Boost wages

According to the writer, there should not be a minimum-wage law because wages are decided by two consenting adults. The writer regards such a law as compelling an employer to pay more than a job is worth. In this, he is mistaken. No buyer pays more for something than it is worth to the buyer. A competitive business has to keep costs down to compete against other businesses that pay employees as little as possible. But an increase in the minimum wage affects all the competitors equally and, therefore, does not place any employer at a competitive disadvantage. In fact, a law that requires paying a living wage puts more money into the pockets of the lowest-paid people and makes them better customers. That's good for business. An increase in the minimum wage would add relatively little to the cost of the nation's labor because most people are paid more than the minimum wage. So, my costs as a customer are only slightly subsidized by keeping the minimum wage below a living wage. But it is unjust to subsidize me at the expense of the poorest people. What is important about any wage, minimum or otherwise, is its buying power. The cost of living has increased substantially since the most recent adjustment in the minimum wage, and this has resulted in a loss of buying power for those who earn the minimum wage. The resulting hardship should be alleviated by increasing the minimum wage by an amount that matches the increase in the cost of living. George Peter Watchell, Maple Shade - Published in the Courier Post, September 19, 2006