'Do you have the sales to support that?'
Protesters in Phoenix rallied last month for a $15 an hour minimum wage in Arizona.
“Phoenix is going to be next for $15 and union rights for fast food workers,” organizer Gilbert Romero told Cronkite News. “Today is the day for national action.”
Other protests have been held in recent years in Arizona and across the nation for a $15 minimum wage. Those representing small business owners, however, say many can’t afford to pay that for entry-level jobs. Arizona’s current minimum wage is $8.05, and some say an 86 percent increase to $15 is too high.
“Everybody, including our members, supports higher wages for workers,” NFIB media and communications director Jack Mozloom told Newsmax TV in the spring. “The question is, Do you have the sales to support that? Not every business of every size can afford to pay their workers what Costco…or Google can pay.”
Nearly 7 out of 10 economists said a $15 minimum wage would make it harder for small businesses to stay in business, according to a recent University of New Hampshire Survey Center/Employment Policies Institute study.
