"What is a Decent Wage, Faleomavaega?" -- Letter to the Editor
February 05, 2007

LTE reprinted from Samoa News
"WHAT IS A DECENT WAGE, FALEOMAVAEGA?"

Dear Editor,

I've been following the minimum wage debate going on in our island with some interest. It's interesting to see all the political gymnastics that's going on with our elected representatives. And no leader has done more intellectual gyrations than our congressman.

It's ironic that our congressman, a Democrat, opposes this increase that was such a big part of the national democratic agenda hailed by the new Democrat majorities in Congress. The Democrat party has had the increase of the minimum wage on its platform for years. I've always wondered where our congressman has stood on the issue. Now we know. He stands on both sides.

In Friday's paper, he is quoted as saying that he agrees the minimum wage increase is a bad thing for our territory and would devastate our local economy. But in the same sentence he says, however, local wages are "unacceptable" and that they are "insulting."

But apparently, they're not insulting enough for him to agree to a minimum wage hike. Which begs the questions; if $3 an hour is "insulting" to our low wage earners, but $7 an hour "devastating" to the economy, what rate is acceptable to the congressman? Is $4 an hour less insulting? Is $5 and hour less devastating to our economy? He said he will continue to fight to make sure our workers are paid a "decent wage".

Tell me congressman, what is that "decent wage?" Since $3 and hour is "insulting" and $7 and hour is "devastating," please give us a number. And then tell us how you arrived at that number.

The congressman wants to have it both ways. He wants to be for the minimum wage, but also against it. I guess he's taking a play out of the playbook of democrat Senator John Kerry who famously said in the last presidential elections that he voted for the troops before he voted against them.

Perhaps Eni will vote for the minimum wage increase before he votes against it.

Soifua,
Ailani Galeai