Minimum Wage

[7Toes]

the max on min wage should be 10bucks thats it some people who went to school for HVAC don't make 15 hr when they start so why pay a burger flipper with no training get 15 an hr i don't believe burger flipper is a valid trade.theres a problem with the usa now is there is not a lot of full time work out there why pay benefits to a worker when you can use 2 part timers with no benefits...thanks to the millionaires in office that voted all these fair trade acts in so big corporate america could move their factories to make mega profits overseas or south of the border ..should be shot i would supply the bullets 

Edited September 20, 2014 by 7toes_ky

[mouselad]

the max on min wage should be 10bucks thats it some people who went to school for HVAC don't make 15 hr when they start so why pay a burger flipper with no training get 15 an hr i don't believe burger flipper is a valid trade.theres a problem with the usa now is there is not a lot of full time work out there why pay benefits to a worker when you can use 2 part timers with no benefits...thanks to the millionaires in office that voted all these fair trade acts in so big corporate america could move their factories to make mega profits overseas or south of the border ..should be shot i would supply the bullets 

 

 

I have just an Associate's in Computer Networking & Security Technology. I have years of experience in tech support, installing troubleshooting and configuring PBX (phone systems), networking & telecom infrastructure, system administration... and I don't even make 15/hr lol.

[little_old_man]

the max on min wage should be 10bucks thats it some people who went to school for HVAC don't make 15 hr when they start so why pay a burger flipper with no training get 15 an hr i don't believe burger flipper is a valid trade.theres a problem with the usa now is there is not a lot of full time work out there why pay benefits to a worker when you can use 2 part timers with no benefits...thanks to the millionaires in office that voted all these fair trade acts in so big corporate america could move their factories to make mega profits overseas or south of the border ..should be shot i would supply the bullets 

 

They don't even have burger flippers at places like MacDonald's and Burger King. They have burger microwavers because all of the burgers are cooked on a conveyor belt cooker and then put aside for hours until an order comes in then they nuke it. At least Wendy's still cooks them on a griddle when you order them.

[mouselad]

Back to LOM posted a while back.  Fast food/minimum wage jobs are not meant to support the well-being of an individual.  Minimum wage was put in place to protect young people from getting taken advantage of; not to make sure you had enough $$ to survive.  And I may not NEED a billion dollars, but if I earned it, its mine.  Bottom line is that it wouldn't impact the large fast food chains, and it would make people semi-happy for a very short term, then they realize their lifestyle is adjusting to the increased wage and they don't have the discipline to budget or save or educate themselves to move up professionally or in life.  They are then pissed at the man for not providing handouts and want to blame everyone else for their shortcomings.   

 

lol Yea i get a lot of shit in this country, because i think building your fortune off the backs of the poor while paying them unfair wages is kinda fucked up.

I guess I'm just not a greedy person. I would rather see the community prosper as a whole than have a couple wealthy people and everyone else be poor.  of my friends give me shit for this because it is kind of socialist, but i think some aspects of socialism are good.

I don't need too much, and wouldn't try to take more than I need.

 

I think if I were a billionaire I would also be a huge philathropist, and I'm glad to see some billionaires are starting to realize that they DONT need all that money, and it could be better helping others.

 

sometimes it is very hard. coming from a disadvantaged home and coming out of poverty, and having to drop out of school in 8th grade because your parents need you to be a migrant worker with them so the family can live.. its tough. I wouldn't say these people don't have the discpline. it is a vicious cycle. they drop out of school to help the family, the wages are shit, they don't have the education to figure out how to fix it, or if they stay in school they don't have the money to go to college.

My girlfriends parents both had to leave school at an early age because they had to start working to help out their family. They aren't stupid or lazy or anything. its necessity. not everyone in this country is born with a silver spoon in their mouth and are afforded the opportunities to advance themselves.

 

I grew up with numerous kids where HS hit and you never saw them again, because their parents would yank them out of school to become migrant workers.

