I support 8.25/hour national minimum wage(house republicans do it!)

[thereisnospoon]

Oregon has a $9/hour minimum wage. So the argument that it kills business doesn't work.

Wait a minute....Without supporting data, we're just supposed to accept that?

 

[thereisnospoon]

$9? Why not make it $25? Or $35?

Don't you CARE about people?

Hey Matthew. You think the above comment is what passes for intelligent debate on this subject in our wonderful Congress?

This is all the tea party has...The top 400 people in this country make as much as the other half of America. During the past 15 years this has become a major problem as it just grows as the worker gets fucked.

Think this is fair tea partiers?

Look at all the welfare we have to give to walmart workers to see that this isn't working.

What do the richest Americans have to do with the min wage?
We keep reading/hearing about Walmart( And only Walmart) workers collecting public assistance. Yet, no one has ever shown iron clad proof this is true or accurate.
And no one ever mentions any other employer.

 

[thereisnospoon]

This is just to help stem the bleeding of wealth going all to the top .5% of our country. So the bottom 50% can survive. I am not even asking for what this nation really needs.

A few better tool to fix things on top of the minimum wage are. Again, I am asking for a slight minimum wage increase as you will never do this.
1. Ceo to the lowest paid worker law that would cap Ceo's pay to only 20 times their lowest workers pay. This would force them to spend more on the company and the workers.
2. 50% income taxes on people making over a million per year.
3. A cap on all public college tuition
4. Bring down college loan interest rates back to the 80's

1. Ceo to the lowest paid worker law that would cap Ceo's pay to only 20 times their lowest workers pay. This would force them to spend more on the company and the workers.
You are kidding, right? First, all a business would have to do it eliminate the title of CEO and your "Law" becomes moot. Secondly, this would not force business to do anything of the kind. Most business owners would simply refuse to hire employees. They'd use temps and contractors.
As for your tax proposal, you are nuts. First, you'll have people hiding their income in long term investments that are tax deferred. That whining you hear now about how rich people are 'hoarding' their money? That would turn into a howl. Anyone who makes that kind of money would certainly be in the position to either defer payment or be paid in some other way besides in cash or check.
College tuition. Tell that to each state government. One, you would have to battle the school administrators and the faculty all of which for the most part are heavy contributors to liberal causes and democrat candidates. Do you really think those people are just going to surrender their six figure salaries and perks to make it easier for people to get a college degree? Do you really think they care? The other issue is you'd have to find a way to convince the federal government and the colleges to stop doing business with each other.
Federal aid whether in the form of grants or loans is the primary driver of tuition costs. With all the federal money pouring in, colleges have ZERO incentive to control the cost of school. It's easy to just apply for a loan and borrow as much as one needs to pay the bills. Nobody cares.
Interest rates are only slightly higher for student loans than they were 30 years ago. Student loans are a sweetheart deal if one knows how to play the game.
Nice socialist proposals. All of which would result in unintended consequences. One of which would be non users and non participants having to foot the bill. No fucking thank you.

 

[thereisnospoon]

But why not $10.10/hour? What's the difference between raising it to $8.25/hour and $10.10/hour?

Somebody has to pay for it. The money has to come from somewhere.
I find it amazing that those who think it's just a snap of the fingers and it's done. "Just give them more money"....
Not one of you has ever run a small business where most workers are low skill low wage. And those profit margins are just enough for the business owner to take a small pay check.
How about this.....You have an appliance or maybe your furnace malfunction. Now, are you going to find the most affordable replacement. Of course, It will be one that fits your budget.
So if someone came along and said...."Mr Kennedy, you know that HVAC unit we sold you? Yeah. We've decided you're not paying enough for it, so we're going to raise the price 10%.....And you have no alternative but to pay it because otherwise you'll freeze this winter."...
Please, are you going to just pay it? Or are you going to protest what you believe to be an arbitrary and unfair increase in cost?
I already know your only two possible responses.
So go ahead.....

 

[thereisnospoon]

The current national minimum wage is 7.25/hour. I am asking the house republicans to put forward a bill to raise that a full dollar to 8.25/hour for the federal minimum wage. I am NOT talking about 10.10/hour that the democrats want. I am talking about getting caught up a little with the times.

Can we do this? We're the wealthiest nation on earth, but yet we're losing our middle class so fast it is down right scary.

Out of curiousity, how did you arrive at the number that anyone not worth $8.25 an hour should be prohibited by government with force from working?

Like the libs he agrees with, they pulled it out the air.

 

[Billy000]

It amazes me that when you tell the rightwing that raising the minimum wage will significantly reduce an individual's qualification for welfare they are still against it. Republicans are such hypocrites.

 

[Billy000]

RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE CONSUMER SPENDING. THIS HELPS THE ECONOMY. ANY OF THE SMALL CAPITAL THAT IS LOST WHEN INITIALLY RAISING IT WILL BE RECOVERED OVER TIME.

