Your article about food pantries at UPMC sort of missed the point ("Food Drive Irks Some UPMC Workers," Dec. 12). UPMC spokesperson Susan Manko was quoted as saying that the introduction of food pantries at the various locations had nothing to do with their wages, that the pantries were an effort by some employees to help other employees.

That's important, and I applaud all efforts to establish food pantries. However, they are no substitute for fair wages so people can buy their own food.

In my 25 years as co-director of Just Harvest, we were -- and continue to be -- advocates for a living wage so that people wouldn't be hungry and we wouldn't need food banks and pantries. I still believe that.

If UPMC paid a living wage to all its employees, it would diminish the need for charity. And the best way to achieve that goal is for UPMC -- the largest employer in the county and one of the largest in the state -- to recognize the union and begin bargaining immediately.

It has enough money to pay its taxes and pay its employees enough. UPMC president and CEO Jeffrey Romoff, with his salary of $6 million, should be ashamed of himself!

JONI RABINOWITZ
Park Place

The writer is former co-director of Just Harvest.

First Published: December 16, 2012, 5:00 a.m.