Senator Kim Ward is being a bit hypocritical in accusing Governor Shapiro of being anti-worker. (Senator Ward tells Shapiro to back sale to Nippon, 1/9/25, TribLive).  In fact Ward and her party are pushing for Pennsylvania to become a right-to-work state. We all know what that means; the right-to-work for less pay, for less benefits, and for less job security. You can not be an advocate for Southwest Pa workers and anti-union at the same time. Unions give workers a much needed voice in the work place.

 

Then there is the issue of minimum wage. The senate, which Ward leads, is blocking an increase in pay for Pennsylvania workers. Each year our lawmaker’s give themselves a raise but have refused for 15 years to give workers an increase. The $7.25 an hour minimum wage is no-where near our cost-of-living, which is more than triple that amount. If you are lucky enough to make the cost-of-living wage, you know that level covers the bare minimum, if that. One could say working for $7.25 an hour is involuntary servitude, which just happens to be against the XIII Amendment.

 

Let’s ask Senator Ward to stand-up for PA workers and support a much needed increase in minimum wage. This in itself will stimulate our locale economy. And studies have shown that unions raise wages not only of their members but of all workers.

                                                                                          Jackie Hartwick