Chamberonomics XXXII...wages

Who is in favor of keeping our minimum wage artificially depressed? I can not think of anyone, any group, or any organization wanting to keep our wage structure except greedy companies wanting to profiteer on the backs of a slave labor force. I can not think of a better way to hurt local indigenous graduates of our high schools and college than to keep our wages low. This is not a guest worker issue. Guest workers have no vote or say in minimum wage issues. Blocking a wage hike would have a disastrous effect on our island and would guarantee that another generation of our high school graduates will have limited options and opportunity.

Our future graduates under these depressed wages will have the same four choices they currently face; join the US military, move to the mainland, sign up for US federal assistance, or work at the local gas stations/restaurants on an unlivable wage, even lower than guest workers, who receive housing and medical benefits.

Federalization of labor and immigration, an improved standard of living, an improved quality of life, an improved investor environment, an improved economy, and a minimum wage that our children can afford to feed families and pay power bills on are certainly tied together and stifling the first minimum wage hike in a generation will doom any thought of an economic recovery.

Who will benefit from a low minimum wage? I would expect that big business here would continue to make big money. Would our largest employers close under a minimum wage increase? No, I assure that the Hyatt, Fiesta, PIC, World Resort, PTI, and Duty Free will not close even if our minimum wage was 12. per hour. What business will be hurt by a substantial increase in wages? Our worst employers that litter Beach and Middle Road with laundries, pawn shops, and decrepit convenient stores may close. Who owns those affected stores? They are owned and operated by alien investors. The recent zoning law in Saipan was a huge step forward for the commonwealth but blocking the minimum wage increase would be two enormous steps back.

I have been quite impressed with the Taotao Tano lately, though small in numbers, they are vocal. I do not agree with their opinions on federalization of labor and immigration as I understand them, and racist positions are uncalled for, but I am genuinely impressed that they are speaking out and saying something. Big business here has long exploited the good nature and laid back attitude of our indigenous populace to lead them around like sheep. The struggle here has never been between the US and islanders, but the struggle for islanders to take back these islands from big business. Judging by those in attendance at the TTT anti-federalization rally, it would seem to me that, many of the perpetrators of the 'freeze' on minimum wage camp were in attendance. It was my understanding that the Fitial administration, the chamber, and HANMI were well represented in the crowd of 150, if not sponsors.

U.S. Department of Labor report entitled, The Impact of Increased Minimum Wages on the Economies of American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands apparently conducted interviews with Lynn Knight, President of the Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands; James Lin, President of the Saipan Garment Manufacturing Association; Marian Pierce, President of Duty Free Shoppers; Richard Pierce, Assistant to the Governor for Trade Relations & Economic Affairs in the CNMI; and Howard Willens, Special Legal Counsel & Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Governor? Did anyone conduct interviews with local homestead residents in Kagman, Chamarro mothers working in the grocery store, former MHS honors students pumping gas, or Carolinian fathers trying to raise their families on HANMI wages?

I would like the TTT to stand up for my 2000 former students here by putting a stop to this big business block on minimum wages that would sentence another generation of NMI youth to poverty. If TTT rallies on this issue, I would love to join the concerted effort.

To quote Chamberonomics I " Henry Ford had a novel concept. He thought if he paid his workers more, they could afford to buy his cars and he added the entire working class to his new and expanded market. Soon every major corporation in America followed suit and the middle class was born. Nineteen garment girls crammed into a tin shack seldom eat out, can't afford cars and are never going to buy a home".

Ron Hodges

Puerto Rico, Saipan