Increasing the minimum wage impacts not only the workers receiving the minimum wage. [...] The stagnation of the minimum wage over the past two decades is at least partially responsible for the plight of the working poor in Nova Scotia, many of whom earn somewhat more than the minimum wage. [...] Providing a real increase in the minimum wage would boost the wages of these and many more workers in need of a raise. [...] It addresses the economic impact of the minimum wage in the context of an economy that is producing too many low wage jobs, and considers some of the arguments against increasing the minimum wage. [...] The minimum wage sets a social standard or tone, and many public debates, as well as innumerable disputes inside the workplace, use the minimum wage as an implicit guide to construct arguments, to assess all wage scales, to measure the relative standards of one's enterprise.1 When the minimum wage is increased it creates an upward pressure on other wages.

This paper provides a cross-country report on minimum wages. In the past few years, many countries in Central Eastern and Southeastern Europe (CESEE) have increasingly turned to minimum wage policies. Throughout the region, statutory minimum wages had been in place at least since the early 1990s, but they were typically set at relatively moderate levels and affected relatively few workers. Minimum wages have risen sharply relative to both average wages and labor productivity. Minimum wages often affect relatively more workers in CESEE than in Western Europe. Governments are the key players in the minimum wage determination in CESEE countries.

A comprehensive review of evidence on the effect of minimum wages on employment, skills, wage and income distributions, and longer-term labor market outcomes concludes that the minimum wage is not a good policy tool.

Report on recent minimum wage research in Canada - discusses the related issues of poverty, cost of living allowance, guaranteed income and the viability of small scale industry, as well as the effects of a minimum wage on employment, productivity, industrial structure and wages and price levels, etc. Bibliography pp. 58 to 60, references and statistical tables.