What are the positions on a minimum wage?

This position holds that the minimum wage is too low. It argues that raising it would unlock economic benefits and fight poverty more effectively — boosting consumer spending and government revenue — and that letting the minimum wage stagnate has been a key driver of rising inequality.

This position holds that the minimum wage is good for businesses, not just workers. It argues that paying a decent wage reduces costly employee turnover and boosts productivity, so that the benefits of a minimum wage extend to employers' bottom lines as well as their staff.

This position frames the minimum wage as a way to reduce government spending. It argues that paying workers a wage floor lessens their reliance on social safety nets — cutting the cost of welfare programmes — while also providing a stronger incentive to work.

This position holds that the minimum wage is good for workers. It argues that it lifts people out of poverty, narrows gender and racial income gaps, and can even fuel job creation by putting more spending money in workers' pockets.

This position holds that a minimum wage is ineffective at reducing poverty. It argues such laws benefit neither workers nor businesses—raising unemployment, driving up inflation, failing to keep pace with rising prices, and doing nothing to tackle underemployment.