By Nakell Williams
WABI-TV CBS 5 (Bangor, Maine), Mar 4, 2015
Lamey Wellehan’s Shoe Store has been around for more than 100 years.
“Wage wise it has always been on the upper tier making sure we are all well paid,” said Lamey Wellehan Manager, Don Lessard.
The owner Jim Whellehan believes in treating his team with fairness and dignity.
“As a sales associate the highest in 2013 was just under $20,” said Lamey Wellehan President, Jim Wellehan.
Employees have always made above the state’s minimum wage of $7.50, but that’s not the case for many other businesses in Maine.
“I’ve seen too many workers being left behind and not just what some people call unskilled workers,” said Representative Jina Melaragno.
Representative Melaragno adds that too many people are struggling to make ends meet.
She hopes the bill she’s sponsoring will make a difference by increasing minimum wage in increments to $12 an hour.
She released a report today with a group of supporters including Mr. Wellehan and executives from the Maine People’s Alliance.
They say people can’t meet basic needs, handle emergencies, or much less start a family.
“For a single adult in Maine more than half of available jobs in Maine pay below half the living wage. We’ve gone a long time without increasing the minimum wage and it’s just the right thing to do for our families and for the economy for Maine to get back on track,” said Maine People’s Alliance Associate Director, Amy Halsted.
But some say this isn’t the right track at all. ...
Wellehan disagrees. ”We need to make sure what we are doing is good for everybody, and that is why raising the minimum wage makes all sense in the world,” Wellehan added. ...