Eric Adams Excoriated By the Left for Saying ‘Low-Skilled Workers’ Don’t Have the Academic Credentials ‘To Sit in a Corner Office’
Progressives on Twitter slammed New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who is just into his first week in office, for remarks about low-skill workers.
“I don’t know if my businesses are sharing with their employees, ‘You are part of the ecosystem of this city,’” said Adams at a Tuesday press conference. “My low-skill workers, my cooks, my dishwashers, my messengers, my shoe shine people, those that work in Dunkin’ Donuts, they don’t have the academic skills to sit in the corner office. They need this.”
Adams has repeatedly called for people to return to work in-person, especially in that it would helping the working class.
“We have to open up. What we must understand is the resiliency of returning back to a normal life. If we don’t open our cities, there are almost a million people that are behind in their rents right here in this city,” said Adams on CNN Tuesday. “We have low-skilled employees who can’t do remote employment from home or telecommuting. That’s not a reality in a city like New York and America. I need my cities to open.”
The remarks drew heavy criticism on the left.
The suggestion that any job is “low skill” is a myth perpetuated by wealthy interests to justify inhumane working conditions, little/no healthcare, and low wages.
Plus being a waitress has made me and many others *better* at our jobs than those who’ve never known that life. https://t.co/dhkhBwyNWK
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 5, 2022
Ironically, the “low-skilled workers” Eric Adams is referring to were deemed essential just a year ago.
And to be quite clear, many individuals go to school and still work jobs that aren’t in corporate.https://t.co/zw6G0sNp9T
— Anna Gifty (@itsafronomics) January 4, 2022
“Low skill workers like cooks, messengers and Dunkin’ Donuts employees don’t have the academic skills to sit in a corner office” who is he to say they don’t?
— Aja Smith (@AjaforCongress) January 5, 2022
IDK, if I were a so-called “low skill worker” that “don’t have the academic skills to sit in a corner office,” I might just walk out on him and his city. https://t.co/DJ5G9e0XxH
— jason_wilson (@jason_wilson) January 4, 2022
Umm, how are “Essential workers” of 2020 now the “low academic skill” workers of 2022? 🤦🏻♂️
NYC mayor @ericadamsfornyc says “Low skill workers like cooks, messengers and Dunkin’ Donuts employees don’t have the academic skills to sit in a corner office”. 👀 pic.twitter.com/BJobdmPVym
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) January 5, 2022
Eric Adams is garbage and the only low skill workers in America are cops such as himself. Shooting and harassing people is rocket science. https://t.co/YD9NZ1QN1C
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) January 5, 2022
Eric Adams didn’t even have enough skills to convincingly decorate the Brooklyn apt he doesn’t live in. But wants to call essential workers in NYC low skilled. I’m so angry.
— Leslie Mac (@LeslieMac) January 5, 2022
“low skill workers”
“academic skills”That language usually associates itself with elitism & people who don’t favor a living wage.
Shame on you, Eric Adams.
— Angela Belcamino (@AngelaBelcamino) January 5, 2022
no such thing as low skill workers, just undervalued ones https://t.co/IPgPHgqXFO
— sara david (@SaraQDavid) January 4, 2022
I have a Master’s from Columbia & worked as a reporter while at the same time earning more per hour driving for DoorDash. I’ve had Uber drivers who were doctors in their home countries.
The economy is broken. Don’t assume shit about “low-skilled” workers @ericadamsfornyc https://t.co/w9l3NhfVvn
— IDK About You But I’m Feeling 2022 (@SantiagoReports) January 5, 2022
Eric Adams could’ve said nothing but instead he said many blue collar workers are dumb. https://t.co/kcAO5tDZhs
— Young Daddy (@Toure) January 5, 2022
Eric Adams week 1: minimum wage workers don’t have brains
Eric Adams week 64: apes aren’t real— the white mike shinoda (@Yelix) January 5, 2022
If you’re calling low-wage workers in the food service industry “low-skill,” you’ve clearly never worked or been close to someone who worked in the food service industry.
cc: @ericadamsfornyc
— Ashton Pittman (@ashtonpittman) January 5, 2022
Despite the backlash, Adams stood by his remarks.
Mayor Eric Adams, asked on CBS about his comments about “low skill workers,” says “I was a cook. I was a dishwasher,” and people are trying to misconstrue his words.
He says he was making the point that New York must stay open so that “low wage employees are able to survive.”— Emma G. Fitzsimmons (@emmagf) January 5, 2022
