I'm an avid supporter of significantly raising the minimum wage. Not only would it provide a more equitable division of the profits of a business and provide workers with a more reasonable income, but it would relieve the taxpayers of paying for much of the cost of the overhead of business that are now paying so little their employees mush receive government assistance just to survive.
And so I'm thrilled to see there's going to be a large strike by fast food workers and home health care workers soon.
My question is: what can we as individuals do to support this? I'm not directly affected by it. I'm not close to anyone who will be directly affected by any of it. However, I am close to some who will be indirectly affected if this movement does have some impact on raising wages to a more reasonable level.
The problem is, I don't see how my support can help. I live in a rural area, distant from any city that might become involved, so I don't even have the option of adding my body to the sea of protesters in order to show support. I can't share their loss of income or fear of losing their jobs. I'm helpless and it makes me feel like a hypocrite. It's just so damn easy to sit here at my computer and feel anger and disgust at what those in power are doing to their lives, while doing nothing about it myself. It's those who can least afford to be losing money who are taking the risks here.
I have no idea whether this is a possibility, but would we be able to begin a fund designed to provide an income to those who lose part or all of theirs because of their fight? I realize it would be a huge undertaking. We'd have to not only raise the money but then figure out how to fairly allocate it between those giving up some of their already paltry pay to engage in this fight. Because I'm sure we'd never raise enough to make all of them whole. But think of how many more would be willing to step forward if they didn't have the fear of losing what little they have? And this is a war about numbers.
I've started one nonprofit and I'd be willing to put the time and energy into starting another worthwhile cause. The only way I can see for me, and I'm sure so many others of us here, to be able to actively versus passively support the strikers might well be to do so financially.
And so I'm going to test the waters with this diary. Take the poll below and let's see if there is something we as a community might be able to do to show more than just moral support for our brothers and sisters who are out there fighting in the trenches.