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min wage jobs are mostly entry level or go nowhere service jobs. When people make those jobs their careers then you have troubles. You cannot raise a family being a McDonald's cashier..sorry.
And that is a problem. It may seem unbelievable to you but there are millions of people who will never get a better paying job than that. I'll give you an example of how things should be. My wife and I run a home daycare here in Niagara Falls Ontario. One of our customers is a housekeeper at a local hotel that pays minumum wage, $9.75 per hour. Now this lady through no fault of her own is a single mother with no spousal support at all. So, does she live in poverty? Not in the least. She brings her two children to us for the day while she goes off to work. The regional government pays us for their care. She lives in a very nice non profit housing co-op and pays $200 a month for a nice 3 bedroom townhouse. Her children are dressed and fed very well and will get a great education in the local schools. Without this type of support system she would most likely be living in some dump somewhere unable to properly feed or cloth her kids and be on the welfare rolls to boot. WE have no slums here in this city, we have no gang problems and we don't have generational welfare because of lack of decent programmes that lift people up and out of poverty. Our customer is a hard worker and she's smart. Probably some day she will be the supervisor and be making a lot more money than now. At that time she will not only pay her own way in this world but pay taxes that go to helping other needy folks.
Now maybe you Americans like your ghettos and your urban wastelands. The resultant crime and gang activity. Generations upon generations of welfare cases because that is all they know. WE Canadians don't like it. We don't like seeing kids deprived of opportunity, decent schools, healthcare, livable housing, good nutrition and other basic needs of life. So we do something about it and it creates a better country and better people all around. WE care about those less fortunate than us and if there are some out there scamming the system well then that's the price you pay to live in a just society.
Our country is not going broke. WE don't have everyone hating everyone else just because they think differently. WE don't have corporations telling us what's best for our people, in fact we tell them what's best for our people and if they don't like it well they can stuff it because they have no political power here.
America has lost it's way. The people don't count for anything any more. If you are poor and needy well then that's too bad. No one seems to understand the terrible costs to the country allowing the things they do. If people need a helping hand then they are just lazy good for nothings according to half your politicians. IN my opinion, one homeless person on the street is worth a thousand of your congressmen or women. At least they are not harming millions like many of your so called leaders are.
.....I have a feeling you are one of these greedy business owners who could give a crap about their employees as long as it provides your self interest.
I'll admit it. I am one of those greedy business owners. But let me explain how that works.
First, the only way I have to make more money is to provide more and better service to my customers. They have a multitude of choices in this competitive field, and in order to thrive I must offer superior value. So I can make more money, but only by being of more service to my fellow human beings.
Oh, there is a short-cut. I could gouge the hell out of them and make a lot of money in a short time. But it would ruin my business. You probably have seen this happen in your community. Since I am greedy, I can't go that route.
Second, I have an employee that started at $10/hour. After 18 months he is on a salary of $40k a year, with 8% annual raises planned until he is at $55k. I sincerely hope he will take advantage of the additional training and credentials for which I have offered to pay--because then his comp would have to go to $75-$80k.
Why would I hope for this if I am greedy? It is pretty simple: the better and more productive he is, the more money I make. Remember, I am greedy.
This isn't just me, either. If you had a chance to have an indepth conversation with the leaders of the five most successful companies in your area you could see this for yourself. At least four of those five would be deleriously happy if their two most valuable employees could be cloned, with those clones going on the payroll at the top of the comp scale. In fact, if any of their current employees could become as valuable as those top two employees, the business would be thrilled to promote them and pay them like crazy.
There is one thing I won't do--pay an employee more than they are worth. It is not sustainable, nor honest. My enterprise lives or dies by the value it can render to others; my employees thrive or not, depending on their contribution to this effort.
And all this is driven by my own self-interest. I like to frequent good restaurants, take interesting vacations, spend time at my second home, be generous to my children, put money to work for my future.
