The Minimum Wage and Hourly Rates Thread

[Miggs]

On one hand I'm not totally sure working a job that pays minimum wage should afford you comfortable of a lifestyle.

On the other hand the minimum wage not going up at all over the past 12 years or whatever and only minimally over the last 25 years seems absurd.

I think I'd be more for a state or even county based minimum wage increase than a nationwide one. Like Seattle, LA, NYC, etc ..... $20 or whatever. Idaho Falls maybe $10.

This. It should’ve gone up a long time ago. That said, the jump is absurd to me. And the idea that it should be the same nationally is even more absurd. It should probably be somewhere around $13.50/hour in the NE and more like $10-11.50 in other parts of the country where cost of living isn’t as expensive.

 

[fishonjazz]

Pornhub subscriptions and White Claws are expensive.

Do people actually pay for pornhub? Why would they? It's free yo

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[idestroyedthetoilet]

This. It should’ve gone up a long time ago. That said, the jump is absurd to me. And the idea that it should be the same nationally is even more absurd. It should probably be somewhere around $13.50/hour in the NE and more like $10-11.50 in other parts of the country where cost of living isn’t as expensive.

Since somewhere around $12/hr is the effective minimum wage in Utah, a law of $11.50/hr wouldn't change many jobs at all. Those working for less than $12/hr here should get a charitable deduction on their taxes.

 

[idestroyedthetoilet]

I agree that no increase in that long is just wrong. It cannot be argued that wages have not kept pace with either inflation or corporate revenue and profit increases.

For most U.S. workers, real wages have barely budged in decades

Despite some ups and downs over the past several decades, today's real average wage in the U.S. has about the same purchasing power it did 40 years ago. And most of what wage gains there have been have flowed to the highest-paid tier of workers.

www.pewresearch.org

This is a real problem that needs to be addressed. I do not know if raising the minimum wage will get us very far in correcting this, but it is a start.

And yet living standards are far superior to what they were back then, which isn't possible with stagnant real wages.

IMO the explanation for this is inflation is vastly overstated. We'll probably look back in 50 years and think we were crazy for measuring it the way we have been.

Also, note that I'm not arguing against what you are saying about most productivity gains (that's what we really mean here) going to the top.

 

[Miggs]

Since somewhere around $12/hr is the effective minimum wage in Utah, a law of $11.50/hr wouldn't change many jobs at all. Those working for less than $12/hr here should get a charitable deduction on their taxes.

What would a $15 minimum wage mean for Utah?

With Democratic control of the U.S. House, Senate and presidency, the battle for a higher minimum wage has come front and center once again.

www.ksl.com

 

[idestroyedthetoilet]

What would a $15 minimum wage mean for Utah?

With Democratic control of the U.S. House, Senate and presidency, the battle for a higher minimum wage has come front and center once again.

www.ksl.com

Ask the people who live here what all the help wanted signs say. Most low wage employers have been posting jobs above the federal minimum for a decade.

One example from college kids I know working at a Chevron station make about $15/hr plus about $5500/yr in tution reimbursement. I think McDonalds is $12 plus tuition. Target is $15/hr.

 

[Miggs]

Ask the people who live here what all the help wanted signs say. Most low wage employers have been posting jobs above the federal minimum for a decade.

One example from college kids I know working at a Chevron station make about $15/hr plus about $5500/yr in tution reimbursement. I think McDonalds is $12 plus tuition. Target is $15/hr.

Thats’s fair. But my original post still stands. Maybe the numbers are off a bit. But having a national number is dumb.

 

[idestroyedthetoilet]

Thats’s fair. But my original post still stands. Maybe the numbers are off a bit. But having a national number is dumb.

I agree. The democrats' populism here is dumb for several reasons, including yours.

 

[LogGrad98]

Ask the people who live here what all the help wanted signs say. Most low wage employers have been posting jobs above the federal minimum for a decade.

One example from college kids I know working at a Chevron station make about $15/hr plus about $5500/yr in tution reimbursement. I think McDonalds is $12 plus tuition. Target is $15/hr.

Thats’s fair. But my original post still stands. Maybe the numbers are off a bit. But having a national number is dumb.

Well obviously having a national number isn't an issue for every state, but it is for others. So the increase in federal minimum wage will not have much of an effect in Utah it sounds like. Then why is it an issue. It does sound funny, almost like "I'm against an increase in federal minimum wage because we already pay more than that", um, then why be against it?

 

[bigb]

I don’t like the idea of a federally mandated minimum wage. As stated here already, the differences in cost of living across a state (not to mention the country) are huge. $15 an hour is a lot different in Twin Falls, Idaho than in San Francisco. I think the minimum wage should be raised here in Utah (can’t speak for other states as I don’t know about them) and should have been years ago. But to say the high school kid bagging my groceries has to be making $15 an hour is ridiculous.


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[Jazz4ever]

I don’t like the idea of a federally mandated minimum wage. As stated here already, the differences in cost of living across a state (not to mention the country) are huge. $15 an hour is a lot different in Twin Falls, Idaho than in San Francisco. I think the minimum wage should be raised here in Utah (can’t speak for other states as I don’t know about them) and should have been years ago. But to say the high school kid bagging my groceries has to be making $15 an hour is ridiculous.


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Pretty much this but I'll take it a step farther. In small towns there would be no more grocery kids bagging groceries, everyone would turn into fully automated checkouts, instead of about half. Every fast food joint would be all kiosks. Mr robot also needs no vacations, never calls in sick, doesn't need health insurance, etc

 

[JazzGal]

$15 is a big jump and will be difficult to pass. $10 would be a much more palatable number.

Still, no one can support a family on $10 per hour in Utah. Housing costs are too high. And I do believe that anyone who works 40 hours should be paid enough to support themselves.

If there was a different minimum wage for part time work versus full time, that would be more fair for a high school student. But you know some businesses would then make all of their employees part-time workers to avoid the higher wage.

Complicated issue. Still, I'd rather they went with Romney's plan than do nothing because they tried to do too much.



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