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Minimum wage
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Minimum wage
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Anyone who thinks that a minimum wage needs to be dicatated by elected officials is in the dark. There is a minimum wage in my city, but it is certainly not $5.15 an hour. You cannot pay $5.00 an hour
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Forums » Topic Forums » Work Views » Minimum wage
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Minimum wage
posted at 6/20/2001 4:29 AM EDT
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Posts: 2
First: 5/10/2001 Last: 6/20/2001 |
Anyone who thinks that a minimum wage needs to be dicatated by elected officials is in the dark. There is a minimum wage in my city, but it is certainly not $5.15 an hour. You cannot pay $5.00 an hour when the company next door pays $6.50, or $7 or $10. The market mandates the minimum wage, the government doesn't need to. |
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Minimum wage
posted at 9/27/2005 5:12 AM EDT
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Posts: 9
First: 10/12/2004 Last: 12/27/2007 |
Where I am the minimum wage is $7 per hour, and like some one said previously, you're lucky if you can get someone to work for that. The market has a way of adjusting the bottom wage based on demand. However, in a recession, there is a need for a legislated minimum to protect abuse. |
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Minimum wage
posted at 9/27/2005 5:20 AM EDT
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Posts: 1
First: 9/27/2005 Last: 9/27/2005 |
I personally feel, back in the 80's 5.15 maybe was okay for a high school student trying to prepare for college. But I think with all the money the government has, and these businesses out here, they should be able to pay people at least $9.00 hr. I mean how can you support a family off of $5? No way, no how! I was reading a study on Walmart, they start their people off at $6.oo hr and expect them to work there hearts out. But yet they bringing in millions/billions a year! Why would anyone want to work for a non appreciative company like that? |
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Minimum wage
posted at 9/27/2005 5:42 AM EDT
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Posts: 1
First: 9/27/2005 Last: 9/27/2005 |
Barbara Ehrenreich's book Nickle and Dimed is a great source for understanding why the minimum wage is way too low. As employers, we have a responsibility to ensure that the workforce can survive on what we pay. And Barbara makes a powerful argument that one cannot do so on a proven poverty-level minimum wage. |
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Minimum wage
posted at 9/27/2005 9:10 AM EDT
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Posts: 1
First: 9/27/2005 Last: 9/27/2005 |
The federal government has no business dictating a national minimum wage. The minimum wage is useless; one rate doesn't fit all. I don't know any employers in my area that are paying minimum wage. If they want good employees, they have to pay for them. When an employee accepts a job he/she is agreeing to the rate. If employees are working hard, showing up for work, etc. then those employees should be rewarded. If the employer fails to reward a good employee, then the employee will move on. The governement shouldn't dictate who should be rewarded and who shouldn't be.
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Minimum wage
posted at 9/27/2005 9:57 AM EDT
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Posts: 85
First: 7/16/2003 Last: 1/14/2008 |
I do believe that some of you are missing the point of minimum wage. It wasn't meant to be a living wage (raising a family,etc...)it was designed for individuals who don't possess any real working skills and/or people just entering the workforce. I know that there are alot single parents who are entering the workforce for the first time and minimum wage is primarily what they qualify for and certainly not enough to support a family.
Bottom Line in my opinion is that we as a society (Federal Government included) have certainly created this problem for ourselves. Now what to do about---how about hounding your elected representative to change it. Maybe easier said than done but it's a start. |
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Minimum wage
posted at 9/29/2005 5:12 AM EDT
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Posts: 464
First: 6/30/2004 Last: 11/22/2010 |
I disagree with a couple of points raised so far.
First, I disagree that it is up to the employers to make sure that our workforces can support their families. In my opinion, this thinking is off base on many levels. Without going into great detail about people being responsible for the consequences of their own decision in life, I will simply point out that most of us are working for companies that are in business to make a profit for their shareholders/owners. Most business are not in it for socialistic reasons. The way Capitalism works, if you don't go for the maximum bottom line possible, the supply of Capital will notice, and sources will dry up by going to business that does not make this mistake. Next, from a purely economic standpoint, as costs go up, so does the purchase price of end products - the market place will adjust to the rising cost levels and the price of bread, milk, etc. will eventually adjust so that the real purchasing power of the minimum wage earner remains unchanged. You cannot just raise up one ship in the harbor, they all come up when the tide rises. Finally, as to the purpose of minimum wage, history will tell you that it was never meant to be a support base to raise a family. |
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Minimum wage
posted at 10/4/2005 1:57 AM EDT
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Posts: 2
First: 10/4/2005 Last: 9/19/2006 |
In my personal experience, those who can get away with paying less will usually do so. And, of course, the company suffers thru increased hiring and training costs.
It seems that "the market" is used to cover a multitude of HR sins. Allow me to give an example. One of the LTC facilities in my town subcontracted its housekeeping/laundry departments to an outside firm notorious for paying only minimum wage. The facility didn't disclose this fact until the morning the crew arrived and began doing everybody's job. The current employees were "invited" to reapply for their old positions with the new company. Of course, it wasn't disclosed until after they filled out the paperwork that their new wage was - you guessed it- $5.15/hr. The problem was that the affected employees were hardly high school graduates; most had spouses and children. One point worth considering: since we have a minimum wage, how about the idea of a 'maximum' wage for non-owners of a company? |
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