Ontario’s Minimum Wage Hike Has Been Disastrous, Especially for Disabled Workers

[Chris]

I hadn't heard about the removal of the handicapped exemption. I have mixed feelings about that.

So far the doom and gloom scenarios haven't really played out with regards to the minimum wage hike.

The newly elected conservative provincial government has indicated that the next scheduled raise in January isn't happening.

It is happening, you simply deny it.

[Chris]

Let me be more candid. Most businesses that typically employ a lot of unskilled labor are cheap "$#@!s" who absent employment law and minimum wages would treat workers today the same way as they were treated in centuries gone by. They were paid starvation wages in the past and they would be paid starvation wages today because minimum wage workers are a dime a dozen. The really big examples of such companies are all of those companies who go offshore to third world countries that share your value system and allow their workers to be paid a pittance and live in shanty towns made of garbage.

Candid?

Most businesses that typically employ a lot of unskilled labor are cheap "$#@!s" who absent employment law and minimum wages would treat workers today the same way as they were treated in centuries gone by.

I understand that you view business that way but do you have any evidence whatsoever that your view is true?

Oh, wait, you would have presented evidence.

[Chris]

History is indeed evidence of what happens when no labour laws exist. Virtual indentured servitude, company towns where people struggled to pay their debts to the company store, child labour, unsafe work conditions and a whole host of labour horror stories.

History giving example is not the same as history justifying do harm to low skill worker.

You do realize that all your examples stopped because they lost value and not because of progressive champions?

[Chris]

You often hear of workers in foreign countries being abused and forced to live in the factories. They are little more than slaves.

I've heard of this. And it's largely the case that without those jobs there'd be no jobs. It used to be IT would outsource to sweatshops in India. Nowadays India charges top dollar for that work. You all liberals would have prevented that progress.

[Chris]

I did not. But, it is the system. Bad luck. Did you not want capitalism, then eat capitalism.

Minimum wage protect the worker from receiving slave wages.

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So the one who proclaims his heartfelt empathy for workers says "Bad luck."

Minimum wage results in job loss and exclusion of the lowest skilled workers. But you say "Bad lick."

[Captdon]

Let me be more candid. Most businesses that typically employ a lot of unskilled labor are cheap "$#@!s" who absent employment law and minimum wages would treat workers today the same way as they were treated in centuries gone by. They were paid starvation wages in the past and they would be paid starvation wages today because minimum wage workers are a dime a dozen. The really big examples of such companies are all of those companies who go offshore to third world countries that share your value system and allow their workers to be paid a pittance and live in shanty towns made of garbage.

Let's be really candid. Unskilled labor is worth only what it can get.

[Captdon]

You often hear of workers in foreign countries being abused and forced to live in the factories. They are little more than slaves.

Which has what to do anyplace else? You still buy their products so your concern doesn't seem all that real.

[Chris]

Let's be really candid. Unskilled labor is worth only what it can get.

Exactly. It and all labor should be left free to negotiate wages in the market. Why anyone would want the government to restrict their freedom to do so is beyond me.

[Captdon]

Here's what minimum wage actually does. McDonald's cut it's staff to three people instead of the five it used to have at a small store.

Someone making 18 dollars an hour sees hamburger flippers being paid 15 dollars an hour. The boss can give a big raise or let the employee go to where it takes no skill to make almost as much.

By giving the raise , the boss has to raise his prices. You pay them The cost of living goes up.

Now the minimum is no better than before, So...

[Chris]

Sounds like our three lefties: Ontario's minimum wage hike off to rocky start as employers slash hours, benefits to compensate

...The Conference Board of Canada, a nonpartisan economic research institute, had initially estimated that the change would shift about $5 billion into the pockets of workers and away from business profits.

Now it believes countermeasures implemented by businesses could result in the loss of 42,000 jobs by the end of next year, said Michael Burt, director of the industrial trends group at the Conference Board.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne last week accused the children of Tim Hortons’ founders of bullying their workers after they eliminated paid breaks and other employee benefits at two of the chain’s restaurants that they own. She called them “not decent” and “not fair.”

Businesses and franchisee groups responded that the wage increase was onerous for businesses, saying it was implemented to score political points for Ontario’s ruling Liberals, who face provincial elections in June. They want the province to go back to increases tied to the inflation rate.

The provincial government has not commented on the allegations or responded to businesses’ concerns about the extent of the increase.

Some consumers have lashed out at Tim Horton’s on social media, pledging a boycott, though it is unclear that the effort will hurt sales at the chain, which is affectionately known in Canada as “Tim’s.”....

Emotional appeal so thick you could cut it with a knife.