'Make what you're worth' and the free market gets suffocated when it's a small business and a greedy [bleep] keeps a tight grip on Every dime so he can do better and better and pay just enough to keep people from leaving.
Seen it too many times.
"Just enough to keep them from leaving" is actually the correct amount to pay. Labor is nothing more than an necessary evil in providing a good or service.
Lots of folks have become rich from good help and many have gone under from bad.
When a good hand has to start shopping around they often sign the new contract before the old boss knew of his loss.
That's how the free market works. Old boss got complacent and didn't keep up with the going labor rate. If the going rate for a particular skill is $20 an hour, you can probably find someone for $18, but you can bet he won't be worth a chit. Best bet is to pay just above $20 and get someone passable. Still you have to separate the wheat from the chaff.
