The Great Wage Drag

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A report from UCLA's Chicano Studies Research Center found that American-born laborers in "brown-collar" jobs — that is, jobs disproportionately held by Hispanic immigrants — earn 11% less than workers in comparable occupations. The study says the limited political power of Hispanic cooks, painters and gardeners creates a wage drag. Says Chon Noriega, the center's director: "The only way we can address this inequity is to give Hispanics the same protections as other workers."