On workers who pick up trash at Maryland Stadiums (which only exist due to massive state subsidies) wanting the ability to actually LIVE on their earnings.
The United Workers might mean well, but it labors under the misconception that government should make unskilled labor something it’s not — high-priced employment.
$9.25 hr is not high priced labor. Its extremely low priced labor. High priced labor would be $40 million a year spread over 6 people who cannot even do their job, IE the Orioles bullpen.
High priced labor is Peter Angelos raking in millions every year while still failing to field a competitive team.
Andrey Bundley made a great point about investment in the City during the radio debate yesterday. He said that the city should only subsidize investment in companies which promise to bring quality paying jobs for Baltimore City citizens. Otherwise, why should we help you set up in our city? Of course, the Stadiums bring in millions in revenue to the City every year, so that is not the issue.
The stadiums in Baltimore are massive money makers both for their owners and for the City. Why shouldn't they be at least paying their workers enough to live?
Gainor, in his fervor to put down working people assumes the exact opposite of what will happen if these wages are raised.
One ad showed a restaurant looking for a dishwasher and paying $8 an hour. Another firm was looking for a fiscal accounts clerk and paying just $12.55 an hour. While that’s more than the stadium, the clerking job required two years’ experience. Even the Maryland Zoo was paying just $7.25 to $8 an hour for part-timers.
All of those companies and organizations would have to compete under a new pay scale if United Workers wins. Too bad, according to Rosenthal.
“That’s an issue the state would have to figure out,” he said.
Those companies would have to compete against ridiculously high wage scales for totally unskilled work. Many might go out of business or fire low-wage earners, creating more homeless people and, possibly, more day laborers.
First, those companies would in no way be affected by raising the salaries of a particular group of workers at Camden Yards. An apparently every restaurant, zoo, and "firm" would go out of business in Maryland if 11 people get a $3 raise.
I also don't see how "day laborers" are now lower on Gainor's "'EWWWW POOR PEOPLE' scale" than homeless people. Either way, last time I checked, paying people a fair wage leads to lower poverty, decreased homelessness, decreased crime, decreased stress, improved family units, etc.
There really is nothing scarier to a conservative that someone who is not already rich making more money.
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