I think were going to see more of this.
Its a CNN article which is too liberal for some people but it does mention a bank which will offer better wages and expects better employees in return.
Will this work? Will others follow this logic?
People should be paid accordingly to the work that they perform. Working at a bank and being paid $14.40 makes sense. Working at a fast food establishment and demanding $15.00 an hour is asinine.
The definition of a “living wage” has greatly changed over the past few years. A “living wage” now includes cell phones, cable tv, and other frivolous garbage. In the past it included food, clothing, and shelter.
Yep.
Yeah I agree. The neccessities should be covered, cell phone and cable are luxuries.
Problem is most fast food workers are not kids and these are the jobs that are available for unskilled workers.
I don’t support the $15 an hour pay for fast food but people need more than $7.50 an hour.
2 studies conclude (out of many studies)
A report by John Schmitt for the Center for Economic and Policy Research found that a 10% increase in the minimum wage would raise food prices about 4%. If we extrapolate, a $10 minimum wage would raise food costs about 15% and a $15 minimum wage would raise costs about 43%.
Meanwhile University of Kansas School of Business student Arnobio Morelix created a model that found a $15 minimum wage would the cost of a Big Mac about $0.68, or 17%.
I say we need a wage increase because the bankers and managers get cost of living and more, for a sound economy we need more people making enough to buy goods and services.
All of my employees get paid very well.
At $15/hour a fry-boy would make $31,200 annually. An E-1 in the military makes $18,378. To get over $31,200 a military member would have to be an E-5 with 6 years in. Sorry, but the argument for $15/hour is invalid until military pay is raised to the same amount.
Mike
Military pay also includes “3 hots and a cot” as they say. Fry-Boy just gets his wage and MAYBE a discount on a meal.
-Carl
I read a very sad story in the NYTimes yesterday about a working Mom, she worked 3 different shifts at 3 different Dunkin Donuts. Often slept in her car for a few hours between jobs.
Apparently she kept a gas can in the trunk and it leaked while she slept.
Never woke up, succumbed to the fumes.
I feel lucky every day to be a Homie, great job, great pay. Did I work
hard to get here? Sure I did.
I also appreciate the folks working at the lower end of the scale.
I’m sure many of them out work me just as that Mom did.
It’s easy to say they’re spending it all on cell phones and nail salons.
Thats an old argument that was around long before cell phones and nail salons.
Do I think there should be better income for such folks?
Yeah I do.
But the 1% is sucking up such an inordinate amount of capital in this country it’s impossible for the low end workers to make ends meet.
Bottom line is that there is tremendous income inequality in this country.
You don’t get that or want to turn a blind eye to it?
Then you’re a pet of the 1%. IMHO.
Try reading this…
I agree with most of that (I’m an income disparity activist). The part I don’t agree with is the belief that what the 1% takes, the 99% doesn’t get. It’s not a stagnant pie.
If the rich gave all their money to the poor, the rich would have it all back in 6 months.
True Thomas, bad enough that we need to keep enough people down so we can keep the folks on top to stay on top.
I get that people need to start at the bottom and with some exceptions most will always stay there so why not allow them some degree of pride?
I was a high school dropout who smelled the coffee one day and worked my way out of that likely dead end but it wasn’t easy and I have a high pain threshold.
I don’t care that someone is a billionaire, they probably earned it but a living wage is a basic thing, I think we owe people the hope of a normal life. My dad worked 2 jobs, my mom did daycare and cleaned houses when I was young and they bought a home when I was 5 years old, before that I lived in a brownstone with my parents, grandparents and little sister, 2 bedrooms and 39 other families shared that building, we call that the ghetto now but I was happy enough. My parents had grit, people don’t have that much now days and maybe it could be taught.
Still, a better wage is the responsibility of business owners and shareholder, a little less at the top and a little more for the bottom would be good for America.
That’s an assumption. The last line.
You also have to distinguish between people who make a lot of money and employees who are voluntarily paid a lot of money by their employers.
In the case of the latter, the employer is paying the employee so much because that is the salary the employee commands on the open market (they’re worth it). I have quite a few employees that I pay 6 figures to because they can get even more elsewhere. If you want to keep an employee, any employee at any salary level, you can’t underpay them (pay them much less than other employers are offering them)… or they’ll leave. You can’t blame the high salary employee for taking the money that is placed on the table in front of them by the market.
In the case of the former, what is there to be done about it? Tell them to sleep in and go to the ballgame more often?
The income disparity problem can’t be solved by lowering the top.
Exactly correct. People are worth what they get paid. My sorry self included.
Not counting the Military I believe they should live better than most instead of worse. When your job includes getting shot at regularly I believe you should be comfortable 
Yes I do mean Combat troops should make more than those lives are not in as great of danger.
Paul,
We do not owe anyone anything except innocent children and those who have REAL issues and cannot do anything due to REAL mental or physical issues.
I have not made minimum wage since I was 16. I am not a minimum person so I demand more of myself than the minimum. I will also pay my employees good when that time comes but I will not expect the minimum from them either. If they want to give the minimum they can go to fast food.
$15.00 per hour for fast food? The average paramedic makes less than $15.00 I know I am one for over 18 years. And if Fast food people want that much that is fine. If I was in charge I would put in computers just like an ATM. That way I can loose about 60% of the staff. And the ones left, well its a high paying job so now you will need a degree. So thank you for helping us move forward and helping us see the way. I hope that all of you will be dropping off your resume after work today.
I disagree.
I had employees and I owed them guidance, education skills and reasonable wages. My lowest paid guys worked hard for a fair wage, I never made more money by keeping them down, some got good enough to try and compete with me.
What good is someone working 50 hours a week who can’t provide basic needs?
You and I support these folks by paying for their medical and other needs.
I didn’t say take money from the rich, I said minimum wage isn’t enough. Maybe not $15 an hour but more than $7.00.
I would gladly pay 20 cents more for a burger to help these people out, problem is if the companies charged 20 cents more for a burger the money would go to upper management and the shareholders.
wHAT YOU DO NOT GET IS THE ONES WHO Buy the most burgers will not pay the xtra .20cents which I think your estimate is low on anyhow.
Fact is when the min wage goes up so does everything around it. There has been ZERO change in poverty when the min wage changes. In fact when the min wage changes it increase the increase in inflation of cost. Its simple supply and demand. More people have the money for said product so said product can get more money for it so the price goes up. Something like 3% of the population makes min wage. Many times that is all small companies can pay someone. Min wage is for totally unskilled workers. Get a skill someone will pay you. People just think companies sit around with bags full of money and they are just keeping it from the employees. Now more than ever companies have to have cash on hand because they are ALWAYS in court for spilling hot coffee, saying hello nice shirt and getting his with sexual harassment chargers. Wages are based on skills and what the market will pay. If no one took that job they would have to offer more money. Its call the free market.
Yeppers