The President of the North Bay and District Labour Council is downplaying business concerns about the minimum wage increase. Businesses are worried that people making $14 an hour before the hourly rate went to that amount on Monday will want more money. However Henri Giroux says in this case it’s the employer who calls the shots. “We brought up the minimum wage from the bottom and it’s up to the employers if they decide to bring up the other wages,” Giroux said.
The labour council president said it comes down to how much employers value their employees but adds those making the minimum wage before it rose “maybe should be making more money” now. Giroux was reacting to concerns the North Bay and District Chamber of Commerce has received from its members who are worried about the trickle up effect.
He also weighed in on another chamber concern; that the higher minimum wage could force some businesses to close. Giroux admits that while businesses do close, it’s for other reasons and has nothing to do with increasing the minimum wage. He says historically some businesses in the past have closed shop in January and that could happen again. But Giroux says blaming future closures on a hike in the minimum wage is fear mongering.