So how will the presidential hopefuls face questions of income inequality and economic opportunity? …
A good starting place would be to protect America’s most vulnerable workers, low paid immigrants. For example, Shellion Parris came to the US from Jamaica to clean expensive condos. Before long, she was trapped–costly company housing and program debt stripped her of her income. Then came threats that she would be fired and deported if she teamed up with others to go on strike. It all amounted to involuntary servitude. Vicente and Pedro are employees of the Teriyaki House in Rhode Island, working long days with 15 minute breaks per shift. They were not even paid minimum wage and their employer cut hours off their payroll. These abuses of low-wage immigrant workers are becoming the norm, and presidential candidates must add these issues to their platforms.
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