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OPINIONS
Voice of the People
Service workers deserve fair pay
Wage theft is a serious problem in the food service industry, both locally and nationally. A survey by the Restaurant Opportunity Center has shown that over one third (35.1%) of restaurant workers have had to work "off the clock" for no pay, and almost half (43.9%) have worked overtime without being paid the legally mandated 150 percent overtime wage. This is not right, and is especially a problem in an area like Huntington that has so many young college students and low-wage workers working in the service industry.
Whether it is a small local eatery or a national corporation, the law must be followed and workers paid what they deserve. These eateries have a responsibility to the community to make it better and not harm our friends and family who work for them.
So, if you or someone you know has had a problem with wage theft, either call the West Virginia Division of Labor at (304) 558-7890, or call a local grassroots group like the Jewel City Solidarity Network at (304) 745-7435. Let's stamp out wage theft as a problem and make sure workers are being treated fairly.
Dan Taylor
Huntington
