Slavery over

I recently sent the following letter to a restaurant group here on the island.

‘To whom it may concern:

I recently came across an ad which you placed for staff. The ad contains the following:

Servers $3.50 – $6/hr.

Are you serious?

For an eight hour shift a wage of CI$3.50 amounts to $28. Take away the mandatory 5 per cent pension contribution and this person will earn $26.60.

Your ad states also in bold letters that “we pay in CI$”.

Let me remind you………that anyone unfortunate enough to accept these kinds of wages…..also pays necessities such as food, rent, transportation….in CI$.

This wage is nothing more than an insult.

I hope it is a misprint. For if not, neither myself nor any of my friends will eat in another one of your restaurants.

Slavery is over. In case you hadn’t noticed.’

If we are to begin addressing the issue of human rights, a basic right is to receive a living wage for an honest day’s work. Perhaps we should enlighten some employers. My guess is the placement of this ad cost more than someone who made $3.50 an hour would earn in several months.

A. Creasey