Low-income earners should get a break

To the editor:

I am considered a senior (I believe, at 63 years old) and I am working a very physically demanding part-time job on a daily, weekday basis. It was the only one I could find in Truro, while in my late fifties.

I started at $11 per hour, with approximately 20 hours per week, about six years ago and I am still at the same minimum wage today, as well as collecting a partial pension.

I have a part-time building superintendent’s job also; I do paperwork, have 12 apartment rental units in the building, and clean the common areas in exchange for a discount on my apartment rent so I can afford to live at least a simple, very basic, no frills lifestyle. I have no choice and I need to work until I am 65 years old because I am single – not by choice, through circumstances that were beyond my control a few years ago.

I consider working at minimum wage, with never an increase in pay, and with the cost of inflation going up every year, a travesty. I have asked various times for a raise and my managers have also gone to bat for me to help get me a raise but no luck, even though I am considered a very hard worker.

I have owned two businesses, had employees, and also worked as an office administrator/manager in the insurance industry with three licences as well and other office administration jobs throughout the years. I ran for alderman twice, which was a great experience in the City of Calgary many years ago as well. I have a variety of great work/job experiences but to no avail, especially living here in Nova Scotia.

I have lived in B.C., Alberta and now Nova Scotia. I consider this the worst province for wage and time off for statutory holidays with pay. Our stat holidays should be uniform all across Canada in every province.

Nova Scotia needs to step up to the plate and get with the program, to fight for all of us that are stuck in terrible low-income jobs with no chance of a raise in pay ever. I feel it is way too one-sided for Nova Scotia employers and definitely not equal for employees at all here.

I feel what I have experienced here in this province is shameful and makes all of us low-income earners feel bad about ourselves, with really no options of earning more or being able to afford to move to get better pay and benefits somewhere else.

Not much wonder they cannot find or keep steady workers — or doctors for that matter — in this province! Linda Reynolds,

Truro