Immigrants in the Hotel Industry

In my first hypertext essay I talked briefly about my own experience in the low wage workforce as well as artists and their low wage struggles. For my second hypertext essay I want to focus on immigrants working in the hotel industry. Having worked as a housekeeper on a guest ranch in Wyoming this past summer, I experienced the full effects what it is like to work long hours for little pay.
Housekeeping is a common employment opportunity many immigrants flock to, sometimes earning as little as $5.25 an hour. As hotels transform to a more luxurious “home away from home,” added amenities only provide maids with more to do in less time. During busy seasons, maids are typically expected to clean a set amount of rooms and are forced to work through breaks and lunch to finish on time. Not only are hotel maids considerably underpaid but they also endure harsh working conditions and treatment. Without a doubt, housekeepers hold one of the most dangerous jobs in a hotel. Hotel maids fall victim to on-the-job injuries as well as verbal, physical, and sexual abuse from managerial staff. Many hotel maids develop medical problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome and serious back injuries from the overly repetitive and meticulous nature of housekeeping. Still, the hotel industry relies heavily on immigrants to keep hotels operating throughout America. Immigrants often flock towards these “unskilled” employment opportunities because many Americans do not want them. Further, discrimination and the lack of understanding of diversity, thwart immigrant success in America. These disadvantages leave many immigrants vulnerable to tainted businesses and corporations that undercut worker rights. Employers rely on immigrant workers because they think they can get away with cheating them of their wages. Like most low wage workers in the US today, these New Immigrants, legal and illegal, find little glamour in their daily work and often struggle to make ends meet.