How high of a minimum wage would you be willing to tolerate?

[fooliuscaesar13]

Are you FOR or AGAINST a minimum wage increase in your area of living?

I am *for* an increase if it comes at the expense of people / businesses that can afford it, and not at the expense of people who have worked to get to a middle-class type of wage and not at the expense of the small business with few employees that barely make ends meet. Raising minimum wage shouldn't devalue other workers and it shouldn't put cause a business to go under.

When you raise the minimum wage in order to help reduce poverty, businesses adjust pricing for their services and cause inflation to rise. I don't have the solution to that problem and I probably never will. Hell, the only solution that makes sense to me as an armchair web-forum economist is akin to communism, but it only makes sense to me...I don't know if it'd actually work.

I only know that in order for something like minimum wage increases to work, the wealth re-distribution has to come from those that can afford it, and by that I'm mostly referring to that top 1% - 5%.

EDIT: I'm more in favor of a profit or revenue sharing type of model rather than a blanket increase of minimum wage. I'm fortunate that I work for people that already do this.

[unfilteredJW]

Tolerate?

Jesus.

Frail, empty people everywhere.

[blankfaced]

The problem with this is often ignored by the advocates. If we completely ignore the cost increases for goods and services that would be required to support an increase of nearly 75% on the federal minimum wage, we still have other problems that make this a nearly impossible thing to accomplish in a short period of time.

I will attempt to use simplifications of the wages to keep this from becoming an argument over math errors.

If worker A currently makes $10/hr and the government mandates a $15 min. wage he gets a 50% raise; great, right?

But, team lead A is only making $12/hr; now does he go to $15 or does he get the same 50% to go to $18/hr?

Or, shift supervisor A who currently makes $14/hr; does she go to $15/ hr or $21/ hr?

Or the Shop foreman is currently making $18/hr, do you give him a raise to $28/hr or do you just tell him it suck that he now makes the same pay or less than his subordinates?

Ok, all of that nonsense is completely up to each individual employer. It's got nothing whatsoever to do with making sure people are payed a livable wage. And in the end it'll all work itself out. People could *Gasp* have conversations with their employers about what they think their work is worth! Egads! Not conversations about pay......can't have those.....riiiiiiiight?

[Rennadrel]

Sounds like a bunch of horse cock to me. Businesses need to stop being so greedy and start paying their employees fairly. The middle class has long since been destroyed thanks to cunts like Margaret Thatcher basically going full Hitler on unions and workers rights. Since then it's been a slippery slope downwards as the financial inequality has ballooned out of control. Sure, some jobs don't deserve near the same rate of pay, but even in my line of work, starting pay in manufacturing is about $14.50 CAD before piece work for a machine operator. That's pretty shit considering back in the 80s people were getting paid $23 an hour and generally had a lot more skills than the uneducated, illiterate migrants who riddle the floors of our facilities running CNC machines.

[Deleted]

i'd support £10 ($13) for aged 21+

[Deldavala]

That's because 9 out of ten jobs in Norway are from the public sector, budd. There is almost no gap between the rich and the poor; not everyone can be born in what is essentially a socialist monarchy. Do the citizens of Norway even get any agency?

About 1/3 of the jobs in Norway is in the public sector. And we are not a socialist monarchy, seeing as our King/Queen has no real power.

[Tinykong]

Whatever it costs to live in your area without relying on government assistance.

[Stormspark]

For. (United States.)

Somewhere around $15 an hour, indexed to the cost of living and inflation, seems like it'd be enough. That's a rate that would vastly improve purchasing power without raising labor costs or cost of goods too high.

There is a limit that's too high. $15 is not that limit.

It depends on where you are. In a lot of California $15/hr wouldn't even pay rent.

[Kellhound]

I want a $1 billion minimum wage!

[God Save The King]

For(California, USA). The US as a whole could easily see a minimum wage of ~$13-15. Larger urban centers could push as high as ~$20-22. Tie both of these to inflation, and never have this discussion again.

[Coconuter]

Minimum wage is just that. Minimum salary generally for work requiring minimum expertise. Should it be more in some areas? Sure. The thing is, it's for jobs to just start off with.

