Transcript for: Virginia Mah describes the use of English in the plant
Virginia Mah
At the time, only speak Chinese.
[on camera]
I working as a sewing instructor for a year or so.
I would say 30% of my time is doing interpreting there.
[on camera]
I have to do interpreting between the worker and the supervisor.
[Cutaway sequence]
They didn't pay so good as an instructor. At that time it's piecework, and I'm making 140
percent on sewing machine on my job. So I asked him, hey John, next Monday can I go back on sewing machine? He said, oh no, no. How 'bout I pay you? You don't lose
besides your wages, you get better benefit. So I say, okay.
[on camera]
When they chosen me as an instructor, I have told them I don't think my English is enough. They said, no your English is pretty good already. But I still don't feel so confident myself. So at night time twice a week I did go to school.
[1:27]