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A low minimum wage is actually a good thing, because it opens jobs for "entry level people" like teenagers seeking their first jobs. Raising the minimum wage to $15-$20 per hour actually eliminates those jobs.
In today's economy, nobody who is a worth hiring is making anywhere near minimum wage. Most make at least double that.
Our economy will pay you what you are worth, not what you think you are worth.
How low should entry level wages be? Less than $15 an hour is peon wages.
Location: Formerly Pleasanton Ca, now in Marietta Ga
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The biggest point I got was that one has to increase their value if they want to get paid more. It has always been that way, but I’ve seen resistance to this on this forum. Some say that not everyone has the ability to pull themselves up by the bootstraps and that others should not expect them to do so. I’ve always believed that you create your worth and get paid accordingly. That was why going to college was pushed so heavily.
Minimum wage was always for part time people and students meant to earn some money, but not make a living wage.
When all the Hispanic immigrants started coming into California they started to take the place of those part time workers and also worked more hours. They depended on those wages to live, not supplement income. That’s when all the discussions of minimum and living wages came about.
How low should entry level wages be? Less than $15 an hour is peon wages.
How many other people is a MW worker expected to be living with?
It seems that a LOT of people believe that MW should be enough to support independent living.
How many other people is a MW worker expected to be living with?
It seems that a LOT of people believe that MW should be enough to support independent living.
Exactly. Which is where the whole thing has gone off the rails. MW can’t be set at one number and be a “living wage” across the board. MW is just that...a minimum wage. Bottom. No skills. Starting level.
The biggest point I got was that one has to increase their value if they want to get paid more. It has always been that way, but I’ve seen resistance to this on this forum
That's because it takes work, and work is hard.
How can we expect full grown adults to gain skills and compete in a market? There's no reason someone who makes Hemp based jewelry shouldn't be able to command the same salary as your average large-cap CEO.
Local governments set their own (higher than) minimum wage, it seems.
I am not sure the fed is needed here.
Of course it is. For the same reason it has always been needed:
to serve as base floor that anyone can expect without other negotiation.
But in addition to the household member expectation aspect mentioned above ^^
there was a corollary expectation of a full time 40 hour workweek in as tight a schedule as practical
and things like training and a clear advancement track (of some sort) ... just aren't there anymore.
Well they aren't there as a need or interest of the employer to provide.
All of which brings us back to how the oversupply of labor hours available dilutes their market value.
We need to get the deadwood out of the equation.
If you have no marketable job skills you cannot expect high pay.
You're missing an important component: The supply:demand ratio of available labor hours.
Reduce the current oversupply and even the remaining dolts will be worth more $/hr.
Quote:
The market will pay what the market demands.
And labor is a market factor.
One of these days the labor advocates will realize that again.
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