal approach, I feel the problems with the gap between the rich and the poor and the problems with minimum wage have to be addressed.
ReplyDelete-Jim Tse
Robert Lis-Pd 9
ReplyDeleteI think that this story of Ms. Fernandes truly shows how difficult it is to survive, solely living off of minimum wage. Ms. Fernandes showed her dedication and efforts in maintaining a sustainable lifestyle as she worked at 3 different Dunkin Donuts. She rarely had time for sleep, and if she did sleep it was in her car for only short periods of time. She could not afford to miss her next shift. This story of Ms. Fernandes really impacted me in that it showed me how difficult life may be for the people that work minimum wage jobs. Despite her hard work and dedication, Ms. Fernandes unfortunately died due to what seems to be an accident. I was in shock how such a hard working woman Ms. Fernandes was, considering that not many people have the energy to work 3 different shifts. This article brought to my attention that not everyone has it easy in life and that there are people struggling to even survive. I cannot be more grateful for the 8 hours of sleep I get each day, and I feel even more grateful that I was born into a family of middle class. It is very upsetting to me that some people have to live under conditions similar to those of Ms. Fernandes.
Living on minimum income is too harsh for anyone to live on. I believe that raising that standard can greatly benefit a lot of people.
ReplyDeleteI don't think minimum wage is right. I feel minimum wage is for college kids and teenagers trying to make some cash here and there but not for a women who struggled to pay her rent of $550 a month. Imagine if she was a mom of more than one child or a single mother doing it all on her own; her and that family would have no future. Unfortunately today many people are working multiple minimum wage jobs either to get by on their own or with a family. It is wrong how much of their life is taken away because they are not getting paid enough to live off of. This woman was working three minimum wage jobs and the thing she valued most was a couple of hours to sleep but she couldn't even do that. It brings up the question why do we have minimum wage in the first place if it’s not doing what it was originally supposed to do; help people get a head start and then move on to a higher paid job. I don't think the government is taking into account that it’s supposed to at least help make you financially stable for living life at the minimum and this woman was struggling to do so of her three jobs. It’s sad to see that she spent most of her life working not living. Jobs are meant to help you have money to live but your life means nothing if you have to live to work, if that makes any sense. I do believe that there needs to be a raise in minimum wage so that people whose only opportunity is a low paid job they have some sort of means in creating a safety net. If there is no point in time where people of lower paid jobs can have a break from work without worrying about the bills than the system of low wages is corrupt because it seems to only hurt people in the long run who find themselves stuck in a minimum wage job.
ReplyDeleteSRB PERIOD 6
It is very tragic that Maria Fernandes died in her attempt to get sleep, which appears to be something that she was not able to get regularly due to her working three jobs. It's also quite tragic how her dreams of becoming a beautician were crushed because she was not able to pay for a college education. Thus, her only option was to work multiple jobs, that were possibly all minimum wage. On top of working long hours and receiving very small pay, she was forced to risk her sleep in favor of obtaining money. I don't think that it's fair that people should have their dreams of attending college crushed just because they are not able to pay for college tuition, textbooks, etc.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that right after I got my first payed job working at a bakery, I take this class. Having money really changes the perspective I have on a lot of issues, like the minimum wage. I get paid minimum wage at my job, and from where I stand, I feel that is acceptable for me. I have been saving relatively all my money have build up a little fund so I can see how money grows. I don't think I could live on what I make right now, even if I was working full time. The income I am making now is for the things that I want, not that I need. The article was interesting in how it addressed the minimum wage. From a first glance, the situation looks like a women who accidentally killed herself by falling asleep in her car. When you look at her story, the problem that we face with employment and minimum wage becomes clear. From her situation, you get angry because she is the type of person who is trying her hardest to succeed, harder than many other people, but still ends up losing. It makes us angry as a society because of the American mentality that if you work hard, you can succeed wasn't true in this case because of what feels like external forces interfering. The minimum wage shouldn't be something that can sustain a family, but we've come to a point where the only jobs people are getting are for minimum wage, we need to reconsider how we deal with this situation.
