Yellowknife (Sep 24/03) - Managers at Warehouse One are unhappy with current minimum-wage practices.

While ascent from the territorial legislative assembly to change the minimum wage to $8.25 an hour was passed on June 13, it won't take effect until Dec. 28.

Unable to pay more, because purse strings are tightly gripped by an office in Winnipeg, Isabelle Noble, manager of the Warehouse One and Terrina Chretien, assistant manager, are frustrated by trying to keep part-time staff happy with $6.50 an hour.

They say the minimum wage should be $9.

"Who can afford to live in Yellowknife at minimum wage?" asked Chretien.

Warehouse One's biggest competitors are Bootlegger, Wal-Mart and Saan, and they pay more than Warehouse One, said Noble.

Potential employees "come in and ask how much you pay and they walk out," said Chretien.