NY Guyanese minimum wage earners rallying for better working conditions

Dear Editor,
I am always amused by ‘suffering Guyanese’ who reside in ‘greener pastures.’ I am glancing through a piece and it says that “… several Guyanese- Americans joined other workers to protest the working conditions at their job sites in Queens…”
They are complaining about “… working for minimum wages, under very stressful conditions, and are demanding wage increases as well as better working conditions.” I back up here and bring back memories of an incident in Canada. There was this particular young man, who insisted on ‘refusing to wear a helmet’ as a cyclist. His religion says that he must keep on his headwear, and this of course will preclude his wearing the helmet. I thought to myself, that this man is a fool. His country of origin is giving him that special religious right and he is living in one that disallows it. He should go back home.
Another case comes to mind. The female was supposed to present her ‘uncovered face’ for photo identification. She was being prohibited by her religion.
Her land of origin does not have this kind of problem, as women are not that important there – they do not even have a presence. Again I am thinking that only a fool would leave home and go to a place where he/ she is not deemed as valuable. This kind of thinking is ‘wacko.’ So when Guyanese are objecting to “… getting a four or five minute break during shifts that normally run from 07:30h to 15:00h,” and having to work for even less than minimum wage, I say what in the world are they doing there.
Look at some more grouses: The companies earn huge profits and pay their workers low wages (many Guyanese work at the airports providing low skill labour); The protesters complained about the disparity and income inequality for low-wage workers as opposed to those who earn bigger bucks; The protesters said they want higher wages so they can have better living conditions.
In my case, if I am to go there and live, I have to be prepared to ‘put up’ or get back home. Yes, it could be that labour laws are being violated and that human rights are being ignored, but my point is that many who go to North America are not prepared for reality. Also, the conditions that they have to put up with are far less harsh than what they had left here. However, it is this feeling that being in the U. S. or Canada is so much better than being here.
At another level, I do feel sorry for these struggling people. I know that it can be brutal. However, they made the choice and they must endure until ‘better can be done.’ By the way, they can come back too.
Editor, this man is my relative, so it is not a make-up story. He got his PhD from a university in the U. S. (Arizona), and after teaching at the University of Guyana, he migrated to Canada. He was not even allowed to teach in a high school – until and unless.
This man I met in Canada. He was a professor of law in Saudi Arabia. Guess where he was working – flipping burgers at a fast food joint. I rest my case.
Yours truly,
Graham Boston