[mouselad]

[DeemerXI]

lol Yea i get a lot of shit in this country, because i think building your fortune off the backs of the poor while paying them unfair wages is kinda fucked up.

I guess I'm just not a greedy person. I would rather see the community prosper as a whole than have a couple wealthy people and everyone else be poor.  of my friends give me shit for this because it is kind of socialist, but i think some aspects of socialism are good.

I don't need too much, and wouldn't try to take more than I need.

 

I think if I were a billionaire I would also be a huge philathropist, and I'm glad to see some billionaires are starting to realize that they DONT need all that money, and it could be better helping others.

 

sometimes it is very hard. coming from a disadvantaged home and coming out of poverty, and having to drop out of school in 8th grade because your parents need you to be a migrant worker with them so the family can live.. its tough. I wouldn't say these people don't have the discpline. it is a vicious cycle. they drop out of school to help the family, the wages are shit, they don't have the education to figure out how to fix it, or if they stay in school they don't have the money to go to college.

My girlfriends parents both had to leave school at an early age because they had to start working to help out their family. They aren't stupid or lazy or anything. its necessity. not everyone in this country is born with a silver spoon in their mouth and are afforded the opportunities to advance themselves.

 

I grew up with numerous kids where HS hit and you never saw them again, because their parents would yank them out of school to become migrant workers.

 

What is "unfair"? Again, it is not a business' job to support you.  They pay you for a service.  To be honest, fast food work doesn't require a whole lot of brain cells, so why do they deserve to make more than someone who has an education in a specific trade at an entry level position? Who needs an education when you can get $15/hour at Taco Bell? To me, its completely backwards thinking. And you are right; not everyone in this country is born with a silver spoon, but EVERYONE has the opportunity to advance themselves.  I don't care where you come from; you control your own destiny..

[JohnnyDos]

All  I know and see is,a lot of companies have had cut backs on employees and wages,a lot have had no raise whatsoever,and I haven't seen any prices go down.A lot of production is now automated and require less manpower,but who saves?None of us.Now you guys will blame unions.For me the best thing that happened and for my wife also.We both retired at an early age me in 2003 and her in 2005.We both could've kept working till we were 65,but at the same time prevented some ones son or daughter having a job for the last 11 years for me and 9 from my wife,neither of us are 65 yet.So think about it.I guess you'll have to work till you drop at whatever your minimum wage is over there in the US.The wife  and I have full benefits also.Plus you have to hope you make it to that age.Check the obits and see how many young people don't make it to collect one pension cheque.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 21, 2014 by JohnnyDos

[SlideRulz]

And they would still get my order wrong no matter what they make.

[PimpedOutPete]

All  I know and see is,a lot of companies have had cut backs on employees and wages,a lot have had no raise whatsoever,and I haven't seen any prices go down.A lot of production is now automated and require less manpower,but who saves?None of us.Now you guys will blame unions.For me the best thing that happened and for my wife also.We both retired at an early age me in 2003 and her in 2005.We both could've kept working till we were 65,but at the same time prevented some ones son or daughter having a job for the last 11 years for me and 9 from my wife,neither of us are 65 yet.So think about it.I guess you'll have to work till you drop at whatever your minimum wage is over there in the US.The wife  and I have full benefits also.Plus you have to hope you make it to that age.Check the obits and see how many young people don't make it to collect one pension cheque.

 

Lol love the pic Johnny.

[Leadfinger]

lol Yea i get a lot of shit in this country, because i think building your fortune off the backs of the poor while paying them unfair wages is kinda fucked up.

I guess I'm just not a greedy person. I would rather see the community prosper as a whole than have a couple wealthy people and everyone else be poor.  of my friends give me shit for this because it is kind of socialist, but i think some aspects of socialism are good.

I don't need too much, and wouldn't try to take more than I need.

 

I think if I were a billionaire I would also be a huge philathropist, and I'm glad to see some billionaires are starting to realize that they DONT need all that money, and it could be better helping others.

