Juana Garcia/ The Cougar
Recently a shortage of workers can be seen across the United States and businesses need to start paying those whom they employ.
There is an immense amount of help wanted signs as well as a raise in wages being offered by companies at this time.
Many have criticized workers for being ungrateful for not wanting to work anymore. However, workers deserve much more than what they have ever received. If we want to end this worker shortage, companies are going to have to start paying what these valuable people are worth.
After the pandemic began, many businesses laid-off workers and many of those workers went on unemployment benefits. Now that businesses are reopening in full the want for workers is there, but many of those workers don’t want to come back.
In Texas, unemployed people can get up to $535 a week. That is only a little over $2,000 a month, which isn’t much for people who may live in a big city and have to pay high rent. Also, $535 is the max. Many are getting less than that, so clearly the majority of people on unemployment were not living lavishly by any means. Many were likely living check to check just as they did before when they had a job.
It is simple logic. If there can be a certain amount earned by not working, why would someone work to get it? Just as the logic is, the solution is simple as well. Companies need to start paying their workers more. Clearly, labor is worth a lot right now with all these help wanted signs, so companies need to pay what their employees are worth.
A lot of these companies can afford to pay their companies more such as McDonald’s, Goodwill and really any chain store or restaurant. These companies make billions a year and their CEOs could certainly survive if they had to cut their paycheck to pay their workers more.
Of course, many small businesses are concerned right now because their employees want to be paid more. While some may be of the opinion that businesses really shouldn’t exist if it can’t pay the workers well, there shouldn’t be any operating of a business.
However, there are many family-owned restaurants and stores that have struggled since the pandemic. Governments need to be financially supporting small businesses so that they can stay afloat and pay their workers a high enough wage.
Many business owners may be upset about the shortage of labor, but they need to pay up. Our workers are valuable and deserve to be paid what they are worth.
Anna Baker is an English senior who can be reached at [email protected]
