Last week we asked painters, Have/will you raise your entry pay in order to fill your painter vacancies? These are their answers...

Here are some of their supporting comments:

We already pay well. I have no problem paying a painter what he's worth, and those that do well get good bonuses on top of their hourly rate.

We've had to raise entry pay as well as increase pay for existing employees!

No. We have always paid a competitive wage based on ability. The bandaid approach of paying higher than normal/fair wages to less qualified employees is straight out of the Socialism handbook on anti-free enterprise.

It's hard to find anyone who wants to work right now. If they have experience and demonstrate the ability to perform at a higher level, they will be given a fair wage for experience, not because he happened to be the only person looking for a job.