In Barbara Ehrenrich's report about living on the salary of a low wage American jobs she discusses several environments in which she would find a job, find a place to live and then maybe find another job if the rent demanded it. Her investigation shows the challenges of living with a minimum wage job as well as the lack of recognition and apprecition the unskilled workforce observes. However, in each situation she finds herself meeting her expenses with her income, somtimes just barely. But even she recognizes her situation is unique in each of the three places she lived.
In her evaluation at the end Barbara recognizes the month she lives in each scenario is very unlike her coworkers. Being alone she has no family to care for financially, no daycare and no caring for children when her shift was over. She also allotted herself an allowance to a rent-a-junk, giving her a mode of transportation. Giving that the author's situation was unique to the environment, is it really the truth to say the minimum wage does provide enough for a worker?
I believe that if Ms. Ehrenrich would find herself in need of medical attention, or without a car or family to take care or any other monatary needs that come up in daily life she would find that a minimum wage job could not have supported her. In my opinion this report exposes the lack of afforadable housing for the lower class, the lack of health care unskilled jobs recieve and the lack of having the finances to support a family. So, if the intent of this book is to inform of the detiorating minimum wage position, I feel it does its job. But I do not believe this book properly shows whether an actual member of the unksilled workforce can live off of their salary.
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