The bold regulation, which supporters hope to see replicated nationwide, has been characterised by opposing sides in stark phrases. To backers, it’s a step towards honest compensation for low-wage employees who confronted vital threat through the pandemic. To opponents, it’s a cataclysmic transfer that can elevate meals costs, result in job losses and pressure some franchisees to think about closing.
“People don’t understand that when wages rise, so do the prices,” Mr. Bynum mentioned.
Mr. Bynum has, lately, raised costs to attempt to keep revenue margins — and every time, he mentioned, he has seen a drop in prospects. That, in flip, compelled painful selections about slicing staffing and trimming hours.
The new minimal wage will add $3,000 to $4,000 to his month-to-month bills, he mentioned, and whereas he hopes to maintain all eight of his staff, he doesn’t know if he could make the numbers add up.
One worker, Josue Reyes, has labored on the restaurant on and off over the previous decade.
He works the night shift, usually taking the bus after which using his hybrid bike the remainder of the way in which to the restaurant. Mr. Reyes, 35, mentioned the constant pay raises by means of the years — he now makes $16 an hour — had helped him considerably. He places a lot of his paycheck towards helping his mom pay the lease at their trailer park and tries to avoid wasting the place he can.
While one other pay improve will assist him, Mr. Reyes, who has labored in quick meals for a lot of his life, mentioned he feared that earlier than lengthy, jobs would develop into extra aggressive and tougher to maintain.
