This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The debate over whether to increase the minimum wage continues. Those on the left are adamant that all workers are entitled to a living wage, while those on the right feel that an unskilled burger flipper or discount store shelf stocker doesn't warrant a raise, and they are willing to fire workers to prove their points.
Granted, these positions don't require much skill. And, thanks to the fallout from the events leading to the great recession, the supply of available workers far exceeds the demand.
What is missing from the equation is the contribution these unskilled workers make to the corporate bottom line, or how their efforts fill the pockets of the silk-lined suits of corporate executives. Without the front line, executives' pockets would be pretty empty.
If corporate executives are so reluctant to provide a decent wage to their workers, they could at least share some of the profits – which those workers provide – with them.
JoAnne Pogue
West Valley City