Further, Burtless points out, the across-the-board wage increase would affect small-business owners equally.

FORBES: Minimum Wage Oddities

For example, research has shown that, even in the US, many firms would prefer to reduce wage costs by eliminating some staff rather than affect morale and productivity by introducing across-the-board wage cuts.

FORBES: A Plea for Growth to Europe's Politicians

To plug the gap the three governing parties, the conservative New Democracy, PanHellenic Socialist Movement and Democratic Left, may have to rip out a key plank in their joint policy-platform: a deal ruling out further across-the-board wage cuts for the civil service.

ECONOMIST: The Greek bail-out

Yet despite the recent rise in wages across the board, and despite the massive rise in federal assistance, many poor single wage-earners have still not been able to lift their families out of poverty.

ECONOMIST: Out of sight, out of mind

As for the Northwest dispute, some observers trace it not just to the 1993 agreement (in which the pilots' wage concessions were alleviated by the award of stock in the company and a seat on the board) but to dislike of the abrasive style of Al Checchi, chairman until last year, before his quixotic decision to run for governor of California.

ECONOMIST: Labour��s seeds of discontent