Posted: February 11, 2015
Source: Teamster.org

By Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa
Published in the Detroit News, February 11, 2015

[dropcap type=”simple”]S[/dropcap]ometimes real life can seem like a movie. Such is the case with James Robertson, the 56-year-old Detroit man who walked 21 miles roundtrip to his factory job in Rochester Hills each day after his car died and his job moved further into the suburbs.

The Michigan and even the national media have become enamored with Mr. Robertson’s story, and rightfully so. It is inspirational and a testament to this gentleman’s fortitude. He should be praised for his effort and is more than deserving of the online fundraising campaign created in his behalf that got him a new car and more than $300,000.

But it shouldn’t have to come to this. We should be under no illusions that Mr. Robertson is the only worker facing such challenges in Detroit or the U.S. How is it that we live in a country where hardworking people who toil full-time jobs struggle so much that they must endure ridiculous hardships just to earn a paycheck?

This story, hopefully, will shine a light on the real problems of low-wage workers. Many cannot afford basic transportation to get them to work. While owning a vehicle might not have been a necessity before, a lack of investment in mass transit has caused reductions in service that makes having a vehicle all the more essential. In fact, Mr. Robertson’s long walk to work was necessitated by cuts in bus service in metro Detroit.

Beyond that, however, Michigan and America face a significant income gap, one that has been growing more pronounced between the top one percent and the rest of the workforce. Despite a reduction in the unemployment rate, workers are still struggling. The rich are getting richer, while wages for the poor remain stagnant.
— Read the complete source story.

[divider_top]