Humanities Homework Help

Answer two (2) “Questions to Consider.” Summaries must be a minimum of 300 words and you are encouraged to write more. (Note: The total 300-word count does not include repeating the questions you chose to answer.

This week we will begin our deep dive into how one group of immigrant Latinos manage and survive low wage restaurant work. The “Bus Boys” are somewhat unique in how they try to control and increase their autonomy over their work. As you will see, they sacrifice a lot to maintain some degree of consistency and control over their jobs.

QUESTIONS!!!! PICK 2 TO ANSWER

Chapter 3:

1. What was the most striking or interest thing about Chuy’s story of crossing the border?

2. For undocumented workers, the most difficult task is managing the risks associated with their illegal status. It requires “flying under the radar” at work and in the larger society. How does “flying under the radar” manifest itself in the workplace? Specifically how does it influence and impact employer/employee relations?

3. Is the stereotyped version of the “hard working Latino immigrant” a good thing or a bad thing for immigrants?

4.Comparatively speaking, do Mexican immigrants view working in the U.S. harder or easier than working in Mexico? And what are the implications?

Your readings for this week and next week are from the book titled Labor and Legality. It was published in 2011 and the author, Ruth Gomberg-Munoz states, “contradictory and confusing U.S. policy toward unauthorized immigration sends mixed signals to undocumented people.” She adds, “(the policy) leads many undocumented people to doubt the seriousness of anti-immigrant endeavors.” And she concludes with a quote from one of the Lions, Lalo, who says, “the United States is a very powerful country, if they really wanted to keep people out, they would do it.”

Obviously, things have changed since this book was published. So the question is do you think the message is clear now? Is it the right message? And do you think it will discourage people from crossing? And if you had the chance to ask Lalo about our current policy toward undocumented workers what do think he would say?

Chapter 4:

1. Among undocumented workers, social networks are relied on heavily for the purpose of finding jobs. How does this work? And to what degree do the workers, and in this particular case the busboys, control jobs and the flow of information about jobs? Why do they take on this responsibility? What’s in it for them?

2. Based on what you read, were you surprised by the level of control that the employers allowed the workers to have in terms of recruiting workers for open positions? Why would an employer allow the workers such latitude in controlling the process?

3. We generally assume that immigrant/undocumented workers take the crappy jobs that the rest of us will not take. But based on the readings, this is clearly not the case. So how do immigrant workers evaluate the quality of their jobs? What are they looking for in an employer? What collective information do they use to determine which jobs they should and should not take?

4. Prior to this week’s readings, what were your assumptions about how immigrants managed their money and lived their lives when they were not at work? Based on the readings, have you changed your views? (Please explain) Also, do you think the fact that it is harder to go back home now, has changed the way undocumented immigrants are living and thinking about the future? (Please explain)