North Country: NFIB/NY Speaks Out on $15/Hr. Minimum Wage & Paid Leave

Date: April 01, 2016 Last Edit: April 07, 2016

April 4, 2016

Minimum Wage Compromise Draws Criticism and Praise WRVO North Country Public Radio
Paige Horning

NFIB/NY State Director Mike Durant reflected on lawmakers’ vote on minimum wage and the lower wage “compromise” for upstate. Listen

“Durant said he doesn’t believe that the upstate minimum wage will stop at the current threshold of $12.50 an hour. He points out that the pause for an economic analysis will be done by Cuomo’s own aides.

“They feel that nothing negative is going to happen, and that this will just create an economic utopia for New York, and we disagree,” Durant said.”

April 1, 2016

Small Biz Unhappy with Minimum Wage Hike  Capital Tonight Interview on Time Warner Cable

Liz Benjamin


“It’s very difficult to accept the spin that this is a compromise.”

March 26, 2016
Questions Persist as Lawmakers Aim for NY Budget Deal AP/Watertown Daily Times

“Business groups concerned about the sharp increase, however, say they don’t want a compromise – they want the proposal to fail.

“We know the issue is on the 1-yard line,” said Mike Durant, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business. “Maybe this deal falls apart.””


March 24, 2016

Time Warner Cable News Segment
Nick Reisman

NFIB/NY State Director Mike Durant urged the Senate to remove the minimum wage proposal from budget negotiations. Click to view 

March 16, 2016

New York State Assembly Minority Press Conference on Minimum Wage Hike and Alternatives
Click to view

March 4, 2016

State Reports that Small Businesses are Struggling Watertown Daily Times
Mike Durant

In a Letter to the Editor, NFIB/NY State Director Mike Durant outlined the economic realities of a 67% increase in minimum wage on businesses that already are struggling in New York State:

This is not an economic experiment that the independent business can withstand. This is political opportunism at its worst.”

February 10, 2016 

Study Shows Positive Impact of Minimum Wage, Business Groups Disagree WAMC Public Radio
Karen Dewitt

Mike Durant, with the New York chapter of the National Independent Business Federation  says the report provides a “false narrative” that says there would be zero impact on business.

“This basically regurgitates the slogans and propaganda that the advocates pushing for the $15 minimum wage have been saying,” Durant said.

January 7, 2016

Opposing Another Minimum Wage Hike Capital Tonight Interview on Time Warner Cable
Liz Benjamin

State Director Mike Durant joins host Liz Benjamin to discuss NFIB/NY’s 2016 Legislative Agenda including blocking a proposed minimum wage increase and several other labor related issues. 

Related Content: Small Business News | New York

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