This is in response to the Labor Day article about job prospects for those in “lower-skill and lower-paying jobs.”

Working with nonprofits through leadership transitions, I’ve served as interim director to more than a dozen human service organizations and programs. I’ve seen, up close, the challenge of recruiting and retaining this work force on which so much depends: certified nursing aides in home care or nursing homes; residential care workers for people unable to live independently; early childhood educators in child care; etc.

These jobs certainly are “lower-paying,” but they’d better not be “lower-skilled.” We need to acknowledge that these, and similar, human service programs require highly skilled and dedicated employees. Then bite the bullet and fund these programs to support wages and benefits appropriate to such staff.

Don’t tell me that we can’t afford it. Early in my career, everything I’ve said above was true of nurses. When nurses reached the point that they just weren’t willing to do it anymore (perform daily miracles for modest pay), we realized that we couldn’t provide health care without their help, and we found the funds to fix the problem. A quarter of a century later, it’s time to acknowledge that the same thing holds true for the direct-care workers at the front lines of early childhood education, social services and health care.

Pay these folks what they’re worth and these growing service sectors can add good jobs to our economy, while workers’ spending contributes to its recovery and growth.

Marjorie Love, New Gloucester