Labor may relax its opposition to an increase in the minimum wage if Rep Hawkins agrees to dilute the legislation significantly. Brock Secretary Brock says it must exempt youths lacking entry-level job skills and drop plans for future raises. The Reagan Administration said that a number of people are not only unemployed but unemployable and that increasing the wage would add to the problem. Rep Hawkins said that if Brock put his ideas into a bill it would be given a hearing. But, he said, it's too early to talk compromise. But the administration will remain opposed to any broad minimum-wage boost that results in "massive disemployment" of young people, he added. An aide to a D. Senator said that many people feel that an increase in the wage is inevitable.
Labor may relax its opposition to an increase in the minimum wage if Rep Hawkins agrees to dilute the legislation significantly. Brock Secretary Brock says it must exempt youths lacking entry-level job skills and drop plans for future raises. The Reagan Administration said that a number of people are not only unemployed but unemployable and that increasing the wage would add to the problem. Rep Hawkins said that if Brock put his ideas into a bill it would be given a hearing. But, he said, it's too early to talk compromise. An aide to a D. Senator said that many people feel that an increase in the wage is inevitable.