Dear editor:
If you ask enough people in Jefferson City if they're able to sustain their families and make ends meet, you'll quickly find out that too many of our friends and neighbors aren't getting a fair shake.
Even as the economy has turned around, many Americans haven't seen any improvement in their circumstances. Locally, Schnucks has laid off their union workers, outsourcing their jobs to contractors that provide substandard compensation.
It is just plain wrong that companies pay the people who make our food, care for our loved ones, teach our children, and stock shelves so little that they can't afford the basics, even while CEO compensation is skyrocketing obscenely.
How do we get back on track? It's vital, but not enough, to demand that profitable corporations create jobs that allow our community to thrive. We must continue pressing our elected officials to boost the minimum wage and enact standards that value families, such as paid family leave. As you enjoy the Labor Day parade today, remember that every person should be able to earn a fair return on the work they do.
Please tell your state senator and state representative to sustain the governor's veto of so-called "Right to Work" legislation on Sept. 14. In reality, it would be the right to exploit labor for corporate gain.
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