All work deserves a living wage

Do you ever wonder why people in far-away places write into our local newspaper?

Case in point is the Aug. 6 letter to the editor from Samantha Summers of the Employment Policies Institute in Washington, D.C. Summers is very concerned that higher wages are a barrier to teenage employment. And she must know what she is talking about: She works for an “institute,” right?

Well, no.

There really is no such thing as the Employment Policy Institute, well, other than as a “front” for a lobbyist in Washington named Rick Berman (Berman & Co.). The EPI is registered as a tax-exempt organization, but shares space totally with Berman. And EPI doesn’t really have any employees, other than those employed by Berman, who write letters and post under the name of the EPI so they will sound authoritative, rather then totally mercenary. The fact is that Berman is a major lobbyist for the restaurant, hotel, alcoholic beverage and tobacco industries. They could not care less about employment for teenagers. Their only concern is keeping costs down for their clients.

The fact is that everyone with a job deserves to be paid a living wage. First of all as a matter of human dignity. But also, if they are not paid a living wage we, as taxpayers, have to help support them through subsidized rent, food stamps, health care, etc.

It is only fair that employers support their employees through living wages.

Perhaps they could use some of the money they spend on lobbyists to increase wages?

Steve Guinn

Edmonds