ReplyDeleteThis article truly showed the hardships of minimum wage workers and how this particular workers hard work led to her ultimate demise. This dunkin donuts employee's life was ended abruptly because she was forced to sleep in her car with a gas can in it so that she could keep it running. What breaks my heart the most about this incident was because she was such a hard worker and always was a model employee according to her employeer who was quoted in the article. In all this article made me change my perspective on minimum wage and showed me that as a country we really need to make a change. Stephen F.
ReplyDeleteThis article does an amazing job of highlighting the faults in our economic system. Maria is an average American. She is not lazy or ignorant or unwilling to work. In fact, she is the complete opposite. She works hard to provide for her family. However, the minimum wage that currently stands in America is not a living wage. A living wage would have given Maria the resources to survive. However, Maria's salary did not do that.
ReplyDeleteI found it very sad that something like this could happen to such a hardworking person. Those that say it is possible to live on minimum wage nowadays should read this article. Ms. Fernandes not only worked one or two jobs, but three minimum wage paying jobs at Dunkin Donuts. And even with all that, she struggled to make rent to an apartment that she didnt even have time to sleep at. And while she did not die because she no longer had the funds to buy the necessities of life, her overworked schedule had a huge part in her death. Had she had a regular job that payed enough money for her to actually sustain herself, she would not have had to take naps in her running car with a can of gasoline in the back for emergencies. It really is tragic that someone working so hard to keep on ended up dying in such a horrible way. I definitely think minimum wage should be increased to an amount where someone can work reasonable hours with that pay and actually manage to survive in today's world.
ReplyDelete-KH8
I am speechless honestly. This reading was extremely horrid. It made me angry and sad and frustrated. It makes me think of all I take for granted in my daily life. I don't have to worry about any of this. My family isn't rich, but we are well off. Money isn't a major problem, or at least I don't think it is. My dad works a lot but he finds time to be home. He finds time to sleep. I can't imagine living in Ms. Fernandes' shoes, even for a day. I can't imagine having to work three jobs only to pay for an apartment I barely sleep in because I am always working. It must be extremely frustrating and tiresome but someone she found the will to do it. Its extremely sad what happened to her. She was just a person trying to make ends meat. The fact of the matter is that minimum wage isn't what it used to be. It was created so workers wouldn't get under paid by employers and that people could afford the necessities. Now, since it hasn't kept up with inflation, a minimum wage salary can barely afford anything in todays economy. People who have minimum wage jobs are struggling to survive. Minimum wage now-a-days is kind of ironic since it's causing the problems it was originally created to solve.
ReplyDeleteI think that minimum wage needs to be raised. Either that, or all the prices need to be decreased. Sure, a higher wage would mean less jobs, but the people who are earning minimum wage or slightly higher are struggling to survive and may as well be unemployed. K.K. period 8
ReplyDeleteIt is upsetting that someone has to work multiple jobs just to get by. The minimum wage isn't enough for one to live off of. She wasn't lazy, she had to support her family and this was the only way she could. She spent her life working, living an unhealthy life because she didn't have time for anything else.
ReplyDelete-VG Prd. 6
Its crazy to be working 3 jobs a day just to earn enough for a living and sometimes thats not even enough. Its terrible that the inequality in our society leads to certain messed up things but many argue that this is capitalism and the angry people want to do away with this. The poor and the struggling need help. Someone needs to help them and the Government needs to step up in ways thats helpful to them but doesn’t also hurt the rest of the nation. The people who struggle are so caught up with providing just enough for their families and them that sometimes they go the cheaper route and buy something that is harmful to their health and their families health. There are people out there who earn so much and are just greedy or just waste the money. Thats not right and as humans who are built on values and morals, we should try to fix that.
ReplyDelete- period 9, NG
I think it is wrong for people like Maria Fernandes to be trapped in a cycle of meaningless work, unable to pursue her life's goals or spend time with her family. If employers could pay the millions of people like her a living wage, our society would be a much stronger and peaceful place.
ReplyDeleteI believe that this unfairness is a direct result of the concentration of wealth in the hands of the few people.
No one can deny that we live in a contrasted society when it comes to wealth and opportunity. For many workers it doesn't matter how hard they work or how well they perform at their jobs, they will still never escape the prison of poverty which was depicted in the tragedy of Ms. Fernandes.