 

sometimes it is very hard. coming from a disadvantaged home and coming out of poverty, and having to drop out of school in 8th grade because your parents need you to be a migrant worker with them so the family can live.. its tough. I wouldn't say these people don't have the discpline. it is a vicious cycle. they drop out of school to help the family, the wages are shit, they don't have the education to figure out how to fix it, or if they stay in school they don't have the money to go to college.

My girlfriends parents both had to leave school at an early age because they had to start working to help out their family. They aren't stupid or lazy or anything. its necessity. not everyone in this country is born with a silver spoon in their mouth and are afforded the opportunities to advance themselves.

 

I grew up with numerous kids where HS hit and you never saw them again, because their parents would yank them out of school to become migrant workers.

Any Parent that MAKES their child drop out of school in 8th grade so they can help the family live shouldn't be a parent.

If you can't afford to raise kids dont have them.

How the hell is that child going to have a better life than their parents if they dont have an education???

 

Making you child drop out of school and forcing them to work instead of getting an education simply keeps the cycle of poverty going and that child will be no better off than the parents.

If the parents can't make ends meet take on a second job but don't jeopardize your child's future because of poor choices you made.

 

Having kids without a job to support them . . .poor choice

Making you kid quit school to go to work because you can't meet your obligations as a parent  . . .poor choice

 

I don't have an answer for this minimum wage issue but working at a fast food joint shouldn't have to be a career job but without good paying manufacturing jobs here in the USA many have no choice.

 

Like others have posted  jobs at fast food joints are for teenagers just starting out in the work force until they finish school and not for adults buying a home.

The market sets the level of wage a person gets and that's just how it is, The Government cant even manage the money we give them so why would we ask them to step in and start telling businesses how to manage theirs? This isn't about the rich getting richer its about the economy if you fix the economy the jobs will be there. The Government's time would be better spent working on solutions to fix the economy because not only would it create jobs it would create Tax revenue to help with the budget crises.

 

The country is in a bad "funk" right now and needs leaders that will work together to bring us out of it before its too late . . unfortunately the leaders we have now are unwilling to do what it takes to fix this mess so until we vote the worthless bastards out . . . . .  .get used to saying  . ."would you like that super-sized"

[mouselad]

What is "unfair"? Again, it is not a business' job to support you.  They pay you for a service.  To be honest, fast food work doesn't require a whole lot of brain cells, so why do they deserve to make more than someone who has an education in a specific trade at an entry level position? Who needs an education when you can get $15/hour at Taco Bell? To me, its completely backwards thinking. And you are right; not everyone in this country is born with a silver spoon, but EVERYONE has the opportunity to advance themselves.  I don't care where you come from; you control your own destiny..

 

 

I don't think they deserve to make more than someone with trade skills, but I do think  7.25 is way too low for any adult to be making. Someone else mentioned another country has a min wage for teens and a min wage for adults. maybe the US should do something along those lines. I think 15 is a bit high for a min wage.. but maybe 9 or 10..

 

I don't think i belong in a capitalist society. I have too much of a humanistic point of view and would rather see society prosper as a whole rather than a couple kings/rulers/lords and a bunch of peasants.

Edited September 23, 2014 by mouselad

[mouselad]

Any Parent that MAKES their child drop out of school in 8th grade so they can help the family live shouldn't be a parent.

If you can't afford to raise kids dont have them.

How the hell is that child going to have a better life than their parents if they dont have an education???

 

Making you child drop out of school and forcing them to work instead of getting an education simply keeps the cycle of poverty going and that child will be no better off than the parents.

If the parents can't make ends meet take on a second job but don't jeopardize your child's future because of poor choices you made.

 

Having kids without a job to support them . . .poor choice

Making you kid quit school to go to work because you can't meet your obligations as a parent  . . .poor choice

 

I don't have an answer for this minimum wage issue but working at a fast food joint shouldn't have to be a career job but without good paying manufacturing jobs here in the USA many have no choice.

