Yes to minimum wage hike

I take great offence to people who say the minimum wage should not go up. But they are OK with unionized public servants demanding, and getting, more than a 10% wage increase because they say the cost of living is too high.

These same people, who I guess make substantially more than minimum wage, have benefits and pension (plans) as well, something minimum wage earners do not get. Even WestJet’s pilots just got a 24% increase (over three years). You don’t think those increases will add to the price of everything else?

Everyone deserves a living wage and to accept one increase and oppose another is shortsighted and wrong. Many people on minimum wage work more than one job to make ends meet. Think of that when opposing their hope for a living wage.

We only have to look south of the border (to the U.S.) to see the minimum wage has stagnated at $7.25 for decades and has faced continued opposition to raising it.

There are so many living in poverty, working multiple jobs and relying on food stamps to survive. The cost of living in some (U.S.) cities is not much different than in ours and they do not enjoy free public health care like we do here in Canada.

Carole Kormendy