Minorities and housemaids...

[tapestrybabe]

Yep...
i have an actual interview this monday...
and ok ok, the position is NO BIG DEAL... but its just a housemaid position for this cleaning company... and again, while i dont want to get my hopes up... i THINK i may have a good chance... cuz ONE, i'm a female... and TWO, i'm asian-- a MINORITY... i mean, seriously... when you think of janitors, custodians, house cleaners, maids... they always end up mostly being a bunch of colored ppl... a bunch of MINORITIES like me... i mean really, when was the last time you saw a hot blonde, blue eyed looking chick... in a house cleaning postion?? i mean, i'm sure they exists... but SERIOUSLY... mostly they end up being spanish speaking and black ppl... and some asians like philipinos and what not... actually, i've known some polish... usually their ppl tho... who are newly immigrants and what have you...

so yeah, i'm thinking being asian may help me out in this area... cuz you know, those white ppl in power.... they just always like to be preying on those less fortunate... and BELIEVE ME, i'm one of those less fortunate ppl... and yeah, i believe the lady that i spoke to was white... her name was white sounding... i mean, CHRISTINE... and yeah, i know... i'm ASSUMING and i'm generalizing... and i'm sounding really bad when it comes to stereotyping... but from my experience... its kinda true tho... i mean, i'm NOT saying minorities cant be in power, but when it comes to my job experiences... more often than not... the PRESIDENT of the company have usually been white folks... and the ppl on the bottom of the food chain... like housemaids and janitors... they always mostly end up being a bunch of minorities like me...

so yeah, maybe my race may come in handy this monday...
what do ya'll think...

current mood cynical...

[SunWuKong]

your situation kind of made me think of something.  how do interviewers react when they're about to interview someone with a non-Asian sounding surname, and then meet someone that can pass for full Asian in the interview?

[angel nympho]

This is just my opinion... but I think you're thinking backwards.

I think most people in positions like that are minorities because not a whole lot of white people GO for jobs like that.

[nonamerasian]

<!--QuoteBegin-SunWuKung+Jul 18 2003, 04:28 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (SunWuKung @ Jul 18 2003, 04:28 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> how do interviewers react when they're about to interview someone with a non-Asian sounding surname, and then meet someone that can pass for full Asian in the interview? [/b][/quote]
I'd assume it would be the same situation as it is with other minorities.&nbsp;

My friends and I talk about it all of the time.

Sometimes the interviewer says something like, I was expecting an Ann-Marie Conklin, as if they expect the person to say, "Oh, I thought you were expecting a Shaneequa Mufasa Kunte Kinte.&nbsp; I'm sorry!" and then walk out.

However, because people judge a person's ethnicity by their name, many minorities I know give their children, or were given themselves, Anglo-sounding names on purpose.&nbsp; Many people don't want their children to grow up and have problems getting a job or housing because they have an ethnic-sounding name.

Some of my Anglo acquaintances used to say that that was ridiculous propaganda and that a name wouldn't effect a person's chances of getting a job, but a study has been conducted and these parents' suspicions are correct.

People with Anglo-sounding names have an advantage over those with ethnic-sounding names, even when the two people have the same credentials.

[tapestrybabe]

<!--QuoteBegin-angel nympho+Jul 18 2003, 05:16 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (angel nympho @ Jul 18 2003, 05:16 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> This is just my opinion... but I think you're thinking backwards.

I think most people in positions like that are minorities because not a whole lot of white people GO for jobs like that. [/b][/quote]
hey, you know what...
i think i may agree with your sentiment... but if one is able to see it that way... whites NOT going for positions like that... than i think one has to question at the same time... why dont a whole lot more minorities ACTUALLY GO for higher positions like being ceo?? and i'm NOT saying minorities... or for the sake of discussion here asians.... i'm NOT saying that there arent any asian entrepreneurs and leaders... i KNOW that they exists... but its just from MY experience... seeing like an asian being president of a company... is NOT as visible to me...

[angel nympho]

<!--QuoteBegin-tapestrybabe+Jul 18 2003, 11:03 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (tapestrybabe @ Jul 18 2003, 11:03 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-angel nympho+Jul 18 2003, 05:16 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (angel nympho @ Jul 18 2003, 05:16 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> This is just my opinion... but I think you're thinking backwards.

