“if they can’t afford to have these workers quit because new ones with their high level of irreplaceable skills won’t work for what they pay then, yes, pay would have to go up and they might employ one less worker too.”
I wonder which would work best. If they cut a worker and raised the current pay. Maybe not to $15 but say $12 and that worked as a solution or would it be better to stand on $8.50 and have the workers unionize.
I also wonder if the stores will stay open if the workers do unionize.
If they raised the pay and eliminated a position, I expect them to burn the place down anyways. :|