All of that said, what you could reasonably hope would happen is that all businesses raise their prices because of the labor shortage (already happening around me), but then you have another problem which is that the increased wages are offset by the increased prices.

At the current click, all that's going to be left are the corporations with enough wiggle room to absorb the increase, but they will also pass on prices. I would just prefer not to live in that world. I think corporations increase inequity (Walmart could pay a living wage and full health care, but doesn't) and small business puts the power back with the individual.

We ask, why don't workers go on general strikes? Well small businesses refusing to even try raising wages and prices amounts to a capital general strike.

Employers and employees simply have radically different market power, and that is as fundamental a fact in all economies remotely like ours as any econ 101 supply and demand.

The thing is, a lot more people are like my gf than me (I grew up middle-upper class and am 'financially' well upper class for my country).

Or a lower quality products, because what you'd do if I slack off, fire me? No problem, I'll live off UBI for a while, then go to somebody who didn't fire me yet, there are a lot of places around.

> may attracts better talent

A lot of minimum-wage positions won't benefit from better talent - once minimal level of competency is reached, it's enough. Surely, a waiter could be a rockstar, probably - but most people, and most businesses, expect just not forgetting the orders, not dropping the food on the floor and not cursing out the customers, once it's there, there's not much monetary upside for the business from the better talent (of course, there are tips but that's different story).

> given that they become a significant expense.

Payrolls are already a very significant expense, especially in restaurant, etc. business. I don't think making them more expensive would change much.

Except businesses then raise their prices to cover the increased wages so the "more money" is almost instantly eaten away by having to pay those increased prices. You can't get something for nothing.