In this month’s Manx Bard column, Bradley Chambers discusses the recent announcement of the increase to the island’s minimum wage.

Everyone should get paid properly for the work that they do. It seems that many disagree though, given the comments regarding the recent increase to the island’s minimum wage.

The Treasury Minister has stated that, ‘fair pay is fundamental to a strong and inclusive economy’. I agree.

Economy is not simply another name for the market. Economies are more than pay/purchase or supply/demand. Economies are also about individuals, communities and society. They all need to be healthy and functioning well for the economy to flourish.

The arguments about inflation are spurious. It is not true that paying people appropriately drives up inflation.

The causes of inflation are complex. The poorest must spend their money, and they (unfortunately) have no choice. This is good for the local economy. Equally, it is not the case that the only option that businesses have is to pass on the cost of increased wages to customers. Big businesses could simply generate less profit for their shareholders. Radical, I know.

Small businesses struggle at the best of times but isn’t it the case that action should be taken to drive down costs for businesses – such as rental costs, rather than to compel businesses to keep wages low?

The increase is only £1.21 per hour. It’s not very much. That businesses will sink due to such a paltry increase is clearly nonsense. If businesses cannot pay their staff properly, they are not doing very good business. In fact, they aren’t really in business at all.

Some argue for free markets without any intervention at all, but the problem with free markets is that they only generate choice and freedom for those that can afford it.

Seems to me that the only people complaining about the minimum wage are people who get paid considerably more than the minimum wage. Funny that, don’t you think?

The sky won’t fall in. Inflation won’t spiral. Businesses won’t close. The island will be just fine. The cost of living remains high but that’s nothing new. I say that wages should increase considerably more, particularly for the youngest and the poorest, and pensions should increase too.

There should be a better distribution of wealth and fairer taxation, but this is at least a step in the right direction.

The Bare Minimum

The Chamber of Commerce have taken flight.

The Wage Committee say, ‘this can’t be right’.

There’ll be aprons twitching at the Lodge tonight.

The working class take centre stage.

Tynwald’s upped the minimum wage.

Can’t we have a rational conversation?

Is this the end of this island nation?

Facebook heroes don’t grasp inflation.

There’s seething rage on every page.

Tynwald’s upped the minimum wage.

Some say no increase - I’m not one of those.

Small businesses will not need to close

Workers spend, so the economy grows

We should pay people well in a civilised age.

Good - Tynwald’s upped the minimum wage.