Trostel quoted in Mount Desert Islander article on Jackson Lab wage increase
University of Maine economist Philip Trostel spoke with Mount Desert Islander for an article about Bar Harbor’s Jackson Laboratory announcing it would raise its lowest wage for full-time workers to $15 per hour. Trostel said raising the starting wage will give the lab “the pick of the litter” when it comes to attracting workers, but added the lab “has always been a pretty good place to work.” During the recent recession, workers at the lowest end of the wage scale were hit the hardest, Trostel explained. More money in people’s pockets should “improve the economic prospects of the region,” the article states. “Overall, upward pressure on wages should be seen as a positive,” Trostel said. “It means the economy is doing well.” Trostel also spoke with the BDN for an article on the wage increase, and Mainebiz cited the BDN interview.