 

Like others have posted  jobs at fast food joints are for teenagers just starting out in the work force until they finish school and not for adults buying a home.

The market sets the level of wage a person gets and that's just how it is, The Government cant even manage the money we give them so why would we ask them to step in and start telling businesses how to manage theirs? This isn't about the rich getting richer its about the economy if you fix the economy the jobs will be there. The Government's time would be better spent working on solutions to fix the economy because not only would it create jobs it would create Tax revenue to help with the budget crises.

 

The country is in a bad "funk" right now and needs leaders that will work together to bring us out of it before its too late . . unfortunately the leaders we have now are unwilling to do what it takes to fix this mess so until we vote the worthless bastards out . . . . .  .get used to saying  . ."would you like that super-sized"

 

 

Oh yea I know they are poor choices.. but I live in the poorest, most under-educated, and unhealthy area in the US. There are programs that try to educate the people, and I think it has improved a bit since I have grown up. It is a very strange culture down here

Edited September 23, 2014 by mouselad

[deerejon]

Look... I own a family business and am always looking for people to work hard...I am busy all year long and I have one guy out of 9 that works hard and long and gets compensated accordingly... Time and a half ...insurance (family plan)...matching 401k...

I find most Americants to be lazy at best and scammers at worst...sorry that's what I see...

[Tron]

Good one LOM, except how do explain that in Fort McMurray where basically all the jobs are in the oil industry and wages are high. The fast food chains pay a wage to attract employees that is a lot higher than say Toronto, and they still make money. I think  some/maybe all of these franchise owners are making a killing at the expense of their employees as  Walmart does. They all use the word TEAM like you are part of this huge family where everybody supports and helps each other, BULLSHIT! They only use you because they need somebody to collect the money, and it is not that far off where if they can automate the till and pay fewer employees and scare the rest with employee cutbacks, they will do it faster than Bill Clinton pulling up his pants. I say give the workers an increase and enjoy the ride while you can.

 

It's called the Free Market....something that this country has not embraced for quite some time. I suggest people read this article: http://mises.org/daily/2130

 

Additionally, here are just a few good reasons why raising the minimum wage is a bad idea...poached from an article on Reason.com

 

1. It’s a big country. The costs of living, especially housing, vary widely in America from state to state and city to city. If the point of raising the minimum wage is to provide a “living wage,” why should the minimum wage in low-cost areas such as Texas or Oklahoma be the same as in high-cost areas such as San Francisco or Manhattan?

2. The states are already taking care of it. Twenty states and the District of Columbia already have minimum wages higher than the current federal minimum of $7.25 an hour.

3. Private industry and the free market are already taking care of it. Even low-skill, entry level positions in many areas already pay higher than minimum wage.

4. As an anti-poverty tool, it is a blunt instrument. A post by David Henderson cited by the chairman of the Harvard Economics Department, Greg Mankiw, points out that a lot of minimum wage earners are second or third-job holders in households with other income. That could include a teenage summer employee whose parents both have jobs. Other minimum wage workers may include retirees with income from savings and Social Security who own their homes mortgage-free.

5. It’s not clear that it’s constitutional. The Supreme Court, in its opinion in the 1923 case Adkins v. Children’s Hospital of District of Columbia, made a strong argument that a minimum wage was a violation of the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of contract embedded in the Fifth Amendment’s language about due process and the deprivation of liberty and property: “To the extent that the sum fixed exceeds the fair value of the services rendered, it amounts to a compulsory exaction from the employer for the support of a partially indigent person, for whose condition there rests upon him no peculiar responsibility, and therefore, in effect, arbitrarily shifts to his shoulders a burden which, if it belongs to anybody, belongs to society as a whole.” The Court later, in the 1937 case West Coast Hotel v. Parrish, reversed Adkins by a five to four margin. But maybe the court was right the first time around.

