[jeffbee]

The business owners might not be wrong, but they might not be right, either. Many people, at least in my area, simply cannot accept jobs even if the compensation seems reasonable, because our housing crisis is severe and our transportation system is garbage. When the median home price is $1.6 million, people you want to hire at $20/hr are driving in from 2+ hours away, which when you consider that many schools and other child care systems are still closed or partially closed means that taking these jobs is simply not possible. The whole thing is tied together. Sensible land use and good transportation will keep a lid on wages. Bad land use and terrible transportation will cause wages to rise.

[N1H1L]

Exactly. Labor market is linked to many other things. Wages are the most important factor, but not the only factor.