NationStates Jolt Archive

Thoughts?

(poll coming soon)

w00t! My opinion has 100% of the votes:D

whats that in real money (£: pounds sterling)

w00t! My opinion has 100% of the votes:D

Ha, not anymore :p :D

I think the exchange rate is about $1.80 US to the pound.

I'm big on minimum wage because I don't have enough skills or experience to work a salaried job, and without minimum wage laws I'd get significantly less than I do.

If you look at min wage in the 50s vs today in terms of $ adjusted for inflation it is ridiculously stupid. The 50s had way more real spending money on min wage.

whats that in real money (£: pounds sterling)

http://www.xe.com/ucc/

That's 5.90 Canadian which is pretty low actually. Ours in ALberta is now 6.50 CD (5.67 USD). I'm glad we have it, many people have to survive working low class jobs and every penny does help. I find that most place do pay higher than minium wage (are they being generous or do they just want more people working for them?)

That's insanely low. In the Netherlands it's about $9.

That seems terribly low. I like Jello Biafra's proposal of a maximum wage better.

http://www.xe.com/ucc/

That's 5.90 Canadian which is pretty low actually. Ours in ALberta is now 6.50 CD (5.67 USD). I'm glad we have it, many people have to survive working low class jobs and every penny does help. I find that most place do pay higher than minium wage (are they being generous or do they just want more people working for them?)
Isnt it $7 in Alberta?

My bad.

its not enough to live shittily alone. shittily with two people, but not alone.

it should be $100,000 per year. that would not only help the poor, but also raise tax revenue, so it is double good!

I don't advocate the government being involved with how I do my business, minimum wage seems to be the goverment sticking thier nose where it doesn't belong.

I don't advocate the government being involved with how I do my business, minimum wage seems to be the goverment sticking thier nose where it doesn't belong.

Especially when the minimum wage is raised and businesses have to fire workers because they aren't worth the new wage.

Especially when the minimum wage is raised and businesses have to fire workers because they aren't worth the new wage.
meh, most of the workers now aren't worth the minimum wage....cruel but true.

What strikes me is that many workers that live on the minimum wage are barely surviving as it is; yet people are trying to eliminate it so that companies pay these people less? What are they supposed to do, starve?

What strikes me is that many workers that live on the minimum wage are barely surviving as it is; yet people are trying to eliminate it so that companies pay these people less? What are they supposed to do, starve?

Well, assuming they don't get fired when you raise it...

Where's the option:

- You can't f*cking survive on minimum wage without roomates.. ?

What strikes me is that many workers that live on the minimum wage are barely surviving as it is; yet people are trying to eliminate it so that companies pay these people less? What are they supposed to do, starve?
min. wage jobs aren't meant for you to "live" on, they are meant for teenagers, and people looking for a part time job to boost thier income, of course a single mother with 4 kids can't live on the min. wage :rolleyes: she isn't meant to, it's the absolute least that you can get paid, who thinks that a min wage job is a career to raise a family on?

It's 2006 for heaven sake. $5.15 was good 9 years ago, but adjusted for today it should actually be $9.15-$10.15.

In New York it's $6.15... it should be $10.15.

As minimum wage goes up companys have to raise their prices on products and find ways to produce their products cheaper the consumer suffers the most. It is a no win situation people make more money but spend the difference in cost of living

It's 2006 for heaven sake. $5.15 was good 9 years ago, but adjusted for today it should actually be $9.15-$10.15.

In New York it's $6.15... it should be $10.15.
so are you going to adjust the rest of the pay scale too? What about the guy who worked his way up from 5.15 to 10.00? now he gets a 15 cent raise, but the company doesn't have anywhere else to go from there, what happens? either they don't hire anyone else, or they start laying off people, and the people to go first are going to be the ones that are easiest to "replace" later when the money situation is worked out, the people who need thier job the most.

