I have been listening with interest to comments and concerns regarding increase to minimum wage. I find I have mixed feelings on this topic.
Minimum wage may not be a comfortable living wage, but it is a start.
Just so you know where I am coming from, I am an “octogenarian, born in the early 1930s in an old log house in central Alberta.
Attended a one room school grades 1-8, (up to 42 students), took grade 9 by correspondence and a high school drop-out after completing grade 10. There was no power in the area so the school day was dictated by daylight hours. Heat was a wood stove made from a 55-gallon pot-bellied gasoline drum, fire lit by teacher in the mornings. I did not start attending school until I was 71/2 as we lived over two miles from school. I was very shy, did not speak English. Also by today’s standards would probably be considered “ADD”.
In September of 1949, I boarded a Greyhond bus at our farm crossing heading for the big city, Edmonton.
Picture this: arriving in the city, farm boy, stubble between my toes, never used a telephone or lived with the modern conveniences such as electricity or running water.
It was a Wednesday, so as was the custom during that era many businesses were closed.
There was a large red brick building fairly close to the bus depot, which was the Marshall-Wells Wholesale Hardware. I told the receptionist/telephone operator that I was looking for a job. She referred me to the Warehouse Superintendent who brought me to his desk in a very large open office.
After a short discussion and reviewing my report card he advised that at that time they did not have any openings. He then asked me what I knew about the company; I told him that I knew they sold paint.
He advised me that paint was only a small part of the business.
He then went on to say: “we do not have any job openings, however, since you came in ‘cold,’ on your own, I can possibly find on opening. Since you are only 17, I will be unable to pay you the normal starting salary which is $108. per month. If you accept the job you can start at $98. per month.”
The answer was yes. In a few months I received the raise to standard salary. I stayed with the company for 17 years.
If there had been a legislated minimum wage, I possibly would not have gotten the job. Part of the reason is that a new inexperienced employee must be trained. The individual doing the training is handicapped because he/she must do the training in addition to the regular job which costs the company extra.
If the starting employee does a good job,in most cases the employer will come through with a raise. I would suggest that the lower minimum wage be considered a training wage. With experience a hard-working new employee will be given an automatic raise, is in a position to ask for a raise or possibly find a better paying job. If I had not landed a job when I did,where would I be today?
Eric Myrholm
Abbotsford
