Morton Marcus
My friends are traveling. They were in Sioux City, then Pierre, and headed for the Badlands. They are thoughtful people, and they’ll leave a good tip for the maids who clean their motel or hotel rooms.
Just for fun, I looked up some data about their journey. In Iowa, according to the latest (May 2022) report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners average $13.58 per hour. In South Dakota, they average $13.32 per hour. Both are less than Hoosier Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners who get a royal $13.79 per hour.
I understand. The pay level is not a reflection on the quality of work these workers do scrubbing Junior’s chewing gun off the TV screen and Dad’s explosion after consuming that third bowl of chili. No!
It’s old Supply and Demand, bringing about equilibrium where willing firms hire willing workers in a highly competitive market.
If someone asked my friends, “What’s it worth to you to step into a nice clean room each night, with fresh sheets and folded towels, a clean toilet and an empty waste basket?”
What do you think they’d say?
Of course, the sophisticated people who read this column recognize it’s not the Maid alone who should get credit for the clean room. Don’t forget Ms. Legree, the First-line Supervisor of Housekeeping & Janitorial Workers, who makes sure each room is spotless and prepared according to The Manual of Travel Accommodations.
In Iowa, Ms. Legree earns $21.46 per hour, 58% more than the Maid. In South Dakota, the differential is 52%, and in Indiana, the premium for being a Supervisor is 60% more per hour than being the Maid.
Lest we forget, there are management folks up the ladder. Plus there is the mortgage on the property, the return on investment for all that infrastructure (including the SuperComfy® mattress), the franchise fees, and the local “hospitality” taxes on the traveling public.
If you were a person seeking equity, you might argue that the people who protect us are among the most important people in society. That’s why firefighters and police officers are well paid for their jobs. Then why not pay more for protection from disease?
Why don’t we hear your voice when we learn Hoosier Janitors make $15.44 an hour, Dishwashers $12.31, and Refuse Collectors $20.45? Is it because they deal with what you leave behind, what you cast away, what you don’t value, what you say uuch to when your two-year old comes to you with a big smile and a big pile of uuch in hand?
These occupations are on the front line of public health. In their absence, we would need more doctors and nurses. Why are we unwilling to pay more to those who clean up after us?
Mr. Marcus is an economist. Reach him at [email protected]. Follow him and John Guy on Who Gets What? wherever podcasts are available or at mortonjohn.libsyn.com
