No 'buts'

Raising the national minimum wage for 18-20yr olds above the inflation rate is NOT a threat.

It is not unreasonable.

It's progress towards ending in-work poverty and begins to close the gap on discrimination because, truthfully, they deserve the same rate of pay as older colleagues and, ideally, at the Real Living Wage.

Eyebrows *should* be raised about any sector that relies on younger workers being paid less. I'm sure it's not the intended message when they defend the right to do so - but it is - those 'low pay' industries suffer bad reputations.

And when that poor reputation sticks it's hard to shake off.

A solution - rather than going 'low' by attacking the wage increase and the inability to pay RLW, perhaps better to question the broader tax and cost burden that makes it necessary for business to cut costs by cutting their workers' age demographic. Go cross-sectoral - go strategic - go high.

Tax wealth, not work.
Businesses pay their team more
People, communities and the economy thrive

And to finish on a high note, Edinburgh businesses have reduced the number of people being paid less than the Real Living Wage from 13% to 6% in just 5 years. Through a pandemic and cost of living crisis.

 It can be done.

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