I am a little behind on the $15/hr thing"

[Matt Mortem]

Even if they raise it to $15 costs will go up and people will want it set at $30 and the cycle will continue. A minimum wage is just that though the minimum to be offered. It's for people looking to start working, or supplement existing income. It was never meant to be lived off of as a sole source of income.

If you're 42 and still making the minimum you've got some other things in your life you need to reflect on.

How out of touch are you man? I know plenty of adults who had decent paying jobs and when the economy took a **** they lost them and had to try and survive on the absolute minimum wage. My mother being one of them. She ran a bookstore for years, then when the economy took a down turn the owners sold the building and moved to Canada. She's now struggling to get by, working two, sometimes three jobs. I'll be sure to tell her that a guy on a message board thinks she ****ed her life up though. /end rant

 

[Teelie]

All she has to do is pick herself up by the boot-straps and start over... again.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Or she can just borrow 20,000 from her parents to start a business like Mitt Romney's friend.

I understand the lack of empathy a lot of people like our friend NHawk have for people living on minimum wage. But what I do find baffling is that they do not seem to understand the rather simple notion that it's ****ing hard to do anything when you're barely making it financially.

 

[Erzengel]

There's always going to be an exception to the general group about most things.

While some people bring up the people who've been downsized and have struggled to find a job, which should have a wage that would allow them to make it financially.

Others, think of people who have not necessarily struggled or have put zero effort into either school, trade, internship but feel entitled to $15.00 an hour.

 

[Teelie]

I think at this point $15 an hour is probably fine. It's hard to make ends meet even when you're doing more than that. Add in kids and student debts, medical bills or a mortgage and suddenly $15 an hour is not even a drop in the bucket. Just because you are doing fine on something comparable does not mean everyone else can/will be able to do so as well.

 

[Thundercrack85]

There's always going to be an exception to the general group about most things.

While some people bring up the people who've been downsized and have struggled to find a job, which should have a wage that would allow them to make it financially.

Others, think of people who have not necessarily struggled or have put zero effort into either school, trade, internship but feel entitled to $15.00 an hour.

Well, you use the word "entitled" negatively, but do you think people should be entitled (i.e. have the right) to a livable wage? I.e. one that does not require them to be on welfare, go hungry, die due to a lack of medical care, etc.

Not necessarily 15 dollars American, but obviously more than 7.25, or 2.13 plus tips.

 

[Erzengel]

I thought I was careful to somewhat separate two sides of the spectrum, but let me state that hardworking people should make a livable wage.

I was giving an example of the other side. I've heard lot of people complain that they didn't make $15 an hour until they were closer to their mid 20s. The whole people through no significant effort who will be making $15/hr at 17 or 18. However, I do realize that not all 17 or 18 year olds are lazy layabouts. I'm sure many of them through circumstances, can't afford college, or have to provide for their families, etc.

I don't think there is a perfect system that will reward only the deserving people? Is this better, maybe? I'm not entirely sure yet. I hope it helps more people that it hurts.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I see the current minimum wages as exploitation any way you slice it. It's more palatable when you're a high school student, since you have no overhead, and at least assume you will get a job with better wages down the road. Or even as a college student, provided your folks are paying for your college.

But when you have medical bills, car payments, or God forbid kids to support, it becomes downright absurd.

As I see it, if you have a job in a country where you're employer can fire you on the spot for no reason on a whim, you're a hard worker.

 

[Erzengel]

If you're Walmart, McDonalds, Macys, etc., I think they can afford to pay $15.00. Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like there's going to be a distinction between bigger corporations like that and small businesses.

So, some small businesses may have to close or let some of the workforce go because they can't pay their entire staff $15/hr.

 

[Thundercrack85]

But that will never happen on a federal level.

 

[Erzengel]

Are you saying that on the federal level, employers they won't let a portion or an entire staff go? Cause I thought State, Government and Federal workers make more than the current minimum wage?

 

[Thundercrack85]

No, I'm saying that there's no fear of anywhere outside of major cities raising the minimum wage (which is 7.25 or 2.13 with tips) to 15 dollars.

All states have to at least match the federal minimum wage, and in many states federal minimum wage is the only wage law.

So, there's no reason to even discuss raising the minimum wage to 15 dollars in the entire country. That will only happen in major cities with high costs of living.

 

[NHawk19]

How out of touch are you man? I know plenty of adults who had decent paying jobs and when the economy took a **** they lost them and had to try and survive on the absolute minimum wage. My mother being one of them. She ran a bookstore for years, then when the economy took a down turn the owners sold the building and moved to Canada. She's now struggling to get by, working two, sometimes three jobs. I'll be sure to tell her that a guy on a message board thinks she ****ed her life up though. /end rant

and I know plenty of employers looking to hire people at $12-$15 an hour or more but people don't want to take the jobs. They're not 9-5 office jobs but they're decent jobs for 40 hours a week. Right now in this area we've even got a few of the union trades (mostly qualified welders, and fitters because of the marcellus work) actively recruiting because they can't staff the work, and have a big problem with people aging out. Most of the time all you have to do is pass a background and drug test. Both are things I've seen people turn around and walk away from.

