Higher wages, less staff turnover

Dear editor: My friend owns a large cement manufacturing business. He suffers if he does not pay a good wage. The workers will not show up which results in no business.

He has calculated that $17 per hour is a fair wage to start. If the worker proves to be productive and trainable, then wages increase. He is a smart fellow, respected and successful.

Everyone in the work force has monthly expenses to be able to live and exist. This is not negotiable. If working does not provide this, then the government is asked to supplement or just outright pay welfare.

Our government says that $28,000 per year is the poverty level for a family of four. It is about half that for a single person due to accommodations and efficacy.

Should we begin with the tax department? If one person needs about $17,000 per annum to live on, then should his or her tax-free earnings be set at that? Anything less will not be enough.

You can be sure there will not be a bank account growing out of such low wages. It is a sad time that government legislation is required in this area.

It is sad to hear Tim Hortons squeal like a stuck pig and some franchise owners are being right mean to their employees. As an employer, is it not more advantageous to have loyal happy employees than to have unhappy ones?

Another friend of mine owned a dry cleaning shop — very busy and successful. His employees stayed for years due to the proper attitude and decent wages and respect by the employer, which in turn is repaid back by the happy workers. If you do not offer a good atmosphere in your business it will reflect back to you having problems with staff turnover, people not showing up for work and other problems.

Is the problem on the part of the employer, the inability to pay or not wanting to pay? The employer needs to re-evaluate his position and decide which road he wants to travel: the one with many ruts and bumps or the paved one.

Being an employer/business owner is not an easy task even today. There are many expenses to cover before the owner pays himself. Jorgen Hansen Kelowna