You can't stop me from paying talented people well--but you can't make me carry any more dead weight around than I am already carrying. So stop trying.
What do you think we need?
I have this theory based entirely off of nothing that if we increased the minimum wage to something that IS livable, that we may have less poverty. Less welfare cases. Etc.
I understand everyone's life is different. What one may think is a good wage, someone may think it's crap.
The min wage I believe in NJ is like $7.75. Let's say they slightly doubled it to $15. $15 an hour, IMO, is something that is livable. Especially in a dual income home. There would be no need for welfare, there would be enough for these people to pay their rent (or mortgage), pay their bills, and even have money left over to buy stuff. Buying stuff is a good thing. It stimulates the economy.
If more people have disposable money, then more people will be out there spending money. This way, the companies that DO pay the crappy min wage now..would eventually make up for now doubling the salaries of their workers.
I mean, it makes sense to me. But what about someone else?
Or is this a system to make people feel better about themselves compared to other people?
Why stop at $15 when you can make it $200 so everyone can live like doctors?
I'll admit it. I am one of those greedy business owners. But let me explain how that works.
First, the only way I have to make more money is to provide more and better service to my customers. They have a multitude of choices in this competitive field, and in order to thrive I must offer superior value. So I can make more money, but only by being of more service to my fellow human beings.
Oh, there is a short-cut. I could gouge the hell out of them and make a lot of money in a short time. But it would ruin my business. You probably have seen this happen in your community. Since I am greedy, I can't go that route.
Second, I have an employee that started at $10/hour. After 18 months he is on a salary of $40k a year, with 8% annual raises planned until he is at $55k. I sincerely hope he will take advantage of the additional training and credentials for which I have offered to pay--because then his comp would have to go to $75-$80k.
Why would I hope for this if I am greedy? It is pretty simple: the better and more productive he is, the more money I make. Remember, I am greedy.
This isn't just me, either. If you had a chance to have an indepth conversation with the leaders of the five most successful companies in your area you could see this for yourself. At least four of those five would be deleriously happy if their two most valuable employees could be cloned, with those clones going on the payroll at the top of the comp scale. In fact, if any of their current employees could become as valuable as those top two employees, the business would be thrilled to promote them and pay them like crazy.
There is one thing I won't do--pay an employee more than they are worth. It is not sustainable, nor honest. My enterprise lives or dies by the value it can render to others; my employees thrive or not, depending on their contribution to this effort.
And all this is driven by my own self-interest. I like to frequent good restaurants, take interesting vacations, spend time at my second home, be generous to my children, put money to work for my future.
You can't stop me from paying talented people well--but you can't make me carry any more dead weight around than I am already carrying. So stop trying.
I understand you are saying you do not want to pay employees what they are worth and I do not think you have to. The problem is when people's worth is valued at less then enough to live on . This is inhumane and what happens in other countries that have people living in slums. We live in a society that is made to help and look out for all its citizens. People's welfare are more important then making profit and unfortunately some business owners need to reminded about that.
And that is a problem. It may seem unbelievable to you but there are millions of people who will never get a better paying job than that. I'll give you an example of how things should be. My wife and I run a home daycare here in Niagara Falls Ontario. One of our customers is a housekeeper at a local hotel that pays minumum wage, $9.75 per hour. Now this lady through no fault of her own is a single mother with no spousal support at all. So, does she live in poverty? Not in the least. She brings her two children to us for the day while she goes off to work. The regional government pays us for their care. She lives in a very nice non profit housing co-op and pays $200 a month for a nice 3 bedroom townhouse. Her children are dressed and fed very well and will get a great education in the local schools. Without this type of support system she would most likely be living in some dump somewhere unable to properly feed or cloth her kids and be on the welfare rolls to boot. WE have no slums here in this city, we have no gang problems and we don't have generational welfare because of lack of decent programmes that lift people up and out of poverty. Our customer is a hard worker and she's smart. Probably some day she will be the supervisor and be making a lot more money than now. At that time she will not only pay her own way in this world but pay taxes that go to helping other needy folks.
