BC Minimum Wage Increase - $15

[Jmac]

What Canada (and most 1st world countries) need is increased levels of education and prioritize higher skilled jobs.

Most of these unskilled, minimum wage jobs are being lost to, and will increasingly be lost to, online sales and automation.

The government should be finding ways to improve the prospects of their young constituents.

[BIC_BAWS]

But I don't know the wage of each and every worker. And that's assuming you want a scaled average. I just wanted a straight average for the sake of simplicity and for scenario purposes.

[Rallydrv]

BOC's own estimates show that 60k jobs will be lost. plus any costs will be transferred over to consumers like it has in the past. or workers have lowered benefits/hours etc no business big or small is willing to absorb increased operating cost. (if they do. maybe it wouldn't last long)

not sure what everybody is arguing about.. maybe just "internet"

[westopher]

Unemployment is at the lowest level in Canada since 1974. 60k jobs lost is very worrisome but the push towards this hasn’t seemed to have a negative impact yet. Inflation is not a negative if the economy can grow with it, as it’s actually what helps close the income inequality gap. What needs to happen is all the money sitting stagnant in bank accounts and investments of the rich is it being injected into the economy, in many cases through higher wages. Small business will need to adjust the price of their products, but those who provide the best of their product will thrive, as people with the money to buy their product will increase.

[BIC_BAWS]

I came across these two articles that I thought I'd share. These articles are not on the same spectrum of what I initially started the thread with, but rather the potential positive effects on small business and how BC is approaching this issue.

CBC - Increasing minimum wage puts money back into small business economy, says labour expert

York University labour geographer, Steven Tufts, said small business owners should embrace wage increases as an opportunity.

"When we take wages and increase them and put more money in the pockets of workers they buy the products from those small businesses and that's good for the economy," Tufts told Stephen Quinn, host of CBC's The Early Edition.

Reduce turnover
His comments come as some independent businesses in Vancouver say they're having trouble recruiting and retaining workers amid a housing affordability crisis in British Columbia.

Tufts said he's heard from business owners in Ontario who want to focus on the potential benefits of wage increases rather than the cost of higher wages.

"There are some small business folks … who are advocating that employers actually go along with the increase and turn the increase into an advantage," said Tufts, "That might actually reduce turnover because you're paying more."

B.C. Keeping Its Own Counsel on Minimum Wage

Ontario and Alberta minimum wage experience not necessarily relevant, says labour minister.

British Columbia’s Minister of Labour says the experience of Ontario and Alberta likely won’t affect how B.C. implements a provincial $15-an-hour minimum wage.

Ontario’s minimum wage jumped 20 per cent from $11.60 per hour to $14 on Monday en route to reaching the $15 mark next January. B.C. is in the middle of deciding how it will introduce the wage by 2021.

A report from the Fair Wages Commission established in October is due in a matter of days. Harry Bains said although it’s important to keep an eye on the experiences of places like Ontario and Alberta, the commission’s advice is more important to B.C.

“You learn from other jurisdictions and their experiences,” Bains said. “I think the issue is whether there’s any relevancy between different jurisdictions.”

Spoiler!

Ontario has seen an explosion in the percentage of workers earning minimum wage in the province at more than 11 per cent compared to 6.3 per cent 10 years ago, according to some reports.

But the Ontario increase to $14 isn’t across the board. A limited number of sectors are subject to “special” minimum wages, sometimes higher and sometimes lower than the regular minimum wage. Those rates will increase by the same percentage as the standard minimum pay.

For example, minimum wages for those serving liquor went from $10.10 an hour to $12.20 with Monday’s increase.

Business groups in Ontario have come out strong against the wage increase, threatening it will cause job losses and “unintended consequences.”

In B.C., similar arguments have been made by some opponents, but Bains said most business groups in the province are more concerned with stability and an incremental increase in the wage rather than a big change overnight.

