Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today condemned the decision by the Fast Food Wage Board to raise the minimum wage for all fast-food workers statewide to $15 per hour. Hawley said that non-elected bureaucrats making statewide labor policy is an irresponsible way to govern and sets a dangerous precedent that is wrong for New York State.

“As a small-business owner for over four decades, I am appalled at the governor’s handling of this situation,” Hawley said. “Allowing a group of non-elected officials to determine a major change in labor policy for New York’s fast-food industry sets a dangerous precedent of allowing bureaucrats, hand-picked by the governor, to make legislative decisions without debate or input from the Legislature. A sharp wage increase will undoubtedly lead to higher prices for consumers and the termination of many employees statewide as franchise owners adjust to deal with higher labor costs. The minimum wage was never meant to be a living wage, and a more viable solution would be to create more sustainable, career-oriented jobs instead of providing an incentive against working hard to advance.”