I would like to thank Rick Harris, general manager of Pacific Seafood in Eureka, for agreeing to comment on Measure R. Many businesses feel the same way but to date very few have spoken out.
The rumors about Pacfic Seafood closing doors and moving north are not true, said Mr. Harris. "Are we concerned about Meaure R? Yes. Will we reassess a move in the future? Yes. What business wouldn't?"
"We are not for Measure R. We are for a minimum wage increase as long as it is equally applied across the board and across the towns, not one city."
Pacific Seafood is a local as well as regional, global business. Those for Measure R do not realize the impact on a local business because they fail to see it's effect on the average Joe or Jane.
Other local businesses depend on a thriving local economy. Losing local businesses like Pacific Seafood affects local workers, affects small businesses like me that make a living that depends on a thriving local business environment.
Another local business, a food/retail that employs more than 25 workers cut hours for employees already with the California minimum wage increase. Further cuts will occur with the passage of Measure R. "At least I was getting 40 hours when I was making $8 an hour," an employee told me.
In the second case, this is the kind of employer we do not need. Yet that kind of person will stay. A good employer like Pacific Seafood will leave.
This is what happens when people who do not work, have never owned a business plan a Measure that backfires.
You want more empty storefronts, listen to the Fair Wage folks and candidates they support. Then be forced to depend and fight for resources from the government dole and barely get by.
Elect a pro business candidate and you create an environment for businesses to stay. Jobs do not get created overnight. California regulations are exhausting and expensive and unreasonable.
So who is stiffing the working class? Those who claim Measure R will put more money in your pocket from the unlimited pot of gold they seem to think businesses have.
So far, I've found only one business with 25+ employees that has a starting wage higher than the minimum established by this measure.
ReplyDeleteThen the other workers in large businesses will be very happy wnen Measure R passes.
ReplyDeleteJohn Chiv, here is your description of Pacific Seafood: "Pacific Seafood is a local as well as regional, global business." Because they are a "regional global" business Pacific Seafood can surely afford to pay $12/hr. as minimum wage. Despite your fear mongering that Pacific Seafood is going to close because of Measure R, according your own account of what Mr. Harris, the General Manager of Pacific Seafood said, "The rumors about Pacific Seafood closing doors and moving north are not true." Furthermore, despite Mr. Harris stated opposition to Measure R, he does support increasing the minimum wage, in his own words: “We are for a minimum wage increase as long as it is equally applied across the board and across the towns, not one city." Sorry Mr. Harris, but here in Eureka we’re doing things the old fashioned American way, taking the initiative to do things on our own, without waiting for big government to do it for us.
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