 

[thereisnospoon]

zero sounds like a good idea

It's been at $7.25 for the last 5 years. Geez.

Which is $7.25 too much.

I don't know which idea is more naive. That businesses will pay someone $7.25 not worth $7.25, or someone will take a job for less than they can get elsewhere. Why do you suppose low end workers are too stupid to take a job for $7.25 if they can get more elsewhere? What interest is served if they can't by denying them work?

The minimum wage is one of the most singularly evil programs in the Federal government. It only harms people while accomplishing nothing.

There are many minimum wage jobs which require a lot more work than simply sitting in an office.

And very little skill.
Labor is a commodity. More low skill workers simply means the supply is greater than the demand. A buyer's market. The business owner( buyer) is going to seek the lowest price( wages) to accomplish needs of the business.

 

[thereisnospoon]

I'd like to see it raised a dollar an hour till it reaches $15 an hour then automatically tie it to inflation

I find it entertaining how none of you consider the source of the capital that would accomplish these results.
I also find it entertaining how you people are so quick to suggest how other people's money is spent, but never your own.

 

[thereisnospoon]

No way I am eating fast food again if the minimum wage increases to $10

You must be really shocked to learn that I work in fast food and pocket just over $18 an hour.

And you are grossly overpaid

 

[thereisnospoon]

No way I am eating fast food again if the minimum wage increases to $10

You must be really shocked to learn that I work in fast food and pocket just over $18 an hour.

Gee...And that is all you ever aspire to be? A fast food worker?

 

[thereisnospoon]

7 something or 8 something an hour is not much of a difference. If one works 80 hours per week at that wage that still isn't enough to pay one bill and provide food. Minimum wage jobs are designed for kids only or those that perhaps have zero interests and for some sickening reason like to work for a pittance. I don't see what raising it is going to do. 8.25 an hour is still something that one isn't really getting paid for.

Sometimes people don't have a choice but to take a minimum wage job. Its not as easy as people like to think to get skilled - it costs time and money, which people don't have, otherwise they wouldn't be working minimum wage!

Correct. However, that does ion no way mean they should STAY in that job.

 

[thereisnospoon]

No way I am eating fast food again if the minimum wage increases to $10

You must be really shocked to learn that I work in fast food and pocket just over $18 an hour.

I guess he won't be patronizing your place of business now, will he?

Prices are higher here, because wages are higher. And we are happy employees because of it.

Prices are higher. Meaning everything is relative.
So where does it get you?
Where is it written employees must be made "happy"...?

 

[thereisnospoon]

I support minimum wage of 4.50 per hour.

Perhaps that will motivate people to actually improve themselves.

You are judging people without even knowing their situation.

Actually, I am not.

A school kid making 4.50 an hour is just gravy for their desires. They have no need to make more than that, and if they do, the experience will give them a leg up.

A person who has been working for minimum wage for 10 years, however; has other problems beside the wage earned. I don't really care what that problem is, as long as they find some way to improve themselves. Or not. It is totally up to them.

I will not punish an entire country for a few who cannot find the motivation to get ahead.

Okay, working for the same wage for ten years is not what anyone wants to do, unless its a good wage, but if its minimum wage, obviously you would want more. But you need to consider that if a person requests a pay rise, they might not get one, and have to settle with what they have. There are not jobs on every street corner, you know.

I am sure that people do the best they can with what they have. Asking for assistance is nothing to be ashamed of. Living on assistance of decades is not something to be proud of, but then, I don't know what your situation is and I am not going to judge.

You are a trained monkey. You've been indoctrinated into the idea that being mediocre is all that is required of you.

 

[thereisnospoon]

An employee makes most of the revenue for a company. Fast food, for example, we serve customers, upsell etc - we sell the food, we make the money. Yet over there, your workers are paid nothing, when they bring in millions in revenue every year. The store owner couldn't manage the business alone, so why not pay the employees what they are worth - because as you say, if they are worth what the basis of what they bring to the company, they should be paid a lot more.

You must be working for a chain then. I've done so many jobs I can feel so many's pain.

If you are that good as a server can you not get into a high end restaurant and up yourself on bonuses?

I guess the one thing I am asking here as well Noomi having been such a maverick myself in everything I have done, do you beleive in everyone working hard or slow getting the same wage?

Do you see where I am going here?

Plenty of restaurants here, but one thing everyone wants is experience working in one. Experience as a waitress, even as a kitchen hand. If you don't have that experience, they don't want to know you. So you have tons of folks willing to do the work, but employers who can't be stuffed training anyone how to peel potatoes - and I am dead serious. Employers have gotten so darned lazy here. They complain about not having anyone wanting to work for them, but they ignore the hundreds of people who want to work, but happen to not have the skills in waitressing, or coffee making. Or even because someone hasn't completed the tenth grade.
And you can't work for free here, unless its work experience, which is mainly for school students.

I see where you are heading, yes. But I also see tons of jobs around here that I and others could do, if someone spent a few hours showing us the ropes, that are being held from us because no one is willing to give anyone a chance.

