The negative effects of a $15-an-hour minimum wage

To the editor:

I enjoyed reading Ron Bourque’s recent column on the surprising results of a $15/hr. minimum wage “Real raises make a difference,” June 10-23 NH Business Review). The subject has been in the news often, but one aspect of it that seems to be rarely addressed is the effect it would potentially have on workers who are already making $15 or more.

Some of us who have worked very hard for many years, paid our way through college, and taken continuing education classes would see unskilled co-workers receive substantial raises and new hires being paid nearly as much as we are. Some of these raises would be as much as $7/hr. while the rest of us would get no increase. In fact, we would be likely to have our hours cut or even lose our jobs.

Additionally, basic economics would suggest that as labor rates increase the cost of goods and services will also rise. Those of us not getting raises would be going backward. Rather than create warm and fuzzy feelings and a utopic workforce, I feel that a $15 minimum wage would actually promote widespread unrest, demoralize workers and reduce productivity. 

Ross Caron

Berlin