I think most people in positions like that are minorities because not a whole lot of white people GO for jobs like that. [/b][/quote]
hey, you know what...
i think i may agree with your sentiment... but if one is able to see it that way... whites NOT going for positions like that... than i think one has to question at the same time... why dont a whole lot more minorities ACTUALLY GO for higher positions like being ceo?? and i'm NOT saying minorities... or for the sake of discussion here asians.... i'm NOT saying that there arent any asian entrepreneurs and leaders... i KNOW that they exists... but its just from MY experience... seeing like an asian being president of a company... is NOT as visible to me... [/b][/quote]
My guess is because more white people than minorities are born in the position to not have to resort to such lower positions. You said so yourself that a lot of people in those occupational fields are immigrants, who, im assuming, aren't in the position to be a CEO of a major corporation upon their arrival in a foreign nation.

It seems (to me at least) to be more of a class thing than a race thing.

Not that NO white people have jobs like this... all through school and stuff, I've noticed most of the janitorial positions being held by white men.. with bags of candy to hand out to us kiddies!!!&nbsp; :D&nbsp; I loooved the custodian in elementary school.&nbsp; We called him Rich, the walking candy store.

[tvbdude]

yea like all of the janitors that was in the same school as me are white.

[SunWuKong]

<!--QuoteBegin-tapestrybabe+Jul 18 2003, 07:03 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (tapestrybabe @ Jul 18 2003, 07:03 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-angel nympho+Jul 18 2003, 05:16 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (angel nympho @ Jul 18 2003, 05:16 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> This is just my opinion... but I think you're thinking backwards.

I think most people in positions like that are minorities because not a whole lot of white people GO for jobs like that. [/b][/quote]
hey, you know what...
i think i may agree with your sentiment... but if one is able to see it that way... whites NOT going for positions like that... than i think one has to question at the same time... why dont a whole lot more minorities ACTUALLY GO for higher positions like being ceo?? and i'm NOT saying minorities... or for the sake of discussion here asians.... i'm NOT saying that there arent any asian entrepreneurs and leaders... i KNOW that they exists... but its just from MY experience... seeing like an asian being president of a company... is NOT as visible to me... [/b][/quote]
i don't think that they're not choosing to go for those "higher" positions. i think many more whites than minorities happen to have better and more opportunities than minorities, so that many more whites than minorities would have access to those positions. the reality is that social class correlates much with race in this and most other countries.

[deez nuts]

sure, i'm all for mommy's maid services so that her sons pablo, juan, miguel and tito have food to eat and roof over their heads back in mexico and possibly have a future college education.

just make sure my house is immaculate.

[Faithless]

<!--QuoteBegin-tapestrybabe+Jul 18 2003, 12:00 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (tapestrybabe @ Jul 18 2003, 12:00 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> i mean really, when was the last time you saw a hot blonde, blue eyed looking chick... in a house cleaning postion?? [/b][/quote]
Let's see. What was the name of that web site? What was it. Hm. :ph34r: She was wearing something French-maidy...

[Faithless]

<!--QuoteBegin-tapestrybabe+Jul 18 2003, 12:00 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (tapestrybabe @ Jul 18 2003, 12:00 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> so yeah, maybe my race may come in handy this monday...
what do ya'll think... [/b][/quote]
Seriously.

It may be, but, I don't get what your looking for -- a little competition from white folk or something?

Doesn't experience in this field count for anything too? Just because your an Asian female doesn't mean you automatically know how to mop, dust, vacuum, and change toilet paper. Don't you need a resume still? Don't you need references?

[AliBabaIncorporated]

Maybe poor white people are too proud, rather take welfare than do servile work.

[yoMAMA]

When I was living in Hawaii, there are a lot of Filipino maids.

[kasia]

i've had my heart set on hiring a cantonese maid/cook when i have a family. is there anything wrong with that?

my reasons are: 1) i like eating cantonese dishes, 2) free cooking lessons, 3) i want to help out my own.

[amietron]

you should call them housekeepers instead of maids.

[ChinaLama]

i've had my heart set on hiring a cantonese maid/cook when i have a family. is there anything wrong with that?

my reasons are: 1) i like eating cantonese dishes, 2) free cooking lessons, 3) i want to help out my own.

and you've got the salary to support that. ;)

[SunWuKong]

i've had my heart set on hiring a cantonese maid/cook when i have a family. is there anything wrong with that?

my reasons are: 1) i like eating cantonese dishes, 2) free cooking lessons, 3) i want to help out my own.


i'm going to get a filipino one. :eek:

hehhe just kidding. maybe. maybe not. i don't know yet.

