POTSDAM – Eleven lifeguards who have walked off the job because they are receiving less than the state minimum wage are explaining their actions.

Head lifeguard Alaina White, in a letter to NorthCountryNow.com, points out the lifeguards are required to spend $250 for lifeguard certification and were not informed of their wages prior to starting work. She also notes lifeguards have training in CPR and first aid and are responsible for responding to many types of emergencies.

The letter is also signed by head lifeguard Mackenzie Frary, full lifeguards Dallas Brown, Gage Yette, Chad Varney, Lauren Lucht and Emma Ormsby, and assistant lifeguards Sarah Miller, Camryn Mangual, Karissa Kingsley and Coryn Young.

The lifeguards are being paid $9.70 an hour. Municipalities are exempt from the state minimum wage of $10.40 per hour.

View earlier story about the lifeguard walkout.

The full letter from White and the other lifeguards follows:

“I am a head lifeguard for Potsdam Recreation and I am writing this on behalf of myself and the other Potsdam Recreation lifeguards who recently chose to participate in work stoppage due to what we believe is an unfair wage. We originally chose to meet with Potsdam Recreation Director Mr. Trey Smutz to discuss a wage increase and he recently sent out a memo rejecting our offer.

“For this, we chose to participate in work stoppage, as we feel it is our only option to obtain a fair wage. I would first like to point out that to be a lifeguard for Potsdam Recreation we must have a $250 certification.

“We are also trained in CPR and First-Aid and must be prepared for many kinds of emergencies at all times during our shifts. Further, head lifeguards also have a $120 certification in Lifeguard Management.

“Additionally, when first hired for this summer, no lifeguard received any kind of statement telling us how much we were going to be paid nor any kind of document for us to sign agreeing to our wages.

“Aside from lifeguarding, many of our lifeguards teach swim lessons five days a week and a few of us teach private lessons separately for no extra compensation. We are also in charge of renting out kayaks, cleaning bathrooms, routine maintenance duties around the beaches, and putting in and maintaining all of the ropes and buoys at the beaches.

“Lifeguards are also in charge of bus runs between beaches twice a day where they supervise all of the children in the Potsdam Recreation program, some of whom require one-on-one aids. We would also like to point out that lifeguards at surrounding beaches with the same certifications are making above state minimum wage.

“For the amount of responsibility we have on a daily basis, and the certifications we hold and must pay to renew every year (CPR) or every two years (lifeguard certification), we do not believe that state minimum wage, at the very least, is unreasonable to ask for.

“Lastly, we would like to apologize for the beach closures, we love working with the children and interacting with patrons, but we can no longer do so if not given a respectful wage. Thank you.”