By Denise Allabaugh
Scranton Times-Tribune, April 1, 2016
WILKES-BARRE — Gov. Tom Wolf stopped in Wilkes-Barre on Thursday morning during his “Jobs that Pay” tour, calling upon state legislators to pass a minimum wage increase for all workers in Pennsylvania. ...
During a visit to American Income Life — Simon Arias Agencies on Route 315, Mr. Wolf said all workers should be paid this higher rate instead of the current minimum wage in Pennsylvania: $7.25 an hour. Pennsylvania’s current minimum wage is one of the lowest in the country and lower than all surrounding states, Mr. Wolf said. About 1.2 million Pennsylvania workers make less than $10.15, he said.
“Paying a fair wage is not just sound principle from a moral point of view. It’s really good business,” said Mr. Wolf, who was a businessman in York County before taking office in January 2015. “When we have a fair and decent wage for our workers, we don’t have the turnover. We don’t have the training costs. We have better loyalty. We have higher morale.”
Michael Clemente, regional director of American Income Life — Simon Arias Agencies, said the starting wage at his business is $15 an hour, more than double the minimum wage. The business also offers health insurance, vacation time and sick leave, he said.
“We pride ourselves in offering a fair wage and treating our employees as the best investment in our agency’s long-term growth,” Mr. Clemente said. ...
Copyright 2016 The Scranton Times-Tribune