6. Even if the freedom of contract isn’t protected by the Constitution, it’s a natural right that should not be infringed. As President Kennedy put it in his inaugural address, “the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.” If two free people want to enter into a voluntary, consensual agreement that doesn’t infringe on anyone else’s rights, why should the government stop them? If someone wants to work for $5 an hour, and someone wants to hire that person for that much, and no one is forcing either one of them to enter into the agreement, by what authority does government step in and stop them?

7. It would eliminate jobs. Ordering businesses to pay entry-level workers more will make them hire fewer of them, and consider replacing more workers with robots or computers. That’s good if you are in the robot or computer business, but not so good if you are trying to combat unemployment. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that President Obama’s proposed $10.10 wage, once fully implemented, “would reduce total employment by about 500,000 workers.”

8. It would reduce the incentive for low-wage workers to get an education and move up to a higher-paying job. The lower the minimum wage, the more eager a minimum wage worker would be to enroll in a community college course at night, improve his or her skills, and apply for a higher-paying job. Making the entry-level jobs higher paying increases the risk that workers will get stuck in them for longer instead of moving on to something more rewarding.

9. It’s a sneaky way to increase welfare spending and raise taxes. Raising taxes to spend more on welfare is a political loser. But raising the minimum wage puts money in the pockets of working poor people, at the expense of business owners (and of consumers who would pay in the form of higher prices). If politicians want to increase the earned income tax credit or other work-related welfare benefits, they should do the hard work of building political support for such policies, rather than choosing the roundabout approach of a minimum wage increase.

 

[Titan]

Nobody lives off of minimum wage and nobody should. All a minimum wage job is for is to grow skills in order to become a better competitor in the workforce. All it does is increase the cost of living and accomplishes nothing. You raise the minimum wage and prices go up to offset the increase so they're back to where they were and the rest of us are paying more. When you talk about taking it from 7.25 to 15.00 That is enormous. A small business say with 5 minimum wage employees. That represents a 38.00 an hour raise, 304.00 a day, 1,500.00 a week, 6,000 a month and 73,000.00 a year. That doesn't include the extra cost of workmans compensation, federal unemployment, state unemployment, or the extra payroll taxes such as social security and medicare. No small business can afford to absorb a $6000 a month hit in their overhead without passing that on to the consumer. That can cost lots of jobs, cause businesses to shut down and wreak havoc economically.The only one that wins is the government in the form of extra tax revenue from everyone, and they piss away enough of my money already !!!

[fireurza]

I have just an Associate's in Computer Networking & Security Technology. I have years of experience in tech support, installing troubleshooting and configuring PBX (phone systems), networking & telecom infrastructure, system administration... and I don't even make 15/hr lol.

I have no professional experience with computers, networking, or servers.... I got a job in May that pays more than 15 an hour.... pays roughly 23 an hour.... working for IBM. Its not the greedy business owners its the people accepting the jobs at such a low rate because they are desperate. Refuse to take a low pay and companies will raise their pay rate. McDonalds will not pay 15 an hour if they can get someone to do the job for 7.25 an hour. It has nothing to do with greed and everything to do with economics. Cost < Profit.... If a business is not profitable then it will fail. Those companies that were mentioned earlier are not doing well. In fact their stocks took a beating this year. Also the government wants unions but businesses do not. Unions are never working for the employees only their own pockets. They refused a deal that would have allowed their members to keep working because they were greedy. Case and point.... Hostess. Minimum wage does not need to go up what needs to happen is the spending needs to come under control. The national debt causes the value of the dollar to go down. The value of the dollar goes down and things start to cost more because so much is imported. Double the minimum wage and the dollar will fall dramatically causing the cost of goods to skyrocket. Then we will be right back in the same boat we are in. Liberals need to shut up and learn economics. Think with your head and not your heart and we might be able to get out of this damned depression.