I like the idea of minimum waige, but the government needs to think about it a great deal before changing it. Lower it, and corporations will use that as a chance to pay employees less, which they can barely live on as it is, and if they raise it too much (without compensating for inflation) and the economy takes a shit, jobs are lost, and inflation runs rampid.

I do know a few people who live (barely) off of a minimum waige job. They simply do not have the skill or capacity to work a better job. Some have less oportunity to succeed than others, but I can't help but feel sympathy.

Minimum waige is probably one of the only really good things the modern American government has done for its people, along with social security and welfare (although they have taken it a bit far)

Raising it too much would cause an economic meltdown, but it has to be raised every few years. It can't be $5.15 forever.

Minimum waige is probably one of the only really good things the modern American government has done for its people, along with social security and welfare (although they have taken it a bit far)
funny I would say those are some of the worst things the government has done, I would agree that they have taken it too far though.

Thoughts?

(poll coming soon)


I live in central michigan, where the pay scale isn't very high so take the amounts I mention with a grain of salt. However, when I paid part-time secretarial staff $6.00/hour, either they left constantly for better work, or I ended up letting them go because their work product was unsatisfactory.

But, when I raised the starting pay rate to $8.00/hour, I got people who do great work and who actually stay for a couple years.

The market can take care of itself.

funny I would say those are some of the worst things the government has done, I would agree that they have taken it too far though.
I heard a story on the news the other night that mentioned welfare rolls have been cut in half since reforms were forced through the Clinton administration. I would think that was such good news, that it would have been trumpeted on every front page in America.

As minimum wage goes up companys have to raise their prices on products and find ways to produce their products cheaper the consumer suffers the most. It is a no win situation people make more money but spend the difference in cost of living

Yep. It also forces businesses to go offshore... to seek cheap labor in other countries... ironic, since most people who support minimum wage are also trade protectionists. I guess they want to have their cake and eat it too.

Wages don't keep up with inflation.

During the 1950's my Grandfather was a carpenter, and was, on his wages alone, able to buy a new house, 2 new cars, a boat, a canoe, and take a vacation every year.And he supported himself his wife and 5 kids.

Now, carpenters earn USD $15-25 per hour, not enough to buy a new house, and a new car at the same time, if you had a family that size.

So think if someone is earning USD $5.15 per hour (the min. is 7.15 here) How could they survive? Go on state aid, food stamps, rental assistance, go to the food bank every week, and maybe you can pay your bills. The cost just to live a very basic life is about $1200 per month.

If there was no minimum wage, what do you think would happen? Companies would pay less money. Then low wage people would be even more screwed.

The minimum wage needs to be higher, like in cities than have living wage laws.

I heard a story on the news the other night that mentioned welfare rolls have been cut in half since reforms were forced through the Clinton administration. I would think that was such good news, that it would have been trumpeted on every front page in America.
you would think, yet this is the first I have heard of it.........weird (although not really, the media rarely reports anything good coming from the govt.)

min. wage jobs aren't meant for you to "live" on, they are meant for teenagers, and people looking for a part time job to boost thier income, of course a single mother with 4 kids can't live on the min. wage :rolleyes: she isn't meant to, it's the absolute least that you can get paid, who thinks that a min wage job is a career to raise a family on?
Well, lots people (were I live anyways) make minimum wage because their school conselors said "Don't bother with post secondary. Graduate and then get a job." Now, you need post secondary for most jobs that earn more than five bucks over minimum wage. Also, jobs like nursing make only a couple dollars more than minimum wage and most teachers earn less than someone who works 8 hours a day at minimum wage. A nurse or teacher should make enough to raise a family.

Without minimum wage, I can see myself earning about half of what I do now - 'till university is over, i'm stuck working in a supermarket. I don't even have a good union to fall back on.

That would barely cover train tickets, let alone my books and everything.

You can guess my opinion.

Well, assuming they don't get fired when you raise it...

A little research will show you that significant firings DO NOT result when the minimum wage goes up.

