Letters to the Editor: California shouldn’t bestow higher minimum wages on select workers

To the editor: Reasonable minimum-wage laws are an appropriate and necessary facet of life in modern society. (“Fast-food wage hike puts Democrats on defense as Californians worry about cost of living,” April 3)

Higher than standard minimum wages for specific jobs and industries, however, should be viewed with suspicion, especially when they can be tied to the outsize influence that certain powerful labor unions, such as the Service Employees International Union, enjoy in the California Legislature.

The SEIU was not only the dominant force behind the new $20-minimum wage for fast-food workers, but also the even higher $25 rate that will apply over time to California healthcare workers.

What we as a community consider to be an appropriate minimum wage should apply to all workers, not just those who fit neatly into the organizing plans of certain favored unions.

Russ Swartz, Granada Hills

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To the editor: It’s not just California workers stuck in middle of the prices-wages controversy.

I’m from Southern California, now living in northwest Georgia for work. You can’t find any people who hate spending more for something than (most) conservative Southerners.

Everyone wants prices as low as possible — but in order to have such low prices, it means the workers become trapped in poverty wages. But if workers are to get decent pay, company owners will of course reflect that in their prices.

It’s not possible to have both low prices and decently paid workers.

Gail Noon, Rossville, Ga.

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To the editor: All I read about is how fast-food restaurants want to raise prices. Have they ever thought to reduce the size of their food portions?

Europeans are often amazed at the size of the portions of food in our restaurants. A typical hamburger today compared to one in the 1950s is about three times as big. Portions of French fries have also expanded, as have servings of soft drinks.

“Shrinkflation” may be a bad word at the grocery store, but it would be good at these restaurants because it would result in more healthfully sized portions. It may not be enough, but it could shrink the size of any price and a lot of people’s waistlines.

Ron Karam, Fullerton

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To the editor: California Democrats have gone too far. They, like the Republicans nationally, have abandoned any ideas of compromise and moderation in politics, and it’s opening the door to reactionary government, which usually breeds incompetent, strong-man leaders.

We need competency in government, not zealotry.

Chet Chebegia, San Marcos

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To the editor: While I applaud Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state Legislature for increasing the minimum wage for fast-food workers to $20 per hour, why does this law only apply to fast-food workers?

Recently, I was dumbstruck and outraged to learn from a good friend that after working for CVS as a clerk for decades, she is earning only $19.75 per hour — less than a new fast-food employee in California.

CVS is a major corporation with more than 9,000 stores nationwide, so why doesn’t this new minimum wage apply to it and other businesses? Is it possible that most people, like me, just don’t know how poorly many workers are paid, even after many years of employment?

It looks to me like there is a lot more work to be done by legislators if they truly believe in worker parity for all, and not just those with political influence.

Pauline Flanders, Whittier