The Fair Wage Commission’s (FWC) stop in Prince George earlier this week brought several small business owners with their concerns over a possible minimum wage hike.
For Dragon Stone Mongolian Grill owner Janine Phillips, who attended the Tuesday morning meeting at the Coast Inn of the North, she believes $15 per hour could deprive employers like her the chance to hire more young people.
She says the financial effect would affect its ability to take them in.
“Currently our staff is made up of one-third (1/3) young workers who are working their very first job. A $15 minimum wage would see a lot of jobs will then go to the workers who have more experience, and it’ll make it hard for the young ones to enter the workforce at all.”
Phillips says the young workers at her restaurant of two years are also students at UNBC, CNC, or in high school, and adds it’s the job of the business to give them the opportunity to become key members of society.
She stresses keeping all working people in mind when determining wages hikes, from the well-rounded employees to the ‘first-timers.’
“There needs to be regulation to avoid workers being left behind at low wages absolutely, however, it needs to be something that will benefit everybody in the picture to make sure that BC prospers as an economy all together.”
She hopes the BC government will take all views into consideration for a plan that’ll benefit both businesses and their employees.
Fair Wage Commission listening to feedback on raising the minimum wage to $15/hour pic.twitter.com/IOKaN2Rble
— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) November 28, 2017
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