My third and final hypertext for the spring quarter will discuss the vital roles of those working for low pay at the Lehigh Permanente Cement Plant in Cupertino. Recent news has shone light on the plant and has caused me to become interested in the business. Everyone living in the bay area benefits from the output of Lehigh Permanente as half of the bay’s cement comes from the plant. The process of cement-making is highly underappreciated and much of the work involved takes place behind-the-scenes, while most people are fast asleep.

The low-tier employees that make cement production at Lehigh possible receive very low wages and tend to commute from other cities. They tend to represent minority ethnicities and lack high education. Truck drivers, delivery men, messengers, and construction crews allow for others to contribute to the cement-making process. Despite the low-skill nature of these low-wage jobs, they are as vital to production as top-paying jobs within the company.

This hypertext should especially impact those from the local area, as the recent news that caused me to discover the plant represents a great southern bay area tragedy – the murder of three by none other than a disgruntled Lehigh plant worker. The shooting reminded me to appreciate the stress placed on low-wage workers, and not to take cheap labor for granted.

David Newton