Min. wage boost a first step

A 20-cent an hour jump in B.C.'s minimum wage may not be a whole lot, but it is a step in the right direction.

And it's one that won't break the back of small businesses already pushed to the brink by taxation and an economy still struggling to find its way.

Too big a jump in the minimum wage would simply ensure fewer entry level jobs for the people the increase is supposed to help. Businesses would make do with fewer staff; some teetering on the edge might decide to close the doors.

The B.C. Federation of Labour, meanwhile, has called the raise "pathetic" and has vowed to continue its push for a $15 an hour minimum wage.

That's not going to happen. For the simple fact many workers in supervisory positions, especially in retail, don't make $15 an hour.

That's not to say they don't deserve more. But there is a limit to what employers can bear. And if non-skilled jobs are paid more, those in higher positions will soon want more money, too. That's called inflation, and it would be reflected in the prices of everything we buy, negating the increases for those at the bottom.

Social agencies peg what they call the "living wage" at $18 in the Central Okanagan. That's more a reflection of the Valley's hot real estate market than anything else. Can you imagine how much a Big Mac would cost if the kid cooking it were making 18 bucks an hour?

Indexing the minimum wage to B.C.'s Consumer Price Index is a novel idea – and one that will guarantee increases as the cost of living goes up. But critics say tying the two together only ensures those who are behind now will never catch up.

But that ignores the fact that most people only stay in minimum wage work for a short time in their younger years while they are figuring out what they want to do with the rest of their lives. It's called getting experience.

And the majority of those jobs are in the service sector where one might expect to supplement their income with tips. More than half still live at home with their parents, according to government statistics.

But, it's not just about income. Social aid to those who most need it is also taking a boost with the end of child-support clawbacks for single parents on income assistance, a raised earning exemption for full benefits and increased disability assistance and training for employment.

The minimum wage alone is not the answer. Best to look at the bigger picture.

– News Director Jon Manchester