[AliBabaIncorporated]

man, i'd never employ someone to work in my own household on a regular basis like that ... feel too much like some feudal throwback. Maybe gardeners. But I don't really want a damn lawn in the first place.

[ChinaLama]

i'm going to get a filipino one. :eek:

hehhe just kidding. maybe. maybe not. i don't know yet.


isn't that what all HK'ers do? hire live-in Filipina maids?

[nonamerasian]

man, i'd never employ someone to work in my own household on a regular basis like that ... feel too much like some feudal throwback. Maybe gardeners. But I don't really want a damn lawn in the first place.

I feel the same.

[thaite]

you should call them housekeepers instead of maids.

How 'bout 'domestic assistant' ?

[SunWuKong]

man, i'd never employ someone to work in my own household on a regular basis like that ... feel too much like some feudal throwback. Maybe gardeners. But I don't really want a damn lawn in the first place.


eh. if i was married and i had kids, and my wife works full-time, i'd probably hire a live-in maid/nanny/cook. it just makes sense to me.

[achtungbaby]

man, i'd never employ someone to work in my own household on a regular basis like that ... feel too much like some feudal throwback. Maybe gardeners. But I don't really want a damn lawn in the first place.
i don't see exactly what is wrong with it or how it is like a feudal throwback. he/she doesn't have to live with me. it could be a 9-5 thing. and if she's new in the states/doesn't have family, she's welcome to be a part of ours.

as for gardeners, i think they get treated a lot worse. we have gardeners - and they're always outside working in the heat. nobody greets them or acknowledges their presence.

[SunWuKong]

as for gardeners, i think they get treated a lot worse. we have gardeners - and they're always outside working in the heat. nobody greets them or acknowledges their presence.


nobody acknowledges the janitorial crew here at my office. i'm the only person that says "thank you" to the lady that empties our trash bins. i work with a bunch of ungrateful fucks.

[tapestrybabe]

i've had my heart set on hiring a cantonese maid/cook when i have a family. is there anything wrong with that?

my reasons are: 1) i like eating cantonese dishes, 2) free cooking lessons, 3) i want to help out my own.i read this book by helie lee... and she talked about her korean family when they first immigrated to the united states... she was explaining how her mother had a difficult time finding a job because she didnt know how to speak english that well... she got rejected to almost every job she applied to.... until she got accepted to work in this factory garmet place... sewing clothes... she was kinda a slow worker... but the boss let her bring the work home with her... and eventually the mother had an idea and contracted her own work to her other korean friends... who could actually sew better than her... and she eventually had all these korean women working for her... which is how she became a contractor herself... and ended up opening her own factory garmet business... which helped employ over a hundred of other workers... ppl who had a difficult time finding a job in the first place... thats kinda how the jist of the story went...

so yeah, i think your idea kinda goes along the same lines as this story about this korean mother wanting to help out her own... i think it sounds all good...

[ChinaLama]

I have a sneaking, maybe unfounded suspicion. "Garment factories," especially those that employ recent immigrants, are often sweatshops. If the factory Ms. Lee's mom worked at was a sweatshop, that really changes the tenor of the passage in her book.

[mr. x]

my aunt in taiwan has a filipino maid

[SunWuKong]

I have a sneaking, maybe unfounded suspicion. "Garment factories," especially those that employ recent immigrants, are often sweatshops. If the factory Ms. Lee's mom worked at was a sweatshop, that really changes the tenor of the passage in her book.


i agree. there are lots of garmet sweatshops in Chinatown. hell, there's always a page full of ads for them in the classified section of the Sunday edition of Sing Tao Daily (as well as half a page full of ads for prostitutes... but that's another story altogether). and what TB described strikes a sinking similarity to how those sweatshops are. how do i know how these sweatshops are? i have relatives that worked in them.

[tommyhtown]

nobody acknowledges the janitorial crew here at my office. i'm the only person that says "thank you" to the lady that empties our trash bins. i work with a bunch of ungrateful fucks.

Yep I noticed that at my office too. What's up with that?

