Minimum wage hike whacks regional employment
Minimum wage hike whacks regional employment
Press
release: ACT New Zealand
February 27, 2016. 4:15pm
The new $15.25 minimum wage will hit regional employers especially hard, says ACT Leader David Seymour.
“In Auckland, $15.25 might not sound like much, but small businesses in the regions who generally charge less will struggle to bear the cost. Hikes to the minimum wage will discourage new employment, and lead to more lay-offs and business failures.
“The first employees to suffer will be young, low-skilled workers who won’t be offered a chance to prove their worth. Pulling up the jobs ladder will only add to poverty in low-income areas.
“This is a wage set for the distorted Auckland economy. Why should the rest of the country have to bear the same costs?”
ENDS