By Michael O’Connor
I’m a small enterprise proprietor, and I strongly assist elevating the minimal wage to $15. Paying staff wages they’ll reside on is sweet enterprise.
I personal La Barberia, a full-service barbershop with places in Philadelphia and Jenkintown. I do know that if my staff aren’t glad, my prospects received’t be glad.
It’s essential for us to have a steady employees with out plenty of turnover. Prospects rely on seeing “their barber” once they are available in. We don’t need barbers leaving to make 50 cents or $1 an hour extra elsewhere.
The Pennsylvania and federal minimal wage of $7.25 an hour involves $15,000 a 12 months for full-time work. I can’t think about paying anybody $7.25 an hour. It will ship the message to staff that I don’t care about you – or our prospects.
At La Barberia, staff are our most necessary asset. We pay a good wage that respects the craftsmanship and work ethic of our employees. A lot of our staff have been with us for years – some for 40 years.
Some small enterprise house owners would possibly name me fortunate. However I name it sensible enterprise.
Worker turnover is disruptive, costly and inefficient. Continuously hiring and coaching new employees slows down your online business and prices money and time. It undercuts customer support.
With higher pay, our staff stick with us, offering the good service that retains our prospects coming again and recommending us to others.
When the minimal wage goes up, companies will see pricey turnover go down.
Elevating the minimal wage may even put more cash within the pockets of native individuals, who spend it at native companies like mine.
As I wish to say, you’ll be able to’t spend it in the event you don’t have it. Should you work full-time and may’t afford primary requirements like meals and hire, you’re most likely going to skip your haircut.
I assist laws being debated in Congress that will incrementally elevate the federal minimal wage to $15 by 2025. In truth, I’m considered one of a whole lot of enterprise house owners in Pennsylvania and throughout the nation who has signed a Business for a Fair Minimum Wage statement supporting a rise to $15.
The minimal wage has been caught at $7.25 since 2009 – the longest interval with out a elevate for the reason that minimal wage was first enacted to assist staff, companies and the financial system get better from the Nice Despair.
Pennsylvania’s neighbors all have minimal wages larger than $7.25. Maryland, New Jersey and New York are on their option to a $15 minimal wage already.
Earlier than the pandemic hit, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in contrast counties alongside each side of the New York-Pennsylvania border to see the impression of New York elevating its minimal wage whereas Pennsylvania stayed caught at $7.25. They checked out two industries with many lower-wage staff: retail commerce and leisure & hospitality.
Opposite to what opponents of elevating the minimal wage declare would occur, they discovered that wages went up in New York with out destructive results on employment in comparison with Pennsylvania.
Elevating the minimal wage will improve wages for a lot of important staff who aren’t paid sufficient to cowl their necessities. It’s going to enhance the client spending we’d like at companies like mine.
Elevating the minimal wage will assist us get better from the pandemic and strengthen our financial system and our Commonwealth.
Michael O’Connor is co-owner of La Barberia, with places in Philadelphia and Jenkintown, and a member of Enterprise for a Truthful Minimal Wage. This text beforehand appeared within the Philadelphia Inquirer.
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