[CobraBites]

LOL to all. When I was a kid, you leaned a trade or received a degree because nobody wanted to get stuck flipping burgers for minimum wage. Now, that's considered a career choice. You have to laugh, because crying doesn't help.

i worked fast food jobs for nearly 14 yrs i ended up goin to college in 2003 graduating in 2005 ....had finished with 3.45 made deans list 3x honor roll the rest...out 5 quarters...earned A+ pc tech certification ic3 for basic pc knowledge ....guess what kind of job i couldnt get....a pc job....i still ended up workn fast food ...ppl wanted pc ppl who had more than 3 yrs xp...no one wanted newbie....now i have college debt i cant afford to pay back now im in garnishment over it ...cause student loan company refused to work with me on payments even tho they were required too...college education not wat it is all cracked up to be tbh....the rich get richer and the poor get poorer and the rich get rich off the poor....way its always been its the way it always will be....

Edited September 24, 2014 by CobraBites

[mouselad]

Kind of Off topic. but here is how weird it is down here.

 

In the town I grew up in La Feria, Tx segregation in schools was still happening up until 1971 even though it was outlawed in 1954. There were two separate elementaries even though they were not needed. One for Hispanics/Mexicans and one for Anglos. All of the teachers in the district were white even though the town is 95% hispanic. Finally in 71 a superintendent came into power and forced compliance with segragation laws.

 

Also people keep saying just burger flippers. But as I have mentioned there are many hard working people who work difficult jobs that also make minimum wage.

 

There is an interesting documentary about the area I am from called Valley of Tears which documents the struggle of mexican-american farm workers striking against shitty wages and poor working conditions in Raymondville, Tx..

 

http://www.lpbp.org/valleyoftears/synopsis.htm

[B-Murda]

I still want to understand how raising min. wage will help people survive better? It's a gimmick. People think it will because they are making more but all they did was accelerate inflation and thus you really aren't making any more and could actually come out worse.

 

$10 for a big mac

Don't eat fast food? No problem, gas station cashier $15 and hour, ops, your gas now cost $15 a gal.

and so on and so on.

 

Raising min wage doesn't address the issue, not to mention some of those asking for it shouldn't get it. These are not lifelong career jobs. While maybe owning and managing your own place could be the people in those upper positions do make plenty of money... You have to work hard to succeed in life, and even then it won't always work out but life isn't always fair now is it?

 

My other issue is the abuse of gov assistance programs. I am all for helping people in need but I am not for just flat out free handouts. You get laid off, yes you should totally get unemployment and food stamps etc. to help you get by while you try to find a new job (it comes out of your checks for that), but what about these people not even looking for jobs? Or just having kids for more money? The entire system is broken because our failed gov (past and present). How about all the people who aren't looking for jobs be forced to go clean up our streets if they want a check since they aren't contributing to society in any other ways?

 

Disabled people are really the only exception in my book. If you can't work, that's totally different vs. you WON'T cause you don't have too. Maybe then our taxes could go down or stop raising and other stuff wouldn't keep getting more expensive. Not to mention all the people I know that need legit assistance and don't qualify yet those who don't get it.

 

Min wage needs to exist but it has to have a true reason, just like any other gov assistance. The thing is YES these huge companies can afford it but the small ones can't. Oh it won't apply to them? oh but it will, the goods they purchase to remain open now just went up in cost... Major companies do NOT take profit loss. Every company ever y year shoots for increasing profits, not flat line. Even if they make 10 billion a year after all is said and done they want to make more, not remain at flat.

 

That all said, this topic could probably be asking for trouble. It could easily turn offensive to some people and despite it's just our opinions we need to be careful or end it in my opinion. If we want our voices to be heard or known write to your government and show them on voting day. It may or may not help but this isn't going to either and I'd hate to see any heated arguments happen between a bunch of Idiots!

[little_old_man]

If these workers actually got $15 per hour, after finding out they were in a higher tax bracket, and after the union got their dues each month from those now highly paid workers, they would wind up with $8.00 and hour.