Well, lots people (were I live anyways) make minimum wage because their school conselors said "Don't bother with post secondary. Graduate and then get a job." Now, you need post secondary for most jobs that earn more than five bucks over minimum wage. Also, jobs like nursing make only a couple dollars more than minimum wage and most teachers earn less than someone who works 8 hours a day at minimum wage. A nurse or teacher should make enough to raise a family.
It's not the counselor's fault it's thier fault, if you get out into the workforce and you aren't making enough money then you might think about changing that. I reject the idea that it's someone else's fault if your life sucks. My husband wants more money so he is going back to school, full time job, full time school, and is pulling a 3.83.

Before we met I had a min wage job, I worked from 80 to 120 hours a week, I did that just to pay my bills, I understand it sucks, I also understand it was my fault.

In Vermont (US, no it's not a city, it's between NY, MA, NH, and Canada) they just raised it to $7.25 I believe. You can survive off of it but you need to work well in excess of 40 hours a week usually at several jobs (they need to give you benefits if you work 40 or more).

I think it's important because especially in rural area's like Vermont very often menial jobs are all that are avaliable. My state does not exactly have much in the way of industry.

To get jobs that are not minimum wage you either need to strike it lucky or pay for a post secondary education. To many exiting high school it's either minimum wage or not far above or being in debt for the first half of your life and still having to work your way up the wage ladder, which is better. I personally am choosing the second, but talk to me in ten years and I'll wager I'll be pretty tired of student loan payments.

Should we have the government pay for post-secondary education? Dear god no, first universal healthcare, then reform our primary and secondary systems so even those not inclined to go on will receive a fine education.

Should we have the government pay for post-secondary education? Dear god no, first universal healthcare, then reform our primary and secondary systems so even those not inclined to go on will receive a fine education.
I don't want anything to do with govt. sponsored health care, first it will suck the standard of care is terrible, second it's not the govt.'s job to provide health care.

It's not the counselor's fault it's thier fault, if you get out into the workforce and you aren't making enough money then you might think about changing that. I reject the idea that it's someone else's fault if your life sucks. My husband wants more money so he is going back to school, full time job, full time school, and is pulling a 3.83.
Were you are, is an A a four or a five?
Also, when people went into the workforce they did not make minimum wage. My dad (who until recently did not have his highschool diploma) made $26 an hour out of highschool. Last year (before he quite to work in a mine) he was making $18 an hour. My dad started out making plenty of money, and was told he would continue earning like that, but over the years continually started earning less and less as inflation went up.

Were you are, is an A a four or a five?
4
(he got a less than perfect score in a class, it was an A- :eek: he was so sad)

I don't want anything to do with govt. sponsored health care, first it will suck the standard of care is terrible, second it's not the govt.'s job to provide health care.
Well, Canada has the same standard of care as the US and yet costs less than half (US-$4,887 Canada-$2,163 [That is the money spent by the government plus what the average person pays]).

Well, lots people (were I live anyways) make minimum wage because their school conselors said "Don't bother with post secondary. Graduate and then get a job." Now, you need post secondary for most jobs that earn more than five bucks over minimum wage. Also, jobs like nursing make only a couple dollars more than minimum wage and most teachers earn less than someone who works 8 hours a day at minimum wage. A nurse or teacher should make enough to raise a family.

Let's not forget all the work teachers do outside the classroom. lesson plans, homework, etc. I'm with you on the nurses and teachers.

4
(he got a less than perfect score in a class, it was an A- :eek: he was so sad)
OK- That's still really good. At first, since here an A is worth 5, I was wondering why you would mention that your husband has a low B average? Thats not to impressive....

Well, Canada has the same standard of care as the US and yet costs less than half (US-$4,887 Canada-$2,163 [That is the money spent by the government plus what the average person pays]).
I don't think you understand what I mean by standard of care, in the US if you need surgery you get surgery, in Canada if you need surgery you wait 6 months to a year and then get surgery. At least that's what I hear from my friend in Canada, she says it's the norm there.