HOSPITALITY WORKERS: More info

Most of the more than 7,500 hospitality workers in the Coeur d’Alene area don’t work for a large, wealthy company like you mention. There are a lot that work for franchises and locally owned restaurants, inns, hotels, coffee stands, that may be very successful when tourism is booming, generally the summer months. During the remainder of the year, however, many hospitality workers find themselves scheduled for less hours and/or receiving less tips due to the drop in customers. And regardless of size, the businesses they work for have to weather this same difficult seasonality.

I work for CDAIDE, the nonprofit whose mission you quoted. We support all hospitality workers in the greater Coeur d’Alene region, not just those at one specific employer. That’s why events like our Chef Challenge on Oct. 13 are so important. We will raise money to help hospitality workers from all over the Coeur d’Alene area the whole year-round, especially when tourism drops off after the summer.

CDAIDE renders a necessary service for many of the service industry workers, who are living paycheck to paycheck. A single car breakdown, rent increase, or medical emergency can be the difference between having a home to return to after work and sleeping on the street.

I think the essence of the original question is this: Why can’t or don’t businesses pay their employees enough to live in the region they work? Without looking at a specific business’ finances, I’m not able to answer that. I do hope that pay increases for workers in our region to match the increased costs in living. But I also think it’s great that CDAIDE and other nonprofits in our region have stepped in to help in the meantime.

JASON NYE

CDAIDE Executive Director

Coeur d’Alene