Mr. Editor,

I refer to recent talk of increasing the minimum wage. The idea of a mandated minimum wage is for the lowest paid members of society to, at least, ensure that they can keep up with the ever-increasing costs of living. It is not intended to lift a small percentage of workers to better wages than others. This latest demand that the minimum wage should rise from $210 per week, set three short years ago – in 2017 – to $300 per week now. This would imply that the cost of living has risen, in that very short time, by almost 50%, I seriously doubt there is a responsible economist among us who would admit to even a 5% increase.

Much talk was made of the worker having to choose between keeping a roof over his head or filling his belly with food from his weekly pay package of $210. Would the unreasonable unionist making these demands like to explain to this retired office worker how I might be able to satisfy the afore mentioned needs from my pension of $100 per week? I would really like to know.

Of course, if it is the unions idea to aim for a 50% increase in the cost of living in a 3 – 5-year period this is surely the way to make it happen. Lastly, I should mention to the unions that if they or anybody-else thought unemployment was high now, just go ahead with this quite ludicrous demand and watch businesses dramatically cut their workforces to just stay in business or even close down completely, being unable to bear this huge increase in costs. Which is exactly what happened, recently, in Ontario, Canada.

Yours in fear of idiots,

George Francis

The views expressed are those of the author, and not necessarily those of the WeblogBahamas (which has no corporate view).