Experiencing Low-Wage Labor: A Waitress's Journey

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In the first chapter of Nickeled and Dimed, Ehrenreich begins her experiment in Key West, Florida, where she finds an apartment for $500 a month. Once she settles down, she began to apply to numerous jobs, and learns about the low-wage-job application process. When she does not hear from any of the jobs, she applies for a waitressing position. Ehrenreich is hired by the Hearthside,( she changed the names of of the people she met along the way). As a waitress she will work for two weeks from 2:00 in the evening until 10:00 at night for $2.30 an hour plus tips. Ehrenreich is trained by Gail on the ins and outs of waitressing, she gets to know some of the regular customers and bonds with her co workers. As time goes by, Ehrenreich detest the …show more content…

She noted that if someone couldn’t afford the security deposit for an apartment, they are compelled to live a hotel which is more costly. Also, if a person have a room, they cannot save enough money for nutritious food. No health insurance equals more costly health problems, after all these, Ehrenreich realizes that she needed a second job. Ehrenreich got a second waitressing job at Jerry’s. Jerry’s is a mess, the kitchen is a mess, the bathroom is partially equipped with toiletries and there is no break room because there are no breaks. She quits the Hearthside and decided to work at Jerry’s to make more money. Eventually, she moves closer to key west in order to save gas money. She moves into a small trailer in a trailer park. At Jerry’s, she experiences problems between the employees. A dishwasher was also accused of stealing. A month passed and Ehrenreich gets a housekeeping job in a hotel. Her housekeeping job only lasted a day, she earned $6.10 an hour. Carlie was responsible for training her, they watched soap operas as they moved from room to room. At jerry’s she waited four tables, and the customers were awful. When Joy yells at her, she decided to leave, although she did not quit; she left. Ehrenreich left Key west and gave her trailer to

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