I think Sen. Kim Ward is being a bit hypocritical in accusing Gov. Josh Shapiro of being anti-worker (“Sen. Ward tells Shapiro to back sale to Nippon or watch jobs head to Ohio,” Jan. 9). In fact Ward and her party are pushing for Pennsylvania to become a right-to-work state. We all know what that means; the right-to-work for less pay, for less benefits and for less job security. You can not be an advocate for Southwest Pennsylvania workers and anti-union at the same time. Unions give workers a much-needed voice in the work place.
Then there is the issue of minimum wage. The Senate, which Ward leads, is blocking an increase in pay for Pennsylvania workers. Each year our lawmakers give themselves a raise but have refused for 15 years to give workers an increase. The $7.25 an hour minimum wage is nowhere near our cost of living, which is more than triple that amount. If you are lucky enough to make the cost-of-living wage, you know that level covers the bare minimum, if that. One could say working for $7.25 an hour is involuntary servitude, which just happens to be against the 13th Amendment.
Let’s ask Ward to stand up for Pennsylvania workers and support a much needed increase in minimum wage. This in itself will stimulate our local economy. And studies have shown that unions raise wages not only of their members but of all workers.
Jackie Hartwick
North Versailles