B&H Got Some 'Splaining To Do

[cgw]

Vote with your $$$ and shop elsewhere. No shortage of other vendors for photo merch.

 

[limr]

1. Are you kidding? It very much still matters what family/town/street you are from.
2. Race does matter. The deck is still very stack against those who are not white males in most parts of the country.
<snip>

1. Okay; I don't see why, but I'll take your word for it.
2. Perhaps this is a national issue; I've certainly seen no evidence of it around me.
<snip>

Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it's not there. And chances are, if it's not happening to you, you're not going to see it. It reminds me of when I was living in Istanbul. Conversations with Turkish colleagues revealed that they believed there simply were no handicapped people in Istanbul. "I've never seen a handicapped person in my life, so we must not have them." was their reasoning. Meanwhile, the sidewalks, where they existed, were really high and narrow, and almost nothing was handicapped-accessible. Streets were crowded and public transportation was good, but buses were crowded and old. Chances are, there were plenty of handicapped people but they were either not leaving home, or they had private transportation. Either way, they were not very visible to the rest of the population.

These days, discrimination isn't as blatant in most places, but it's still pervasive enough that even a person's name can hold him or her back if it's too "ethnic." I know one data point does not make a theory, but consider a story like this, which got a lot of press but is not the only example of this behavior by far: How One Man Turned His Fruitless Job Search Around By Changing His Name

My last name is Rodrigues. Have I ever lost out on work because of my name? I have no idea. I have no evidence for or against, so I'm not making any claims of discrimination, but I do know it's more likely to have happened to me than to someone whose last name is Jones or Smith.

 

[JacaRanda]

Buzzkill time! Buzzkill time!

Why do I have to enter this thread like a mean old Nurse Ratched with tiny paper cups containing happy pills for everyone?

This is becoming borderline political, at best. It would be perfect in the Subscriber's forum. Quick! Everyone here make sure to subscribe so that if I am forced to move this thread, you can all play along.

Meanie! But I like it

 

[terri]

Meanie! But I like it

So good to know.

 

[runnah]

Have I ever lost out on work because of my name? I have no idea. I have no evidence for or against, so I'm not making any claims of discrimination, but I do know it's more likely to have happened to me than to someone whose last name is Jones or Smith.

I personally would never hire a Leonore.

 

[runnah]

1. Are you kidding? It very much still matters what family/town/street you are from.
2. Race does matter. The deck is still very stack against those who are not white males in most parts of the country.
3. Undocumented doesn't always mean illegal, it can mean employers will hire people and pay them "under the table".
4. It is the responsibility of an employer to provide a safe, healthy work environment for its employees and to also pay them a livable wage. But not all companies are the moral and will often take liberty with the definitions of "safe" and "livable".

1. Okay; I don't see why, but I'll take your word for it.
2. Perhaps this is a national issue; I've certainly seen no evidence of it around me.
3. Ahh... got it. Thanks for clarifying.
4. Safe, yes. "livable" (as in a wage one can live on, I assume), no. Fair, yes, livable no. Of course "livable" varies by region, but in my area the bottom end of "livable", factoring in taxes and so un, would be about $30,000, which works out to around $16/hr. There are plenty of jobs which are simply not worth $16/hr. Leave us also remember that the more we force companies to pay for entry-level/unskilled labour, the more we pay for their product/service.

1. Let me translate this into Canadian. Say you are born into a family with the fastest sled dogs, but the family across the tundra has slow sled dogs. This means that their family is much more likely to be eaten by wolves.
2. It's a worldwide issue, check out the struggles of the native population up there.
3. You're welcome. It's a very serious issue. Undocumented workers are less likely to report unsafe conditions and much more likely to be killed on the job. Being in the construction industry we see lots of this happening in smaller companies. If you get caught hiring undocumented workers you face serious fines.
4. That is a false argument. Jobs are worth what people are willing to pay. More importantly the reason why goods would go up after a wage increase is when those in charge are unwilling to cut profit expectations. Most large companies are expected to earn 10% profit increase year after year. This profit comes from cutting wages and benefits, not by increasing revenue.

 

[limr]

Have I ever lost out on work because of my name? I have no idea. I have no evidence for or against, so I'm not making any claims of discrimination, but I do know it's more likely to have happened to me than to someone whose last name is Jones or Smith.

I personally would never hire a Leonore.

Totally. We're problematic

 

[runnah]

Totally. We're problematic

Well since you are a film user I assume all Leonores are so that's why you'll get no work from me!

 

[tirediron]

1. Let me translate this into Canadian. Say you are born into a family with the fastest sled dogs, but the family across the tundra has slow sled dogs. This means that their family is much more likely to be eaten by wolves.
2. It's a worldwide issue, check out the struggles of the native population up there.
3. You're welcome. It's a very serious issue. Undocumented workers are less likely to report unsafe conditions and much more likely to be killed on the job. Being in the construction industry we see lots of this happening in smaller companies. If you get caught hiring undocumented workers you face serious fines.
4. That is a false argument. Jobs are worth what people are willing to pay. More importantly the reason why goods would go up after a wage increase is when those in charge are unwilling to cut profit expectations. Most large companies are expected to earn 10% profit increase year after year. This profit comes from cutting wages and benefits, not by increasing revenue.

1. Exactly when the polar bear is chasing us, I don't have to run fast, just as long as it's faster than you!
2. That is a completely different issue (and, FWIW, as the Canadian born son of Canadian-born parents, I am as native as anyone!), and far more complex. Also one with which I have first-hand experience.
3. Makes sense, a company engaging in illlegal trade or labour practices should held accountable.
4. "Willing to pay" and "forced to pay" are not necessarily the same thing. That said, I suspect we should agree to disagree on that issue.

 

[JacaRanda]

In case this news was only local to Los Angeles LA Times

Sociology, human nature, shiz happens. Often shocked, rarely surprised.

 

[waday]

1. Exactly when the polar bear is chasing us,

 

[Designer]

Dave; why did you post this? I infer by your title that it is B&H who is totally at fault, and is that the position that we each must take in order to avoid censure? If someone chooses to take B&H's side, he is beaten down mercilessly. So why is that? How political does this thread have to be before it is locked? What has the article to do with photography, aside from the fact that B&H is a well-known retailer that many of us have patronized? What are we to take away from this article and thread?

 

[waday]

What has the article to do with photography, aside from the fact that B&H is a well-known retailer that many of us have patronized?

I personally like to know these things about companies I buy from, and B&H is pretty relevant to this forum. For example, to this day, I do not support Wal-Mart, no matter how much they 'roll back prices' with their smiley face.

That said, IMO, there were a couple of comments that led to more comments which led to @terri threatening to take this to the subscriber's forum.

That said said, if we take this to the subscriber's forum, do we get to

Spoiler

make fun of people behind their back*

in the subscriber's forum?

*just kidding... You'll have to subscribe to find out what craziness goes on in there..

 

[rexbobcat]

Dave; why did you post this? I infer by your title that it is B&H who is totally at fault, and is that the position that we each must take in order to avoid censure? If someone chooses to take B&H's side, he is beaten down mercilessly. So why is that? How political does this thread have to be before it is locked? What has the article to do with photography, aside from the fact that B&H is a well-known retailer that many of us have patronized? What are we to take away from this article and thread?

How is it my fault if you censor yourself because of the title? I'm not a mod. It's not like I can delete your responses.

 

[snerd]

Good grief. Only one side allowed here........ the bleeding-heart liberal, white-guilt hand-wringers who see evil around every corner. Just don't post your conservative viewpoint..... you'll get banned, just like I did! I'll be moving on now, you fine folks enjoy your liberal love-fest.