Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
“No business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country.” -FDR
“All but the hopelessly reactionary will agree that to conserve our primary resources of man power, government must have some control over maximum hours, minimum wages, the evil of child labor and the exploitation of unorganized labor.” - FDR
“Do not let any calamity-howling executive with an income of $1,000.00 a day, who has been turning his employees over to the Government relief rolls in order to preserve his company’s undistributed reserves, tell you — using his stockholders’ money to pay the postage for his personal opinions — tell you that a wage of $11.00 a week is going to have a disastrous effect on all American industry.” - FDR
MW was never meant to be a "family-supporting" wage. Especially not a large family. It was however, supposed to be enough to support a single person at a basic level or enough for two partners to support a small family.
The "Living Wage Calculator" says that a living wage in my area is $11.65. Sounds about right. Two people making that could afford a low end 2br or duplex around here and probably afford to keep 1 kid clothed and fed.
MW was never meant to be a "family-supporting" wage. Especially not a large family. It was however, supposed to be enough to support a single person at a basic level or enough for two partners to support a small family.
The "Living Wage Calculator" says that a living wage in my area is $11.65. Sounds about right. Two people making that could afford a low end 2br or duplex around here and probably afford to keep 1 kid clothed and fed.
I wouldn't even go that far. I would not have a child born to two minimum wage parents. Minimum wage is not meant to support a family.
I saw an article bemoaning how a single person on minimum wage can't even afford a two bedroom! Well, really now? Why did anyone think they could/should?
I certainly could not. And knew that. I slaved waged it through college for a reason, and that was it. Those jobs would take me nowhere.
In addition to this, I noticed several people talked about "making it" way back when... whenever that was... not now. Minimum wage is not what it used to be. It seems not many people are doing it on their own currently without having multiple jobs, working more than 40 hours.
Tons of middle class people have to work more than 40 hours. We used to call people who worked 40 hours 'part-timers'.
A lot of minimum wage workers work shifts of indeterminate length, such as in restaurants or fast food. Because a restaurant's daily activity cannot be known in advance, employees are scheduled on the basis of high expectations and then sent home early on days when actual customer traffic is lower.
Which means these employees MIGHT be scheduled for 40 hours without actually being able to work or get paid for 40 hours. When I delivered pizzas I worked 48 hours one very busy week - it was too busy to send me home - and after that my boss made sure I never ever got close to 40 hours again, because he had to enser to corporate suits and hated to pay overtime.
In larger cities a public transit monthly pass would cost more than $75 (here it is $100 and there is a senior/disabled discount but no low income discount) and in smaller cities probably less than $75.
I worked in fast food and then restaurants all through college and I was never sent home. For the latter, OT doesn't mean anything since the pay was $2.13/hr.
Those jobs are helpful due to the food. I gained a little weight at a ff chicken place with those french fries sitting in my face ALL THE TIME.
We were given one meal per shift, and then given chicken that had been 'mis-battered' and whatever was left at the end of the night. My roommates appreciated that.
I lost the weight running around in the restaurants. I don't remember if I got any free meals or just half-price, but either is helpful. No ramen for me with at least one meal accounted for most days. And I can't imagine working in a restaurant not making more than minimum wage. I'd find another place - the work is too demanding for that wage and almost every place tips are far better.
Repeating this doesn't create a truth from the notion.
I could say the same for you. Why do you think it wasn't supposed to be?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Red On The Noodle
When was it ever supposed to be a living wage?
To me it was always the wage you paid a high school kid for his first job (and some of us worked under the special sub-minimum wage restaurants were allowed to pay high school kids).
You worked minimum wage so when you went for another job and they asked if you had experience, you could say yes
Key words are bolded.
There will always be people who are not able to get better jobs or promote, and there will always be services that are needed during the school day when HS kids are unavailable.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Submariner
“No business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country.” -FDR
“All but the hopelessly reactionary will agree that to conserve our primary resources of man power, government must have some control over maximum hours, minimum wages, the evil of child labor and the exploitation of unorganized labor.” - FDR
“Do not let any calamity-howling executive with an income of $1,000.00 a day, who has been turning his employees over to the Government relief rolls in order to preserve his company’s undistributed reserves, tell you — using his stockholders’ money to pay the postage for his personal opinions — tell you that a wage of $11.00 a week is going to have a disastrous effect on all American industry.” - FDR
A person should want better than that. Lots of people do, so they find ways to learn skills commanding higher pay.
I worked minimum wage at exactly one job, ever. Even as a teen I thought that was ridiculous. And that one job was not MW for long. I soon was promoted to team leader or somesuch. With a rise in pay.
Before that at 13, I thought baby-sitting was ridiculous pay. I sold the paper door to door. In the summers where it was over 100 degrees everyday.
The man driving the van would drop us off two by two, have us cover x number of streets, then pick us up for the next neighborhood.
I did telemarketing starting at 15. Way more than minimum wage. Yes, it SUCKS but it pays better.
I wanted better so I went to college. Had college been unaffordable, I'd of done some other type of training or whatever was needed to get ahead. I never once considered that the world owes me a better living doing the menial jobs.
I'm seeing that over and over in here. That menial jobs should pay 'a living wage' and how a 'living wage' is defined is ridiculous.
I could never live on my own with those jobs, or as a waitress in college. I had roommates. After college while looking for a good-paying job I had to telemarket again and stay with my parents until someone there offered a room to rent.
A room with a private bath and shower but a shared kitchen and all that goes with that. It never occurred to me that I should be 'given more'. I knew I had to EARN more.
Making at or near 6 figures... hardly the same as someone who has to work 2 jobs with no benefits, and still has to be on food stamps.
ok, but the point is working 40 hours or less is another ridiculous thing to say people should be able to live on on minimum wage.
MW are not going to get to work LESS than most people AND have a 2 bedroom to themselves. This is all nonsense.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
In addition to this, I noticed several people talked about "making it" way back when... whenever that was... not now. Minimum wage is not what it used to be. It seems not many people are doing it on their own currently without having multiple jobs, working more than 40 hours.