A Revolution; Late Night on Strike
The wealth gap in America is currently more than the wealth gap observed in France during the French Revolution. This being problematic and telling how history historically repeats itself if the lesson is not learned the first time. As money is a deciding factor of what people are willing to endure at work, this is pertinent when discussing the physical and emotional labor associated with minimum wage jobs. Within 1770s France, the French people were upset as they were starving and the french elites were afforded the luxury of food, water, and other riches. This is not far off from today as the American lower class is forced to work multiple jobs, not afforded safe drinking water (Flint Michigan), and is susceptible to food insecurity. Within the hours that individuals put in, they are forced to work in a capitalistic society that nickles and dimes the fuck out of their workers.
American service workers are underpaid and overworked, having to do emotional and physical labor that reshapes the body. Emotional Labor coined by Arlie Hochschild in 1983 refers to “the work, for which you're paid, which centrally involves trying to feel the right feeling for the job. This involves evoking and suppressing feelings. Some jobs require a lot of it, some a little of it.” Within American service industries, this looks like wearing a smile, being docile, overly polite, and having to deal with Karens. Thus giving the American service worker a nice kick to their mental health in the process. Along with this service, workers are meant to endure physical labor as well, this being as simple as standing on your feet for 8 hours a day, or doing repetitive motions that might overwork your limbs. Whatever the motion is, it can cause great strain and is usually paired with the workings of emotional labor.
Within our own walls of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), we’ve seen this. Late Night is popular among many students who reside on campus. The meal slot starting at 9 pm and ending at 2 am every night. Recently within the last few weeks, we’ve seen the late-night staff go on strike, as it is merely two people who prep, cook, and serve food to drunk, high, and hungry college students. They have to endure the emotional labor of being friendly and nice with students and the physical labor involved with standing, cooking and serving food. Not an easy feat in the slightest. What can be even more frustrating is that these individuals are under contracts and are not afforded the same benefits as other employees on campus. While having to work these odd hours almost every day without break.
With this being so, it only makes sense that these individuals went on strike. The Result: Late night was closed for a total of two nights, as this was the talk of the school, the two were quickly replaced, showing how replaceable the individual is in a capitolistic soceity. As of right now, it seems that the two are back after residence had to deal with raw and blackened chicken tenders during their departure. While it is evidently unknown what the true reason was, only one can imagine the amount of work that the staff at UMBC truly does. The Conclusion: UMBC sucks and should pay their employees more, if they don’t it is only a matter of time until they go on strike again, as history historically repeats itself. May this be a warning for other universities.