In the excerpt “Serving in Florida,” from the novel Nickel and Dimed, by Barbara Ehrenreich, the author incorporates herself into America’s underpaid, working class from 1998 to 2000. She labors for long hours with little compensation attempting to survive on her earnings. The economy plays a ginormous role in the experience and quality of life she endures at the time. In the present economy, Ehrenreich’s journey would differ vastly. Barbara Ehrenreich’s experience in today’s economy would be more positive due to the immense sums of wealth invested on training laborers, granting rights to workers, and benefiting employees. Further, Ehrenreich’s experience would be greater in the current economy due to the hefty amounts of capital spent on training workers. While laboring in 1998 to 2000, she faces horrible work conditions
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She works unforgiving hours and mentions that “the break room summarizes the whole situation: there is none, because there are no breaks at Jerry’s. For six to eight hours in a row, you never sit” (395). The exposure to long work hours makes Ehrenreich miserable and she dreads coming to work. In today’s economy, employees are granted the right to take a break, while not “being squeezed to extract maximum productivity, to the detriment of their health” (397). Her experience would be much better knowing that she is entitled to some rest. Also, Ehrenreich complains that “there was no federally mandated right to bathroom breaks” and must have someone “conceal her absence” when “sneaking a pee” (398). With the money spent on enforcing laborer rights today, she would be able to use the restroom without having to hide from her boss thus altering her experience in a positive way. Overall, the wealth implemented for advancing laborer’s rights in the current economy would superbly change Ehrenreich’s
She works unforgiving hours and mentions that “the break room summarizes the whole situation: there is none, because there are no breaks at Jerry’s. For six to eight hours in a row, you never sit” (395). The exposure to long work hours makes Ehrenreich miserable and she dreads coming to work. In today’s economy, employees are granted the right to take a break, while not “being squeezed to extract maximum productivity, to the detriment of their health” (397). Her experience would be much better knowing that she is entitled to some rest. Also, Ehrenreich complains that “there was no federally mandated right to bathroom breaks” and must have someone “conceal her absence” when “sneaking a pee” (398). With the money spent on enforcing laborer rights today, she would be able to use the restroom without having to hide from her boss thus altering her experience in a positive way. Overall, the wealth implemented for advancing laborer’s rights in the current economy would superbly change Ehrenreich’s