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Small business depends upon minimum wage

People have to go out and get training and education to find better employment elsewhere, wherever that might be.

To the Editor,

Re: Labour calls 20-cent raise ‘pathetic,’ March 17.

Increasing minimum wage creates more unemployment. The B.C. Federation of Labour and NDP opposition party know nothing about the operation of a small business.

If the minimum wage went from $8 per hour to $10 per hour, the employees at $10 per hour would have to be paid $12 per hour. A employer must adjust the pay rates of all the employees. If the minimum wage went up, the two choices would be to lay off employees or to increase the selling price of all products sold. All payroll costs have to be passed on to the consumer. An immediate $15-per-hour wage will close small business and send thousands to file for unemployment insurance.

People on minimum wage have to realize that they cannot buy a new car, buy a house, go on a vacation, and must share their rents with a roommate to make ends meet, as a few examples. This is because that is the way it will always be. People have to go out and get training and education to find better employment elsewhere, wherever that might be. If people don’t have any willpower to do this, then don’t blame the small businessman.

Joe SawchukDuncan