-Maresa Misir Pd. 8
What happened to Maria Fernandes is exemplary of the type of things that minimum wage workers have to deal with. She had to commute between 3 different jobs and didn’t ever get a full night’s rest. Only 2 or 3 hours of sleep at a time is not healthy for anyone. And the gas cans spilling in her trunk are beside the point. What really led to this woman’s tragic death were the nearly impossible hours that she worked and the fact that she had to sleep in her car and carry extra cans of gas just so she wouldn’t be late for her next job. Some people may say that she was warned about the gas cans, but what can you expect her to do if she has to be on time for work or get fired? The problem is not that Maria Fernandes left gas cans in her car. The problem is that she was forced to work 3 minimum wage jobs in order to support herself. I think our minimum wage should be changed so that one minimum wage job can support one adult and one child. I'm not saying give 100,000 a year to minimum wage workers. But give enough money and benefits so that the workers only have to pay for lodging and food and water.
ReplyDelete-Arjun L Pd. 8
ReplyDeleteAlthough this article is obviously very sad I don't think anything will be done to change this situation for those struggling with minimum wage. It's very hard to believe that even with 3 minimum wage jobs Maria Fernandez was not able to get by when there are people that can get by with just one plus a family to support. But the fact that she couldn't get by with even 3 jobs shows that something is wrong with our society and the way we are letting ourselves live. This kind of goes back to the article about the distribution of wage based on occupation. I don't think an athlete should be getting anywhere near what they make just for entertaining us when there are more beneficial and life changing jobs out there that make much less. There are also people like Maria that are working much harder but are still not living comfortably.
-Lauren Thomas
I do feel bad for her death, as she seemed like a good person who was very charitable. However, with the money she could be saving by turning off her car while she sleeps, she could probably get more sleeping time and be able to work less. By turning off the car, she also would not have to worry about leaving gas in the car because the gas would not run out while she was sleeping, and she should have noticed this considering she was clearly warned not to leave the gas in her car. That would have saved her life and tons of money. Also, I don't think she should have so many pets if she can't afford to even live on her own.
ReplyDelete- Karan L. Period 8
What this article shows to the reader is that minimum wage is not something that can be lived off of safely for the worker and perhaps even the consumer. It shows that working so many hours can threaten people's lives by making them unaware of the dangers around them, which can potentially harm consumers. Raising the minimum wage would allow these people to work less and more efficiently and more effectively.
ReplyDeleteD.C. Period 8
This story is an eye opening account. I think everyone knows that minimum wage is far from the living wage, but they're impressions of those working minimum wage is lazy. This was extremely sad to hear. It is ridiculous how she had to work 3 jobs, 3 jobs wasn't enough for her to live. that shows the true value of the one minimum wage. Its not much
ReplyDeleteKJ PD 8
R.L. Per. 8
ReplyDeleteI think this article perfectly portrays the current status of our economy. It certainly serves as a wakeup call for not only just future employees, but also employers as well. Maria Fernandes had three jobs, earning little more than $8.25 an hour, which is New Jersey’s minimum wage; however, she still fell behind on her rent bills, which was $550 a month. If she was known as the “model” employee, she should have gotten a raise somewhere down the road of her employment at Dunkin. In addition, I think it’s a tad bit suspicious how Ms. King, a spokeswoman for Dunkin’ Brands, refused to provide contact information for the three franchisees Maria worked in. In addition, I am disappointed at the fact that Mr. Carter, her boyfriend, never even bothered to check up on her or provide her with some help by sending her money. Overall, I’ve earned so much respect for this woman because she has never stopped working toward her goal of living in leafy towns of Pennsylvania and she even paid for coffee and doughnuts for a homeless man regularly. I wish I could live by the same morals and values in the future when hardships arise.
Reading this story about Maria, I feel bad that some Americans are going through this struggle everyday, and I'm here just taking what I have for granted. She had dreams and aspirations like anyone else, and because of her desire to fulfill those dreams, she ended up dying. I think this shows us how the economy is severely is trouble and if one women has to work 3 jobs just to pay rent, there is a problem that needs to be addressed. Personally my family isnt rich, but we definitely are very fortunate. My parents dont work strenuous hours, and I have never felt that I was underprivileged. Minimum wage, in my opinion, is just an excuse for employers to pay as low as legally possible. My thoughts go out to the Friends and Family of Maria.
