New York State has just created access to
a “living wage”, I suppose, for those who are employed in the fast food
industry. Those jobs are completely
justified in bearing a fair wage such as 15 dollars per hour. I wish more power to all those people who
look to that type of employment for making a living. Frankly, many people who
do that work should earn even more, in my opinion. Especially, the people who need to engage
with the public; those cashiers and order-takers and drive-thru folks. They
often bear the burden of frequently rude customers and work in stressful
environments. I think those in the
retail industry also deserve higher wages for similar work they perform
unassumingly everyday.
You probably think I am about to
make the case that direct support professionals should be at equal wage level
to fast food workers and retail clerks. Especially as we see the NY State
legislature, among others in the country, raise the minimum wage for those
sectors. I disagree whole heartedly.
Direct support professionals should
NEVER be in a category with fast food workers and retail workers. Never. I say
this with great respect to those in that are employed in that field. My point is that the profession
of direct support is not a JOB. Direct
support is a profession and professions automatically demand fair and living
salaries. Professionals are developed,
educated and expected to perform at a level of great demand thus should be
compensated for that effort.
My concern is that advocates for
direct support professionals and direct
support professionals will feed into the notion that direct support pay should
be increased and that we should be in equal footing with the fast food
industry. Do not be fooled. Direct support involves complex skills, a
code of ethical conduct and a knowledge base of dizzying proportions. Of course compensation should greatly improve.
Direct support is not a job. It
never has been. Sadly, our society sees
it as an entry-level job. A stepping
stone type of work that can set you forth to other careers like social work or
nursing etc.. This is precisely the reason we will not see anything but the
continued decrease in wages for direct support professionals and the continued silly game of demanding a few dollars more for the "job" of direct support.
The rally cry we need to set forth
for the direct support professional wage crisis is this. All of us reading, probably and mostly
direct support allies, need to start having serious and much more frequent
conversations with the legislators, policy makers and insurance companies who
will ultimately be able to create rates and wage policies that are commensurate
with a profession, NOT A JOB!
Organizations like the NationalAlliance for Direct Support Professionals need many, many people to help with
this effort and campaign. We should not get caught
up with the “smoke-screen” of this fast food wage news. Good for them. All of us should rally to help the world
understand that direct support is a rewarding profession. When was the last time you
heard about dentists, doctors, lawyers or nurses needing to plea and rally for
a living wage? You won't. They are recognized as valuable professional careers.
So, don’t get caught up in the hype. Direct support is the next great profession! If we see the path other professions, like
nursing and social work, have taken, we are coming world!
I have a dream that we will very
soon see our day of professional wages.
