The Working-Class and Its Burden

By Jhonny Victor

Although we are living in the richest country in the world and most of us have a job, we are still struggling to make ends meet, to have affordable health insurance or to put food on the table, while executives are getting paid by millions.
Jhonny Victor is among those who are bearing the burden of being a blue collar worker in the United States; working as a Cable Technician for more than a decade for the second largest communication company in America.
His first book, “The Working Class And It’s Burden” is a collection of poems unfolding:

* His painful experience being a middle class in America.
* How corporate greed can cause anxiety and anger to its workers and their families.
* To inspire all who are struggling in their many different ways.
* As a Contribution to reduce the abysmal social and economic disparities between human beings.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 16, 2020
• ISBN: 9781984586674

Jhonny Victor

Jhonny Victor is an Haitian American Poet. He uses his native language, Haitian Creole; French and English as tools to express his emotions, his experiences and his philosophy of life through poetry, lyrics, essays, guitar playing and singing.

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Copyright © 2020 by Jhonny Victor.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 09/02/2020

Xlibris

844-714-8691

www.Xlibris.com

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CONTENTS

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Preface

PART I

In Office Or in the Field

Intelligence

And Yet

Brotherhood and Sisterhood

Relying on Each Other

Used to Be Good

At the Shanty

HAYADA: How You’re Doing

Delivery

The Seal-Tight Smashed

Slow Motion Helper

Overtime

Fear For Taking Their Spot

Treated As

My Skin, My Fate

Thanks for the Help

Crawling to Leave at Last

Layoff Sucks

PART II

Wondering Why It Takes So Long

No One Cares, None Dares

The Ignominious Pride

Union Busters

Fight Back

Why Can’t They?

Swamped By

Leftover

When

Needs to Be Met

Betrayal

What If

What about Us

Judgment

Loser Today, Winner Tomorrow

Won’t Take Long for Your Turn

PART III

Strength of Mind

Keep on Moving

The Awakened Outcasts

Illusion

No Easy Way

Can’t Only Wish

Give It Up Is Not an Option

Point-of-no-Return

Hope and Earning

Cry from the Mountain

The Awakened Outcasts

One Day

Celebration

To all my friends who believe in me, supported me with their

words of love and encouragement through this project;

To all my brothers and sisters;

To my mother, Marie Lourdes J. Hermann;

To my late father Jacques Andre Victor;

To my late sister Betty Victor

To my lovely daughters, Lourdelyne Bettyna

Victor and Stephany Victor; and

To their mother to whom I’m so grateful for having in my life,

Fredelyne Victor, for her unconditional love and friendship.

Thank you to all hard workers out there trying to

survive in this unjust economic system.

Preface

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For a few more bucks,

Souls are Sold, fate unassured,

But braves won’t crumble.

On a sunny spring-feeling morning of March 28, 2017, I was getting ready for my daily work. It’s a Tuesday. Like my everyday routine, I was heading to the shop located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Traffic was as usual, and I was as focused driving as deeply in my keenest hunch of a doubtful tomorrow.

While approaching the parking lot, it took me by surprise to see that everyone was outside, whistle-blowing, honking out loud, chanting, screaming, and signs hanging in their stomachs printed in red and blue the words

ON STRIKE

ELECTRICAL WORKERS

LOCAL UNION No. 3

UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE

ON STRIKE

CABLE TECHNICIAN

LOCAL UNION No. 3

It has been rumored that we might be on strike for a few months after the merge occurred. The new owner has ever since spurned to faithfully bargain with our local representatives; hence, we have decided to go on strike. I’ve been aware of that matter, but either hope or denial prevented me from psychologically being prepared for it. That was the beginning of the historically becoming longest strike in the United States.

Driving in a circle until I found a spot; I parked, but I remained seated, idling for a while with deep thoughts of unpredictability. I finally got out of the car and joined