The Great Wage Drag

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."