Carrie Baker’s column about ending tipped wages was distressingly out of touch. I wish she had attempted to contact even a single person working as a server today, rather than rely only on her own decades-old experience. [“Subminimum wage is a legacy of slavery: Time for one fair wage,” Gazette, Feb. 22].

I have waited tables for 30 years, as long as the writer has not, usually as a second job. This extra cash helped my family with sports expenses, vacation savings, and car or home emergencies. Three years ago, when my husband was disabled in an accident, I became the sole provider for our family and my server income was suddenly crucial for basic expenses. During a busy shift, a server will easily make two or three times the minimum wage of $15/hour, and my family now needs every penny.

But it’s not just me who feels this way. I talk to many in the service industry. None of us support this measure. We know that if we swap tipping for minimum wage, our income will be drastically reduced. I have lost sleep over how my family will survive if this happens.

Ms. Baker concludes that this measure will “help women out of a vestige of slavery” — a comparison so distasteful it makes my skin crawl. The irony is, though, that eliminating tipping would end an opportunity for women to earn significant income during evening and weekend hours, thus sinking us into desperate financial situations.

Please join me and other service industry professionals in opposing the One Fair Wage campaign.

Rachel Achmad

Easthampton