[mouselad]

@@B-Murda

 

I explained that in an earlier post. the inflation is much less than what people think.

 

Past research on how business costs rise with minimum wage hikes indicates that a 10-percent minimum wage hike can be expected to produce a cost increase for the average business of less than one-tenth of one percent of their sales revenue. This cost figure includes three components. First, mandated raises: the raises employers must give their workers to meet the new wage floor. Second, “ripple-effect” raises: the raises employers give some workers to put their pay rates a bit above the new minimum in order to preserve the same wage hierarchy before and after minimum wage hike. And third, the higher payroll taxes employers must pay on their now-larger wage bill. If the average businesses wanted to completely cover the cost increase from a 10-percent minimum wage hike through higher prices, they would need to raise their prices by less than 0.1 percent. A price increase of this size amounts to marking up a $100 price tag to $100.10.

[B-Murda]

@@B-Murda

 

I explained that in an earlier post. the inflation is much less than what people think.

 

Past research on how business costs rise with minimum wage hikes indicates that a 10-percent minimum wage hike can be expected to produce a cost increase for the average business of less than one-tenth of one percent of their sales revenue. This cost figure includes three components. First, mandated raises: the raises employers must give their workers to meet the new wage floor. Second, “ripple-effect” raises: the raises employers give some workers to put their pay rates a bit above the new minimum in order to preserve the same wage hierarchy before and after minimum wage hike. And third, the higher payroll taxes employers must pay on their now-larger wage bill. If the average businesses wanted to completely cover the cost increase from a 10-percent minimum wage hike through higher prices, they would need to raise their prices by less than 0.1 percent. A price increase of this size amounts to marking up a $100 price tag to $100.10.

 

This is all rough numbers though and because of the private sector no good research can really exist because some companies are soo different. Also keep in mind we are not talking about a 10% wage increase, we are talking about in some cases 150+%. Also when prices go up they generally don't just go up by a small amount like 10 cents. It would go up by 10 cents plus a size reduction in the product (again, we are talking about much more vs. 10% too but just to use your example). Remember, companies do not look for flat line, they look for increase. That 10 cents doesn't take into account that they would have raised it up 10 cents anyway due to other cost increase, profit demands or the full ripple effect. You mention other wages going up to keep hierarchy but fact is in most places it would NOT go up by the same, so in reality some of those better paid people would end up with a less gap between them and the lower paid ones (which after everything else means they are making LESS money vs. before probably). Not to mention the ripple effect that the companies cost of goods and services to them will also increase because the other companies cost go up if the people they get them from have to raise up prices as well.

 

I've been high up in plenty of big companies and even small ones and while sometimes at face value it seems simple it's far from it. The issue comes down to profits. Like I said, most big companies CAN afford it, but they won't. If it was my company and I was banking millions a year that's all I need, I don't need more. So I have no problem giving the people earning me that money more money or growing (beyond min wage even). I don't need to make record profits every year. What good is more money vs. what you can ever spend in 10 lifetimes? but it's not my world to control and it's hard to say the gov should get involved when it's private businesses. Who are they to say how much one should or shouldn't make. The problem is our gov gets involved in some stuff too much, others not enough and makes a mess. Look at internet issue in the USA for example. We pay the most for the slowest internet because it's so monopolized and regulated because our gov let companies control them with lobby money and other things.

 

The free market in most cases should be able to run. If people can't live off something they won't bother doing it, well if companies need workers they are going to pay as much as it takes to get them. If someone can undercut you sounds like you need to find a more needed skill or get better and show you are better and worth it.

 

If people can't afford stuff they shouldn't buy it. If companies make it too expensive people won't buy it. Similar is for wages. If you're not going to pay me enough to live why should I bother working? I understand employment sucks right now but TBH PLENTY of decent paying jobs exist. The problem is MOST people are lazy or don't want to work hard or are not educated.

