The Minimum Wage and Hourly Rates Thread

[LogGrad98]

With the minimum wage hike still hovering around but not able to land anywhere, I thought it would be interesting to get a feel for the tone in Jazzfanz, but in somewhat different way. I wanted to see how our small population here was stratified by income and their opinion on the proposed federal minimum wage increase to $15.

I have added a poll. I have added choices based on assessing 2 things:

1) Do you approve of the $15 minimum wage and...
2) What is your own hourly wage (convert salary to hourly by dividing annual salary by 2080 to be consistent).

I didn't want to out anyone, so it is an anonymous poll. And I didn't want to get too granular so I broke it into groupings like this:

Your hourly rate:
up to $25 per hour (equates to 52k per year or less)
$26 to $36 per hour (up to about 75k per year)
$37 to $48 (up to about 100k per year)
$49 and up (anything over 100k per year)

And I will have an option for each of these combined with Yes, I agree with the minimum wage increase or No I do not.

I will add and option for just yes or no without an hourly wage attached if you are way too uncomfortable being added to an anonymous grouping like this.

Feel free to comment how you will.

 

[Beer]

On one hand I'm not totally sure working a job that pays minimum wage should afford you comfortable of a lifestyle.

On the other hand the minimum wage not going up at all over the past 12 years or whatever and only minimally over the last 25 years seems absurd.

I think I'd be more for a state or even county based minimum wage increase than a nationwide one. Like Seattle, LA, NYC, etc ..... $20 or whatever. Idaho Falls maybe $10.

 

[LogGrad98]

On one hand I'm not totally sure working a job that pays minimum wage should afford you comfortable of a lifestyle.

On the other hand the minimum wage not going up at all over the past 12 years or whatever and only minimally over the last 25 years seems absurd.

I think I'd be more for a state or even county based minimum wage increase than a nationwide one. Like Seattle, LA, NYC, etc ..... $20 or whatever. Idaho Falls maybe $10.

I agree that no increase in that long is just wrong. It cannot be argued that wages have not kept pace with either inflation or corporate revenue and profit increases.

For most U.S. workers, real wages have barely budged in decades

Despite some ups and downs over the past several decades, today's real average wage in the U.S. has about the same purchasing power it did 40 years ago. And most of what wage gains there have been have flowed to the highest-paid tier of workers.

www.pewresearch.org

This is a real problem that needs to be addressed. I do not know if raising the minimum wage will get us very far in correcting this, but it is a start.

 

[Eminence]

I'd prefer they just tied it to some sort of index as a percentage to work as a more permanent solution, but I'd rather raise it to $15 than leave it be right now.

Voted Yes, and less than 25k

Signed - an at home parent who doesn't make squat

 

[Avery]

1. Minimum wage is sorely outdated and hasn't moved in-line with inflation. Ideally, minimum wage would change incrementally every year to compensate for this, but obviously hasn't which is why we're here. I would like to see this future-proofed so it moves in concert with this.

2. Minimum wage shouldn't be misconstrued as a living wage - I think most people who make $15 an hour will tell you that they're not living the high-life and have to fiercely budget themselves.

3. The real people who don't want minimum wages are small businesses where profit margins would be slashed. If you own a family gas station and you're making enough for you as owner to get by, you're probably not a big proponent of giving your employees even more. Small businesses exist everywhere, but are the lifeblood of rural communities which is why R's are so skewed against it.

 

[fishonjazz]

On one hand I'm not totally sure working a job that pays minimum wage should afford you comfortable of a lifestyle.

On the other hand the minimum wage not going up at all over the past 12 years or whatever and only minimally over the last 25 years seems absurd.

I think I'd be more for a state or even county based minimum wage increase than a nationwide one. Like Seattle, LA, NYC, etc ..... $20 or whatever. Idaho Falls maybe $10.

Good post.
I definitely think the minimum wage should go up.
But selfishly, if it did go up then I would feel like my wage isn't as good anymore which would suck.

But regardless, or should go up and should have gone up a few years ago imo.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using JazzFanz mobile app

 

[fishonjazz]

1. Minimum wage is sorely outdated and hasn't moved in-line with inflation. Ideally, minimum wage would change incrementally every year to compensate for this, but obviously hasn't which is why we're here. I would like to see this future-proofed so it moves in concert with this.

2. Minimum wage shouldn't be misconstrued as a living wage - I think most people who make $15 an hour will tell you that they're not living the high-life and have to fiercely budget themselves.

3. The real people who don't want minimum wages are small businesses where profit margins would be slashed. If you own a family gas station and you're making enough for you as owner to get by, you're probably not a big proponent of giving your employees even more. Small businesses exist everywhere, but are the lifeblood of rural communities which is why R's are so skewed against it.

Yep.
I make about twice the amount that the minimum wage would be increased to and I live paycheck to paycheck like a mofo. I have no car payments and a low mortgage payment and I'm continually broke as a joke and I only have one child.

15 bucks an hour ain't **** to live on.

7.25 or whatever is it now? Lololololololol

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using JazzFanz mobile app

 

[Avery]

Yep.
I make about twice the amount that the minimum wage would be increased to and I live paycheck to paycheck like a mofo. I have no car payments and a low mortgage payment and I'm continually broke as a joke and I only have one child.

15 bucks an hour ain't **** to live on.

7.25 or whatever is it now? Lololololololol

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using JazzFanz mobile app

Pornhub subscriptions and White Claws are expensive.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Minimum wage should be $20 minimum everywhere (especially if there isnt universal healthcare), then more for certain locations.