I'm more for, if you want a higher paying job, aspire to want it and make it happen. At least here in the US there really isn't a shortage for jobs like people claim there to be. My company has 20+ positions open requiring only a high school diploma paying anywhere from $18-$25/hour with guaranteed overtime and they have trouble filling the roles. Most they are desperate to fill. The work isn't even that tough, it's more you'll have to work quite a few hours. Save up money, use the time you can to continue furthering your career.

I worked 3 years straight with a minimum work week of 91 hours and peaks up to 130. I saved all I could, changed careers and work about 50 hours a week, and am hoping to soon open my own business and work for myself. It's taken time, it's taken a toll, but, the key is to not give up. I'm hoping when I have kids I can then help them to ensure they don't have to go through all I did and at least pass on, even if small, some sort of legacy to them to continue.

Breaking out of minimum wage really just demands you work towards it. You want more? It's there, go take it. The world isn't against us. Our largest hurdle is oneself.

[NED funded]

Denmark doesn't have minimum wage.

[Oftenwrongsoong]

A drastic increase in minimum wage will result in a drastic decrease in the availability (i.e., existence) of minimum wage jobs. Employer margins are as tight as they can be since the recession.

Example: I went to McDonald's in California yesterday. They don't have cashiers anymore. I placed my order on a large touch screen (1 of 8 in the place), and simply walked up and picked up my food.

Minimum wage jobs are not meant to be a career. You need to take initiative and get a degree and work somewhere with longevity, room to improve, and a stable salary.

I worked near minimum wage in high school, during college, and during graduate school in retail, packing/shipping, and customer service. I didn't get a scholarship and my parents did not help (in fact, my father died almost 20 years ago).

I'm now 6 years removed from graduate school and quite well off. It starts and ends with you.

[Deleted]

Denmark doesn't have minimum wage.

No but then the "minimum" wage must pay better then basic social welfear to get workers....

[Captain N]

Minimum wage jobs are not meant to be a career. You need to take initiative and get a degree and work somewhere with longevity, room to improve, and a stable salary.

How much would you say someone working a janitor in a train station should make?

How about the people who clean the commuter trains?

Why would one seek crippling student loan debt when those two jobs pay more than mid-range management and IT jobs?

[Independent voter]

We should abolish the minimum wage so that everyone can get a job who wants one.

The idea is a person working at a low wage will keep applying for better and better jobs as they get experience, learn English whatever.

[Jtbrig7390]

Breaking out of minimum wage really just demands you work towards it. You want more? It's there, go take it. The world isn't against us. Our largest hurdle is oneself.

Thanks for the wall of text showing you don't have a clue what you are talking about.

Also FDR put Minimum wage in place to be a livable wage and it isn't. No the "Better Paying Jobs" are not there for everyone who wants them. This isn't a opinion its something you can factually prove.

If everyone could do it no one could do it.

[Stormspark]

A drastic increase in minimum wage will result in a drastic decrease in the availability (i.e., existence) of minimum wage jobs. Employer margins are as tight as they can be since the recession.

Example: I went to McDonald's in California yesterday. They don't have cashiers anymore. I placed my order on a large touch screen (1 of 8 in the place), and simply walked up and picked up my food.

Minimum wage jobs are not meant to be a career. You need to take initiative and get a degree and work somewhere with longevity, room to improve, and a stable salary.

I worked near minimum wage in high school, during college, and during graduate school in retail, packing/shipping, and customer service. I didn't get a scholarship and my parents did not help (in fact, my father died almost 20 years ago).

I'm now 6 years removed from graduate school and quite well off. It starts and ends with you.

So let me get this straight. You are saying that you should never be able to have a career at a place like Mcdonald's. The entire company should be run by high school kids who only work there temporarily. And everyone should "get a real job" as soon as possible. What do you do then? Staff the stores with illegal immigrants?

50 years ago you could work there, making what was minimum wage at the time, and be able to support a family. Wages have not kept up with inflation, that's the problem.

[Xirrohon]

Its already too high. Minimum wage shouldnt be an encouragement for regular adults to get a job. Those type of paying jobs should goto students. Raising the minimum wage IMO is more harmful than helpful.

[Jtbrig7390]

I'm now 6 years removed from graduate school and quite well off. It starts and ends with you.

If everyone could do it no one could do it.....

Also please do show me where it says "Minimum wage jobs are not meant to be career's" because last checked FDR put Minimum wage in to be a livable wage. Just because someone got a degree doesn't mean they are going to get a awesome paying job.

Just look at the millions of students in debt to see that.