 

Like I said the world is not fair. I agree, rich get more rich, poor worse, and middle class is always the most screwed. Some people are born into money, luck into great jobs, ideas etc. Other people come up from nothing and make a difference and become very successful. People need to not ask for hand outs and work for once. That on it's own can spawn another issue.

 

How can you say a guy standing in AC pushing buttons and dropping a basket of fries should get paid the same as the guy standing out in the sun working building someone a home or laying sod etc.? (which even in many cases some of them don't make that much and others they can make more). Just because you work doesn't mean it's hard work and deserves good pay, at the same time laying grass doesn't take much skill either, but it's a harder job probably so should pay a bit better.

 

You know what I would do if I was these fast food places and was greedy like them? The second it goes up all that extra money it would cost me in a year I will buy machines and automate it all. Initially it will cost me but after that I can contract a person to do maint on it all once a week and make even more profit. Now all those people have NO jobs. You will be placing orders yourself from phones or touch screens (some places do this already). A machine will make the food etc. and maybe have 1 employee.

 

This is what happens when you start to make it not worth it to have employees because. If it was a skilled job that's different. Min wage should not be a flat across the board thing because work is not equal, but if I say that who gets to make the call on what jobs get more or not when opinions get involved? Nothing is simple and raising min wage isn't a simple solution as they are trying to make it seem.

[mouselad]

so we all agree that the hard labor jobs that get paid min wage shouldnt be? Those are the people I am mostly advocating for.

 

I think we need to have more people like this guy. Took a 90,000 dollars pay cut so he could give his min wage employees 10.25 instead of 7.25..

I think we need more altruistic people in this world. ones that will put their own wants aside for the needs of others.

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/kentucky-state-president-cut-90000-off-his-own-salary-2014-8

 

 

I know farm/field workers, janitors, roofers that make min wage, and i think 7.25 is too little for that type of work.

 

Burger flippers. well. that takes 0 skill, and is easy. But I have seen many examples also of what happens with Cobra. Get an education and skills, and still can't find a job. My fiancee is in the same boat. has about 20k in education debt, constantly applies for jobs, I have had professionals look over her resume numerous times, and she can't find anything other than a cashier position.

 

When I first graduated with my associates in 2010 or 2009  I couldn't find a job in my field either. I worked a min wage job and it sucked, but yea it was easy and for what the work required i felt i was getting what i was being paid. Of course I couldn't live off that job because it was just part time at nights so i found another weekend daytime job.

 

I finally found a 3rd job as a voice and data technician. (telecom/networking infrastructure troubleshooting and installation).. also worked on POS systems, phone systems, servers.... that was a hard job but i only got 10/hr at that one. I felt I was underpaid there. I worked 3 jobs for about 6 months before I found my current job. The only reason I found it is because my former professor emailed me letting me know there was an opening before it was even posted publicy so i applied before it was posted.

 

Finally I got my current job which I actually enjoy and make a decent wage (close to 13).. im still underpaid and can't afford to pay back my student loans on top of bills, but its better than 7.25 or 10, and its actually on the mid to high end spectrum for this field in the area.

 

I guess. My point is sometimes the job market fucking blows. even if you have the skills it is hard to find a decent job.

[B-Murda]

Oh yea I know, plenty of people have education and have trouble getting a fair job.

 

The problem is, all the people complaining are the ones that don't have education it seems like and are crying they should get paid more, meanwhile perfect examples like you said, good people getting paid shit or no jobs, sit screwed.

 

The job market indeed sucks,

[Tron]

"I know farm/field workers, janitors, roofers that make min wage, and i think 7.25 is too little for that type of work.'

 

Nobody puts a gun to anyone's head and forces them to take a hard labor job for min wage. If a laborer can't find a job where they live that pays them what their skill is worth, they should consider looking elsewhere for work. There are plenty of opportunities right now in North Dakota for  people with nothing more than a high school diploma to earn $100k, if they are willing to work hard (and relocate to ND).