ReplyDeleteReading this story about Maria, I feel bad that some Americans are going through this struggle everyday, and I'm here just taking what I have for granted. She had dreams and aspirations like anyone else, and because of her desire to fulfill those dreams, she ended up dying. I think this shows us how the economy is severely is trouble and if one women has to work 3 jobs just to pay rent, there is a problem that needs to be addressed. Personally my family isnt rich, but we definitely are very fortunate. My parents dont work strenuous hours, and I have never felt that I was underprivileged. Minimum wage, in my opinion, is just an excuse for employers to pay as low as legally possible. My thoughts go out to the Friends and Family of Maria.
ReplyDelete-Yash Shah pd 8
The fact that Maria died in her work uniform in her car really says something about our economy today. Many people, unfortunately, have to resort to extreme measures like holding a gas tank in the car or sacrificing a great amount of sleep in order to pay the bills on time. This really puts a greater perspective on money and what we use it for. I think education should be more affordable for those who are simply not able to make ends meet. We would not be losing innocent hardworking citizens if we as a country can really assess why many people are working 3 jobs instead of one that pays really well. Maria did not deserve to lose her life at such a young age. Paridhi Vayda
ReplyDeleteThis article is so tragic and scary. It really demonstrates the struggle some Americans face trying to live on minimum wage. Many people argue that a person can live on minimum wage but I would disagree. I think that as America becomes more expensive and such minor things like coffee in the morning from Starbucks costs $4, minimum wage is not sufficient.This article of the poor lady who died trying to live on 3 jobs in one day reminded me of the 30 days video we watched in class. Although Ms. Fernandes was white and had a family, she was not able to live unless she had 3 jobs and slept for 3 hours every night. his story of Ms. Fernandes really impacted me in that it showed me how difficult life may be for the people that work minimum wage jobs. Despite her efforts, she was not able to succeed in the work she was doing because she was hurting her body. Minimum wage causes more harm than it does solution so I think that it should be raised so that situations like these can be avoided.
ReplyDelete- Lydia G Period 6
I think that minimum wage is alright but they have to change many of the underlying problems in which you cannot afford to live on Minimum Wage. They need to fix the healthcare problem because it is to expensive for people with minimum wage to afford it. They have stop privatizing hospitals because hospitals that are private institutions where they try to make profit where as if the gov controls it they will try to break even and not make profit so everyone pays same amount.
ReplyDeletePeriod 6 B.S
This story was very upsetting to read. Living in America we like to think that everyone who comes here has the opportunity to follow their dreams and live a happy, healthy and financially stable life. It’s unfortunate to see a story like this where someone is working so hard to achieve this life, and has trouble doing so because it is unrealistic. It’s very sad to see that this woman died dedicated to her three jobs. She brushed caution aside when someone mentioned the potential dangers of keeping fuel in the back of her car, but she wanted to make sure that she had gas to get to work just in case she ran out. I couldn’t help but feel guilty for complaining about my little sleep during the school week when I heard she slept two or three hours in her car. It was also upsetting to hear that she struggled to pay her 550 dollar rent for a house she couldn’t even sleep in. Overall it really gave off the message that Americans cannot get by on not only one but three minimum wage jobs, and something needs to be done about it. -Tara O'Shea
ReplyDeleteThis article exemplifies to extent to which individuals need to work under minimum wage to make ends meet. The minimum wage needs to be raised, as Morgan Spurlock proves in 30 days, even a medical bill can spiral into debts. The individuals who work under minimum wage often have to work multiple jobs and take health risks- such as the gas tank in the trunk that was being kept unsafely. Under normal circumstances this accident would not have happened, but because of the risk of missing a workday- too risky for a minimum wage laborer, she slept in the car to be able to commute on time between jobs. A higher minimum wage would segway into a better standard of living and minimize the risks associated with those who live on minimum wage.
ReplyDeleteD.M, 8