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Letter: Pay workers enough to live

Heather Day, right, takes part in a protest outside the Fred Meyer grocery store in Burien, Wash., against Fred Meyer's parent company Kroger, Friday, May 15, 2020, that was organized by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. Kroger officials have said they are ending the additional $2 hourly "hero pay" bonus that had been paid to workers since late March during the coronavirus pandemic. The company said Friday it will now offer one-time bonus payments of $400 and $200 for full- and part-time employees to be paid in two installments. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

I am happy to see the wave of construction of high-density housing in Salt Lake City. With luck, this will mitigate the dash to the suburbs with its inevitable increase in commuting by car and consequent air quality deterioration.

I am also pleased by the determination to make some proportion of new housing capacity “affordable” by those with low and moderate incomes. This will not only decrease long-distance commuting, but will allow workers to have more time to spend with their families.

That said, many of the workers who stand to benefit from this effort have been determined to be essential during the coronavirus pandemic. In fact, they are essential at all times.

A better solution would be to pay these workers what they are worth. For example, if the folks who keep your grocery store functioning are essential to you, they shouldn’t have to work two or three jobs to support their families.

Dana Carroll, Salt Lake City

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