Now maybe you Americans like your ghettos and your urban wastelands. The resultant crime and gang activity. Generations upon generations of welfare cases because that is all they know. WE Canadians don't like it. We don't like seeing kids deprived of opportunity, decent schools, healthcare, livable housing, good nutrition and other basic needs of life. So we do something about it and it creates a better country and better people all around. WE care about those less fortunate than us and if there are some out there scamming the system well then that's the price you pay to live in a just society.
Our country is not going broke. WE don't have everyone hating everyone else just because they think differently. WE don't have corporations telling us what's best for our people, in fact we tell them what's best for our people and if they don't like it well they can stuff it because they have no political power here.
America has lost it's way. The people don't count for anything any more. If you are poor and needy well then that's too bad. No one seems to understand the terrible costs to the country allowing the things they do. If people need a helping hand then they are just lazy good for nothings according to half your politicians. IN my opinion, one homeless person on the street is worth a thousand of your congressmen or women. At least they are not harming millions like many of your so called leaders are.
Canada falls under America's umbrella of protection.
Which allows you to use your insane tax rates to pay for these services.
I understand you are saying you do not want to pay employees what they are worth and I do not think you have to. The problem is when people's worth is valued at less then enough to live on . This is inhumane and what happens in other countries that have people living in slums. We live in a society that is made to help and look out for all its citizens. People's welfare are more important then making profit and unfortunately some business owners need to reminded about that.
There is no welfare without wealth.
How about a "thank you" to all of us high tax payers instead of "f*** y**"?
I understand you are saying you do not want to pay employees what they are worth and I do not think you have to. The problem is when people's worth is valued at less then enough to live on . This is inhumane and what happens in other countries that have people living in slums. We live in a society that is made to help and look out for all its citizens. People's welfare are more important then making profit and unfortunately some business owners need to reminded about that.
It is up to each person to be worth more, instead of up to everybody else to subsidize the worthless into the middle class. No one should starve to death, so there should be vouchers for subsistence amounts of basic foods. No one should freeze to death, so there should be government housing to offer protection from the elements. No one should die for lack of basic medical care, so basic services should be provided. But no recipient of these things should have it better than the worst-off taxpayer, who is helping to provide them.
What part of the mandate to be valuable to the rest of society, if you want to thrive, is so objectionable?
Canada falls under America's umbrella of protection.
Which allows you to use your insane tax rates to pay for these services.
How about a "thank you" instead of a bashing?
What's this umbrella of protection you are talking about. If I hear this crap one more time I'm going to scream. The USA protects us from NOBODY.
When will those of you that think that way get it through your heads that we don't need your protection or want it other than as equal allies in NATO.
In Canada's history the country we have needed the most protection from is the friggin USA. We have needed to protect our sovereignity in so many ways from the USA. Economic, cultural, Territorial, industrially, you name it and Canada has had a struggle protecting it from a huge and aggressive neighbour.
I suppose you think Mexico also exists due to USA protection. I'm very sure countries like Vietnam, Cuba, Iraq, All of central America and so many others would have been very happy to do without Uncle Sam's protection.
You sound just like that army officer Jack Nicholson played in A few good men. He figured the world owed him a thanks for protecting them from the big bad Cubans, LOL.
You will get no thanks from me for your country's insane militarism. It's one of the absolute worst characteristic of the USA.
PS, Canada's tax rate is anything but insane. Did you know that our corporate tax rate is way, way less than the USA?
I honestly don't think there should be a minimum wage. If a company isn't paying you enough money to do your job, then get another one.
Should there be zoning and housing codes?
If there's no minimum wage and an employer can pay $1 per hour, shouldn't a landlord be free to rent out housing that someone earning $1 per hour can afford?
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that if we increased the minimum wage to something that IS livable, that we may have less poverty. Less welfare cases. Etc.