3200 before taxes (if you're lucky enough to work somewhere that gives you consistent 40 hrs a week) is certainly not a comfortable lifestyle, especially when minimum wage jobs still arent giving you healthcare.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Small businesses exist everywhere, but are the lifeblood of rural communities which is why R's are so skewed against it.

I mean, it's certainly the presented talking point, but it's not THE reason they are against it.

 

[LogGrad98]

For public companies, tie it to the CEO comp. If the CEO's total compensation is over 500k per year then tie it to his compensation. Up to 500k then it is a normal minimum wage situation. Make a sliding scale, or like a tier system. I don't know, something like this off the top of my head:

Tier 1, CEO comp between 500k and 1mill, starting wage is 40k for everyone with mandatory 5% raises each year.
Tier 2, 1 mill to 10 mill 50k with the 5% raises.
Tier 3, 11-25mill would be 60k starting wages with 7% raises per year.
Tier 4, 25-49mill is 75k starting wages and 7% raises
Tier 5, anything over 50mill is 100k starting wages with 10% raises each year.

If they want to compensate the CEO thousands of times what the workers make then tie the workers wage to the CEO's pay. Make any kind of compensation that is hidden or non-transparent a federal crime, fraud maybe, with mandatory 10 years in prison for the CEO and the entire board of directors so they don't try to cheat the system. Also any one time bonuses to try to trick the system so it isn't viewed as compensation in some way generates back pay to whatever tier that takes that CEO to for all employees for the difference in the tier levels, so they all get a bonus too.

If nothing else this would be pretty interesting.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Also, guess what?

If people get paid more in your community, they also spend more in your community.

 

[Miggs]

On one hand I'm not totally sure working a job that pays minimum wage should afford you comfortable of a lifestyle.

On the other hand the minimum wage not going up at all over the past 12 years or whatever and only minimally over the last 25 years seems absurd.

I think I'd be more for a state or even county based minimum wage increase than a nationwide one. Like Seattle, LA, NYC, etc ..... $20 or whatever. Idaho Falls maybe $10.

This. It should’ve gone up a long time ago. That said, the jump is absurd to me. And the idea that it should be the same nationally is even more absurd. It should probably be somewhere around $13.50/hour in the NE and more like $10-11.50 in other parts of the country where cost of living isn’t as expensive.

 

[fishonjazz]

Pornhub subscriptions and White Claws are expensive.

Do people actually pay for pornhub? Why would they? It's free yo

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using JazzFanz mobile app

 

[idestroyedthetoilet]

This. It should’ve gone up a long time ago. That said, the jump is absurd to me. And the idea that it should be the same nationally is even more absurd. It should probably be somewhere around $13.50/hour in the NE and more like $10-11.50 in other parts of the country where cost of living isn’t as expensive.

Since somewhere around $12/hr is the effective minimum wage in Utah, a law of $11.50/hr wouldn't change many jobs at all. Those working for less than $12/hr here should get a charitable deduction on their taxes.

 

[idestroyedthetoilet]

I agree that no increase in that long is just wrong. It cannot be argued that wages have not kept pace with either inflation or corporate revenue and profit increases.

For most U.S. workers, real wages have barely budged in decades

Despite some ups and downs over the past several decades, today's real average wage in the U.S. has about the same purchasing power it did 40 years ago. And most of what wage gains there have been have flowed to the highest-paid tier of workers.

www.pewresearch.org

This is a real problem that needs to be addressed. I do not know if raising the minimum wage will get us very far in correcting this, but it is a start.

And yet living standards are far superior to what they were back then, which isn't possible with stagnant real wages.

IMO the explanation for this is inflation is vastly overstated. We'll probably look back in 50 years and think we were crazy for measuring it the way we have been.

Also, note that I'm not arguing against what you are saying about most productivity gains (that's what we really mean here) going to the top.

 

[Miggs]

Since somewhere around $12/hr is the effective minimum wage in Utah, a law of $11.50/hr wouldn't change many jobs at all. Those working for less than $12/hr here should get a charitable deduction on their taxes.

What would a $15 minimum wage mean for Utah?

With Democratic control of the U.S. House, Senate and presidency, the battle for a higher minimum wage has come front and center once again.

www.ksl.com

 

[idestroyedthetoilet]

What would a $15 minimum wage mean for Utah?

With Democratic control of the U.S. House, Senate and presidency, the battle for a higher minimum wage has come front and center once again.

www.ksl.com

Ask the people who live here what all the help wanted signs say. Most low wage employers have been posting jobs above the federal minimum for a decade.

One example from college kids I know working at a Chevron station make about $15/hr plus about $5500/yr in tution reimbursement. I think McDonalds is $12 plus tuition. Target is $15/hr.

 

[Miggs]

Ask the people who live here what all the help wanted signs say. Most low wage employers have been posting jobs above the federal minimum for a decade.

One example from college kids I know working at a Chevron station make about $15/hr plus about $5500/yr in tution reimbursement. I think McDonalds is $12 plus tuition. Target is $15/hr.

Thats’s fair. But my original post still stands. Maybe the numbers are off a bit. But having a national number is dumb.

 

[idestroyedthetoilet]

Thats’s fair. But my original post still stands. Maybe the numbers are off a bit. But having a national number is dumb.

I agree. The democrats' populism here is dumb for several reasons, including yours.