USA Today Ad Warns Protesters of Consequences of Wage Hikes

On Monday, labor-supported activist groups are staging strikes at restaurants in major cities across the country to demand a $15 per hour wage—a more than 100 percent increase over the current federal entry-level wage.

In response to these walk-outs, the Employment Policies Institute is running a full-page ad in USA Today highlighting the unintended consequences of a $15 wage mandate:

EPI_IpadAd_USAToday.indd

At the center of the activists’ message is the false notion that restaurant employees have no opportunity for advancement without a government mandate. This claim couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, research shows that two-thirds of minimum wage earners receive a raise after 1-12 months on the job.

To get a raise, however, employees need experience—experience that will be difficult to come by when their jobs are automated due to a $15 minimum wage.