Elizabeth R. (esjro) -
For Working in the Shadows, author Gabriel Thompson works as a lettuce cutter, in a poultry processing plant, and as a bicycle delivery man for a NYC restaurant. This book is similar to Nickle and Dimed, but Thompson's focus is on jobs that are usually filled by immigrant workers, both undocumented and legal. Through his first hand experiences and interviews with co-workers, the author shows how damaging these low paying jobs can be to the body, mind and soul. He is often treated differently than his non-white co-workers, and documents how particularly employers in the restaurant industry disregard minimum wage and overtime laws.
The tone of the book is surprisingly upbeat, as Thompson takes pains to detail moments of worker solidarity and comraderie. Though this tact makes Working in the Shadows a breeze to read, perhaps it paints a picture that is a little too sunny, given that he works each job for two months as opposed to a lifetime. The conclusion however does return to the message, which is that the people working in the shadows deserve a living wage, health care, and respect for the work that they do.
The tone of the book is surprisingly upbeat, as Thompson takes pains to detail moments of worker solidarity and comraderie. Though this tact makes Working in the Shadows a breeze to read, perhaps it paints a picture that is a little too sunny, given that he works each job for two months as opposed to a lifetime. The conclusion however does return to the message, which is that the people working in the shadows deserve a living wage, health care, and respect for the work that they do.
