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Dakota Follis-Ziarko, manager of Second Chic
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Buffalo Review West Reporters
Employees
are elated for the increase of minimum wage going into effect in New York State this year. However, there are employers who
have expressed concerns as they determine how to keep their small businesses
afloat.
As of Dec. 31, 2018, minimum wage inNew York State, increased from $10.40 to $11.10 per
hour. This is
higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. On Dec. 31,
2019, minimum wage is set to increase to $11.80 per hour.
Minimum wage is the lowest wage
permitted by law that a worker may be paid. This has been a controversial
subject for many years.
There have been many arguments for
the increase, which people say is necessary because it would reduce poverty and
help economic growth. The arguments made against the increase have come from
the views of minimum wage being only a supplemental wage for families, not a
career wage.
The hospitality industry is the
second largest employment industry in the United States. With the minimum wage
increasing many small businesses and
restaurants have been negatively affected.
Many small businesses and
restaurants on the West Side have been forced to undergo changes due to the
increase.
Guercio & Sons Inc., 250 Grant
St., had to change its business hours from 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.,
and cut a few positions. Vinny Guercio, manager, is against the increase
because it is damaging to small businesses.
“It’s like a disappointment. I can’t
keep raising my prices and hope customers come in because we are known for our
low prices,” Guercio said.
Another business that has been
negatively affected by the increase is Nick’s Place, 504 Amherst St. Peter
Ananiadis, manager, said the increase has hurt, not only the restaurant, but
also its employees.
Ananiadis says that the problem is
not the increase itself, it’s the increase in cost for the rest of the staff.
“We’re
not like a produce place, you can’t just raise prices… When your prices go up,
it hurts a lot of restaurants,” Ananiadis said. “This is why people get laid
off, or their hours get cut, because the restaurant still needs to take money
for themselves.”
In 2016, legislation was passed that
would bring the minimum wage in upstate New York up to $12.50 per hour by Dec.
31, 2020. New York state Sen. Timothy M.
Kennedy, voted for minimum wage increases multiple times.
Kennedy said that the increase makes
it clear that New York state values all of its workers. He said unemployment in
Buffalo, and all of Upstate New York, has continued to drop due to the steady
increase in the minimum wage for three
years.
“For years, the minimum wage failed
to keep up with inflation, forcing many workers to work 50, 60 or more than 70
hours per week, just to keep the lights on and put food on the table,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy continues to defend his
stance on the increase of minimum wage by mentioning how unemployment continues
to drop and Buffalo-Niagara’s economy is doing better than it has in decades.
“The fact is that hard work deserves
a fair pay, and that is what we are ensuring,” Kennedy said.
Second Chic, 810 Elmwood Ave., is a
small consignment store. Unlike Guercio & Sons Inc. and Nick’s Place,
Second Chic did not have to adjust business hours and employee schedules due to
the minimum wage increase.
Dakota Follis-Ziarko, manager, said the
increase will continue to have an impact on small businesses.
“Unfortunately, it affects small
businesses more than it does affect corporate businesses,” Follis-Ziarko said.
Follis-Ziarko, on minimum wage increase effect on small
business:
Follis-Ziarko defended small
businesses and suggests that small businesses should receive more tax breaks.
“I feel the balance should be
different, because they’re bettering the community and they’re bringing jobs to
the community,” Follis-Ziarko said.