“They’re looking for certainty,” Bains said. “They’re looking for gradual increase so that they have the time to absorb the labour cost so that they can build it into their costs going forward.”

Bains wouldn’t hint at how B.C. might roll out its own wage increase, saying he didn’t want to “pre-judge” the commission’s conclusions.

Spoiler!

About 4.8 per cent of those employed in B.C. earned minimum wage in 2016, according to statistics provided by BC Stats.

Alberta also set out on the path to a $15 minimum wage in October 2016 with the goal of hitting the mark this fall.

But Ontario’s experience will likely be more useful to B.C., said Mark Thompson, a labour expert and professor emeritus at the University of B.C.’s Sauder School of Business.

Thompson has followed B.C.’s wage consultation closely and supports the implementation of a $15-per-hour minimum wage.

He said workers getting the raise will likely spend the money on life necessities. He dismissed concerns by some there will be job losses, arguing they will be “minimal to none.”

Better paying employment, such as in Ontario’s manufacturing sector, isn’t likely to be affected by the increase either, according to Thompson.

“General Motors is not going to make a decision based on the minimum wage,” he said.

Thompson added the wage increase could also result in easing a labour shortage in Ontario, though it is mostly for skilled labour because a pay hike could encourage some to stay in or rejoin the workforce, even if they’ve retired.

He said the argument that a $15 minimum wage will create sweeping job losses and hurt business has run its course. Thompson said the media often feeds the perception of risk through poor reporting that often focuses on an unhappy employer.

“They never really try. They just haul out some stooge and say he’s going to be devastated and he’s somehow an exemplar for the economy,” he said. “It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out in 2018.”

I'm hopeful that the Fair Wage Committee will actually listen to small business owners in BC, and be open to a conversation regarding this topic.

[Traum]

Originally Posted by BIC_BAWS

York University labour geographer, Steven Tufts, said small business owners should embrace wage increases as an opportunity.

"When we take wages and increase them and put more money in the pockets of workers they buy the products from those small businesses and that's good for the economy," Tufts told Stephen Quinn, host of CBC's The Early Edition.

I don't get this ^^. What does higher minimum wage has to do with workers buying more products from small businesses? As far as I'm concerned, higher minimum wages has very little to do people's shopping habits. Mobility and access to both public transit and private vehicles, on the other hand, has a far greater correlation to whether people buy from small businesses or big box stores.

Can't really believe what this Tufts guy is saying when it doesn't seem to make sense.

[westopher]

Originally Posted by Traum

I don't get this ^^. What does higher minimum wage has to do with workers buying more products from small businesses? As far as I'm concerned, higher minimum wages has very little to do people's shopping habits. Mobility and access to both public transit and private vehicles, on the other hand, has a far greater correlation to whether people buy from small businesses or big box stores.

Can't really believe what this Tufts guy is saying when it doesn't seem to make sense.

I disagree with that for 2 reasons.
If money being spent in the economy goes up by a certain amount, its not going to ALL be spent in big box stores under any circumstance as it won't shift people to spending the "new money" that direction.
Say the market share for example is for 10M of products purchased it goes
9M = big box
1M = small business.
Add 10M to the economy and we will say at worst there is 18M big box and 2M small business. (keep in mind there is no basis behind these numbers but the theory is there) Thats still an increase in small business revenue.

The other reason is, small businesses often offer better products at a higher price. If people have more money to spend, they will seek out the higher quality that they couldn't afford before.
No more McDonalds for lunch, I'm going to La Taqueria, for example. Thats an example of more money staying in the local economy as well, and probably a healthier individual.

I'm not guaranteeing anything, but I see it from that perspective.

[R. Mutt]

Originally Posted by westopher

No more McDonalds for lunch, I'm going to La Taqueria, for example...

When work isn'tt crazy we ussed to hit the one on Cambie for Taco Tuesday

[fliptuner]

Pay them based on competence.

Fucking cunt working at KFC last night wouldn't make 50¢/hr.