Marshall Islands Work Environment
It’s hard to write about how people work in the Marshall
Islands when the last reports in 2006 list unemployment at 36%. If there is somewhat of a silver lining in
this, its that they’re not the worst in unemployment. There are 16 other countries
with worse unemployment than them. The
national minimum wage is at $2 per hour currently, with the average wage around
$3 per hour. This makes the average annual salary, according to the 2011 census, $6,476.
The services industry (including hotels and restaurants) makes up over 72% of the Marshall Islands labor force according to the Central Intelligence Agency. The main employer of the Marshall Islands is the government. They employ all cabinet workers, garbage collectors, recycling plant workers, electric company workers, water purification workers, street cleaners, police/firefighters and public school teachers. We were not in government buildings very much and it did not appear that there were that many people working in those institutions. The majority of people we saw working were in sales or taxi driving. Whether it was in a store selling goods from electronics to groceries, this is where the bulk of the employment seemed to come from. To make ends meet many houses had their own stores where they sold a number of products but mostly snacks and soft drinks. They simply acquired a permit from the government, cut a hole in the side of their house and started selling things they bought at the supermarket. Although the heavily populated south-east part of the atoll had everything within comfortable walking distance, it was nice to have a store on every block (even on the side streets) to quench our thirst or grab a quick snack. Many had awnings that people stood under to get out of the mid-day sun and socialize. Since there were no bars outside of restaurants, these became the local watering holes for gossip and camaraderie. The industry sector makes up 16.3% of all employment but we were not able to get a good look at all of the people coming and going from those employers. When we asked the locals where all the good jobs are at, they said the fish processing plant. We found it to be true because when we rode or walked past it, there was always hustle and bustle going on beyond the fences. People were always milling about or waiting to clock in or out. I imagine these places were a good consistent paycheck for the workers. We were able to tour the copra (coconut) production plant which also employs 67 full time workers and will be adding more as soon as their soap production plant goes online. This place employs not only production workers but also people to head out on boats and collect the coconuts to be brought back for processing. Although not directly employed by the Copra plant, the farmers who harvest, husk and cook the coconuts are indirectly employed by the plant making the reach of its impact on the Marshall Island community go far beyond the 67 in the plant. Agriculture made up 11% of the labor force in 2011. Although we don’t have specific numbers, we have to believe the majority of the agriculture heading would be coconut farmers. There has been a recent push to incorporate more crops into the farmers land, but that would be difficult since they are planting on crushed coral and sand. The natural soil of the Marshalls is not exactly perfect for growing plants that are not native to that area. Also, farming the natural products of the Marshalls (coconut, bread fruit, pandanus fruit, and bananas) which grow until their bounty falls from the trees and can be picked up (with the exception of bananas which need to be cut from the tree) is easy. Crops such as corn, carrots or watermelon need to be tended on a regular basis but unfortunately, the Marshallese are not known for their preventative maintenance (which they have admitted as much to us in our conversations with them). Planter farming is becoming the new norm for many Majuro farmers and that is where the non-traditional crops are being grown for the most part, at this time. |
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Handicrafts
I’m not sure what heading handicrafts should be put
under. They are a services trade, providing goods for others as well as employing many women on every atoll. Handicrafts could be under the industry
heading because they are their own industry, using materials from the land and
selling the finished products all over the world. The kili bag was made famous after Jackie Onassis Kennedy bought one
while visiting and wore it around Washington D.C. Or they could go under the heading of
agriculture because they are made entirely of locally grown plant products.
No matter what heading you put the handicrafts under they are simply marvelous. The combination of weaving styles coupled with the colors and textures of the local plant life make this style of art distinctive to the Marshall Islands. The methods used are passed down from generation to generation. Although the main handicraft stores can be found on Majuro, the goods found inside were made from women from every atoll in the tiny nation. Artists from the other atolls make the work, stock up finished pieces and send them in when the handicraft stores on Majuro run out of their work or their style of weaving. It’s not only a way to earn money for their families, this art also helps identify the Marshall Islands in the world’s at market. |