By Tony Huppert, CEO, Team Oil Inc.
The more some politicians push for an increase in the minimum wage the more I find it so hypocritical.
Businesses provide internships to students and various other entry level applicants with pay. On the other hand, politicians have interns, pages and volunteers work for them with NO pay. They do this with the feeling their presence and sharing their political knowledge, is payment enough. The education they receive by being around such knowledgeable people will provide a base for the intern’s future, in the politician’s mind.
Is this another “Do as I say, Not as I do” situation?
In the private sector, employers are continually teaching employees. It costs the employer money to do this service but it is a trade off. The employee doesn’t have to take on debt to get an education and still receives a check for their labor.
I’ve had this conversation with highly educated economists. According to their research, raising the minimum wage doesn’t impact the numbers significantly. I explained, for discussion sake, it’s who is employed that matters. The higher the minimum wage, the older the work force. What we end up with, is a young, educated, segment in our society, with very little, to no work experience, absent of any work ethic.
The politicians should either accept the findings of the workman’s comp companies or at least the health department findings. “A body at rest tends to stay at rest; a body in motion tends to stay in motion”
Get our youth working, not resting on their parent’s couch…. Stop using the minimum wage as a vote gathering, tax raising issue, while insisting it is good for the country.
Tony Huppert is a Wisconsin businessman of 40 years and CEO of Team Oil Inc., the family-owned and operated Team Oil Travel Center, and Subway in Spring Valley, Wis.