Letters to the Editor: August 5 – 11, 2021
State Theatre Has Been A True Hero Throughout This Entire Pandemic
Editor,
Having just come from seeing another great (and free) outdoor band at the State Theatre, I can’t say enough about how this place has been a real hero during Covid. An indoor concert venue would normally be among the first places to shut down in a pandemic, but Meredith and her crew did an amazing job pivoting to outdoor concerts. This has allowed bands to continue playing — albeit for donations rather than a fee — and the State Theatre has been able to generate revenue from food and drink sales to keep things going. The State Theatre should be a shoo-in for FCC business of the year.
Declan Leonard
Fall Church
Worker Shortage is Direct Result of Lack Of Living Wage
Editor,
I had to respond to the front page article July 8 about hiring challenges stunting F.C. businesses.
Employers have gotten accustomed to having all the leverage, and they don’t like it when the shoe is on the other foot.
Gwynn Hegyi of Body Dynamics complains about paying for ads and being “ghosted” by applicants. I and many of my friends and colleagues have been ghosted for years by employers, even after having in-person interviews. It doesn’t feel good, does it?
Gary Henry of Dominion Camera complains about unqualified applicants. Perhaps qualified people have found jobs with better pay and benefits. Instead of making snarky comments about iPhone photography, perhaps he should think about training new hires.
I pose these questions for these business owners: If you could hire someone for $10 an hour, would you pay them $15 an hour? If you could make more money buying supplies from vendor A, would you instead use the more expensive vendor B? Workers are making the same calculation: maximizing their income. There isn’t a shortage of workers, there’s a shortage of jobs with a livable wage, benefits, and reliable hours. If someone getting an “extra” $300 a week doesn’t want your job, maybe it’s because your job doesn’t pay a living wage.
What’s going on right now is a vivid illustration of supply and demand, this time benefiting workers. It’s called capitalism.
Chris Raymond
Falls Church