And lets not get into the age curse, either. God. If I had known how hard it was to find another job at my age (30)...

And THAT is one of the products of artificially high wages. Once again. Labor is a commodity. If the government mandates that employers must pay far more than market based wages, that seriously cuts into their profit margins. Every dime, every second counts. There is no time to train. So employers will hire only those with experience because they simply cannot afford to take the time to train new workers.
BTW, that same complaining goes on everywhere, Not enough experienced workers. Too many people wanting top dollar for the lowest positions.

 

[thereisnospoon]

If you are a rocker and I bet you are do you have a slacker on your shift? Should that slacker get what you do in shared tips?

See this is where I draw the line. Don't get me wrong here. I do believe that everyone on this planet deserves a decent basic wage because not everyone can be like me.

Crap. Tthat doesn't sound good does it? And I don't mean it to sound that way.Sheesh. I'll run the dog and explain.

Plenty of slackers on shift. They get paid the same, assuming they are the same age as me, but if they fuck up, they lose hours. Two people were recently told that if they didn't shape up, they would lose hours.

My hours have increased, so I must be doing something right.

The should lose their jobs. Not just hours. As a manager, I am rather tolerant. First I find out the problems as to why I am not getting the production I require. Then take corrective action. If the horse doesn't want to drink the water, I find another horse. Simple as that. Everyone gets a chance to improve their work. If they fail, they are gone. I have to answer to people above my position as well. They will be asking why my performance is not up to par. It will be a cold day in July if I put my position at risk because some worker in my charge does not perform. Trust me, they are going to be gone.

 

[Zander]

Why not $150 an hour? Think of all the economic benefits!!

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE CONSUMER SPENDING. THIS HELPS THE ECONOMY. ANY OF THE SMALL CAPITAL THAT IS LOST WHEN INITIALLY RAISING IT WILL BE RECOVERED OVER TIME.

RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE CONSUMER SPENDING.

How much will it increase?

 

[thereisnospoon]

If you are a rocker and I bet you are do you have a slacker on your shift? Should that slacker get what you do in shared tips?

See this is where I draw the line. Don't get me wrong here. I do believe that everyone on this planet deserves a decent basic wage because not everyone can be like me.

Crap. Tthat doesn't sound good does it? And I don't mean it to sound that way.Sheesh. I'll run the dog and explain.

Plenty of slackers on shift. They get paid the same, assuming they are the same age as me, but if they fuck up, they lose hours. Two people were recently told that if they didn't shape up, they would lose hours.

My hours have increased, so I must be doing something right.

That you must. You must be doing something right but truly you've thrown a few spanners in the works for me with your profile of how the restaurant business works down there.

I've been a bus boy in the days no one sweated being a girl called a bus boy waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in time when I was a baby of 12 working at a place called the Jet in Hamilton Ontario for my mom's friend. I was enthralled with having my first job. 3 bucks an hour. But the staff at the time I guess looking back in time were so happy because in the early 60's they were making whoa geeze 10 dollars plus an hour so that comparitively was a big wage. But this was a big successful restaurant and consequently Mrs. Bater gave out the money because she believed in team.

She hired me because of her connection with my mom but thankfully I lived up to expectations and I just adored being able to get my little paycheck at the end of a weekend. I was of course going to school at the same time and I was a dancer in a Ukrainian dance troupe so part time it was.

Here is what you see in a good owner/boss/employer. At the end of the year for me, just this kid who showed up to work on time, with a smile and thrilled at being part of this crew called the Jet, Mrs. Bater had held back part of my pay to match with a bonus and I got a check of a thousand dollars.

She set the standard for me. Employer. Employee. Just words. We were family. She died a few years back. I flew in to say goodbye. I owed her so much.

Sadly we don't seem to have that around these days. So we have to make our ways differently. If you have the where with all though Noomi and you seem like such a special lass is there not one way you can elevate yourself in the business?

I would LOVE to elevate myself within the business. At my old store I used to get asked time and again why I wasn't a manager, and I told those kids that I wasn't because I wasn't permitted to be. Being partially dead, I can't always understand people, or use the head sets they use for the drive thru. All managers are required to use them - so that eliminates me entirely.
Also prevents me taking a job as a receptionist, for example.

You sound like you had an awesome relationship with your first employer. I wish there were people like her around, people would be so much happier in their jobs.

The local TAFE (training facility) is opening up personal training courses soon. I'll do one of those and become a personal trainer.

Just a minute. Your country has no laws protecting the handicapped? Laws that mandate employers make certain accommodations for those with disabilities?
Something stinks. I don't think there is any justice in holding back one's career just because a hearing issue prevents them from using a head set.....

 

[thereisnospoon]

How does it grow the middle class allowing all the wealth to go to the top 1-2%? The workers the main drivers of productivity! Do you realize this?

Here we go...The theory of the zero sum game.
No truth to it.