As former wellness staff at the Y, I can attest to the inequities in pay recently addressed.
Over the last year, more high-paid upper management was added while support staff saw their minimum wage hours cut.
These are folks with careers at the Y, and bills like the rest of us. Some are forced to live in their cars. Others have been fired for using earned sick days. They deserve a living wage.
I joined when I first moved to town, and found it a wonderful place to build community, started a book group, got hiking advice, found dancing friends, and educated about Volunteer Hospice.
The CEO happened to be at the office during the recent protest, although I never her saw during my four years since she lives on Bainbridge.
I’m sure she was behind the Firing Fridays that management gleefully talked about.
I quit last week, after Mikki was fired. She worked there for 30 years, in spite of poverty wages, because of her love of the mission and community.
When asked why our dance class was replaced with body pump, inappropriate for 75-year-olds, they said “We’re trying to bring in more young moms.”
Ageism?
New equipment will not replace the camaraderie of people who have sweated together for years.
Our loyalty follows our teachers, now at Sons of Norway.
I suggest management by walking around to get a truer picture of our small town and how we take care of each other.
Kelly Sanderbeck
Port Angeles