[kasia]

i agree. there are lots of garmet sweatshops in Chinatown. hell, there's always a page full of ads for them in the classified section of the Sunday edition of Sing Tao Daily (as well as half a page full of ads for prostitutes... but that's another story altogether). and what TB described strikes a sinking similarity to how those sweatshops are. how do i know how these sweatshops are? i have relatives that worked in them.

it's kinda different, i guess. my grandma used to work in a garment factory in chinatown, and i used to spend my summers with her. the work environment is a little better - not great, though. they get lunch off - an hour. all the ladies (about 70 of them) line up with their rice boxes in front of the two microwaves. that was my favorite part of the day - running around with my plastic sanrio rice box with all the ladies yelling at me in chinese. =) but at least they get to eat lunch - unlike many sweatshops, right? and they get to go home at 5 - which is also unlike sweatshops. aside from those two things, though, i can't see the difference. the pay is way low

[SunWuKong]

it's kinda different, i guess. my grandma used to work in a garment factory in chinatown, and i used to spend my summers with her. the work environment is a little better - not great, though. they get lunch off - an hour. all the ladies (about 70 of them) line up with their rice boxes in front of the two microwaves. that was my favorite part of the day - running around with my plastic sanrio rice box with all the ladies yelling at me in chinese. =) but at least they get to eat lunch - unlike many sweatshops, right? and they get to go home at 5 - which is also unlike sweatshops. aside from those two things, though, i can't see the difference. the pay is way low


yeah the pay is very low, which just makes many of them work a lot more than the normal 40 hours a week. then if you consider the fact that these places are one of the few places they can find work, the line between these places and a sweatshop becomes extremely blurred.

i mean, it's not like these places treat their employees in some subhuman way. the only thing i don't like about it is that the pay is too low.

[AliBabaIncorporated]

i mean, it's not like these places treat their employees in some subhuman way. the only thing i don't like about it is that the pay is too low.
Well in most cases, if they struck for higher pay, the owner would just go cheap on other stuff, like safety gear and building maintenance.

Maybe this kind of job just can't be done profitably in the US (except for specialty services like rush orders which can't wait to be shipped from overseas, etc, but even those could be done in Mexico), given the cost of living, no matter how much you expand the labor supply by importing large number of desperate immigrants.

[SunWuKong]

Well in most cases, if they struck for higher pay, the owner would just go cheap on other stuff, like safety gear and building maintenance.

Maybe this kind of job just can't be done profitably in the US (except for specialty services like rush orders which can't wait to be shipped from overseas, etc, but even those could be done in Mexico), given the cost of living, no matter how much you expand the labor supply by importing large number of desperate immigrants.

correction - "this kind of job just can't be done profitably and legally in the US". :laugh: because of minimum wage laws.

well, the relatives i have that worked in these shops are all in NYC. i think it would be kind of costly to ship to another country for it to be done, even if it is Mexico. and besides, i think most of the time, clothes end up in these shops right before they hit retail. not sure what the exact circumstances are, but i imagine the case could be that right before some clothes are about to hit retail stores, they find that some of them need to be corrected or whatever, so straight to the nearest Chinatown they go! :laugh:

[ChinaLama]

in terms of "legal" sweatshops: well, what you could do is, and i'm just guessing, hire all the workers as "part time" on minimum wage and then allow them to do piecework for ridiculously low prices per piece. OR the factory can give workers a high quota to fulfill but only pay them for 40 hrs. either way, the worker would have to take their work home or something and so the real workweek would be a lot longer than 40 hrs but the workweek on paper would be 40 hrs w/ minimum wage.

my friend says her mom works in a sweatshop but it seems legit on the outside. for instance, they offer their employees health insurance. so i'm just guessing ways for a sweatshop to appear legit but still be a sweatshop.

[SunWuKong]

in terms of "legal" sweatshops: well, what you could do is, and i'm just guessing, hire all the workers as "part time" on minimum wage and then allow them to do piecework for ridiculously low prices per piece. OR the factory can give workers a high quota to fulfill but only pay them for 40 hrs. either way, the worker would have to take their work home or something and so the real workweek would be a lot longer than 40 hrs but the workweek on paper would be 40 hrs w/ minimum wage.

my friend says her mom works in a sweatshop but it seems legit on the outside. for instance, they offer their employees health insurance. so i'm just guessing ways for a sweatshop to appear legit but still be a sweatshop.


yeah i guess there are always loopholes. is there even some sort of minimum wage regulation if you are paid entirely based on commission? because i think that's how most of these shops work.