Letter: Local industry should hire local workers

I recently read with great interest an article about Bruce Industries of Dayton having to go to the Lovelock prison to find employees to do manual labor. I would like to know why that company must go so far away for workers. They claim they cannot find any workers in our area because of high employment (no one available).

I do know that there are a lot of very low income people living here, some on welfare, in the HUD housing right on Dayton Valley Road, with more housing being built right at this moment for more of the disadvantaged. What is wrong with hiring some of these people? They can be trained as well as the prisoners are trained, or is it that they might have to pay them minimum wages plus benefits?

It would be interesting to know what wages will be paid to the prisoners. No benefits would have to be paid such as medical, dental, vision services, prescriptions, Social Security or unemployment. The taxpayers (us) take care of all that.

Some of these people could walk to work (they live close) if necessary. I have nothing against` trying to rehabilitate prisoners, but most of them are criminals and some are never rehabilitated. There are many programs inside the prisons for those who really want to improve their lives, again being paid for by our taxes.

So now we have here people living in government hand-outs. Bruce Industries, give them a chance!

Too bad, no unions, no control. Wake up, people! What is happening here in our small community of Dayton? Maybe these companies could hold job fairs like so many others do to find employees, but I guess it is cheaper and easier to go to Lovelock for help.

Take off your blinders and look around! I know of no one who gets everything free except people who are incarcerated - something does not sound right to me. Is this the way you pay for a crime that you committed? By being paid? Wonder how many people living here in Dayton have prospered from committing crime. Please try to help the poor and disadvantaged and disabled, Bruce Industries.

JOANNE RYAN

Dayton