Not everyone gets to grow up and be the astronaut and while that's unfortunate it is a fact of life.

There's always going to be an exception to the general group about most things.

While some people bring up the people who've been downsized and have struggled to find a job, which should have a wage that would allow them to make it financially.

Others, think of people who have not necessarily struggled or have put zero effort into either school, trade, internship but feel entitled to $15.00 an hour.

and the people who've put in no effort into a trades school, internship, or exhibit a sense of entitlement towards $15 is why I can't see letting it go up.

Both of my parents were downsized. They took jobs that were much less than they were qualified for in order to try to make ends meet. They then used those jobs as stepping stones to get to there next place in life. They've both worked hard. Earned raises, and now make over minimum.

I'm not going to say it's easy, but minimum is just that it's the minimum, it's not supposed to be lived off of.

 

[Erzengel]

No, I'm saying that there's no fear of anywhere outside of major cities raising the minimum wage (which is 7.25 or 2.13 with tips) to 15 dollars.

All states have to at least match the federal minimum wage, and in many states federal minimum wage is the only wage law.

So, there's no reason to even discuss raising the minimum wage to 15 dollars in the entire country. That will only happen in major cities with high costs of living.

There are still small businesses in those major cities.

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

so...it's official?

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...proves-15-minimum-wage-for-fast-food-workers/

 

[Thundercrack85]

so...it's official?

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...proves-15-minimum-wage-for-fast-food-workers/

Well, that's a surprise.

 

[Teelie]

That's just one state but it is a start.

 

[Anita18]

No, I'm saying that there's no fear of anywhere outside of major cities raising the minimum wage (which is 7.25 or 2.13 with tips) to 15 dollars.

All states have to at least match the federal minimum wage, and in many states federal minimum wage is the only wage law.

So, there's no reason to even discuss raising the minimum wage to 15 dollars in the entire country. That will only happen in major cities with high costs of living.

I find that reasonable. I think it should depend on an area's cost of living. In NYC, LA, or SF, $15/hr means you're priced out completely from living there, full-stop. You can't afford anywhere to sleep at night. Whereas there are other areas of NY state and CA that are MUCH cheaper.

 

[\S/JcDc\S/]

$11 is reasonable across the board as that's about the adjusted inflation amount. Some people straight out of college are lucky to get $15 an hr. I guess they can always just work at Mcdonald's instead, since it may end up paying more than their field.

 

[Anita18]

$11 is reasonable across the board as that's about the adjusted inflation amount. Some people straight out of college are lucky to get $15 an hr. I guess they can always just work at Mcdonald's instead, since it may end up paying more than their field.

I worked as a technician (meaning I did experiments) at a cancer research lab right out of college and I was paid less starting out.

 

[jmc]

Our minimum wage is equal to about $12.30 USD. Not sure how anyone lives over there only earning $7-8 USD an hour.

 

[Spider-Fan83]

^by working 40-50 hours a week, or have multiple jobs at that wage

$11 is reasonable across the board as that's about the adjusted inflation amount. Some people straight out of college are lucky to get $15 an hr. I guess they can always just work at Mcdonald's instead, since it may end up paying more than their field.

the problem with that is that with the increase of employment at these McDonald's is then there wont be enough hours to go around

what good is making $15 an hour if you only get like 15-20 hours a week

 

[Thundercrack85]

Our minimum wage is equal to about $12.30 USD. Not sure how anyone lives over there only earning $7-8 USD an hour.

You live in debt. You probably don't have health insurance, and you may be on welfare, and other assistance programs. It's no way to live.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I find this announcement surprising, and I imagine it's going to result in serious layoffs. To clarify, I am all for raising the minimum wage. However raising the minimum wage 6 dollars overnight for one group of low income workers in a state is going to put a lot of people out jobs.

 

[The Guard]

Apparently in Seattle, they're starting to roll out kiosks where people can order and pay for their own food in lieu of front line workers.

I sympathize with the plight of those making minimum wage, but I don't think too many supporters of this stuff thought this through.

Aside from the obvious desire of employers to maximize their profits, if you start paying $15/hour for fast food jobs, you're going to have more competition for those jobs, aren't you? From a lot of people, including those with college degrees, experience in other fields, etc. Odds are good that the people who were qualified for those jobs are going to be considered less so with more qualified applicants. So I think there are going to be job losses one way or the other.