Minimum Wage

[Denny Crane]

Well I see nothing wrong with that. They have 5% unemployment rate and not herds of people in poverty.

A pretty right wing government.

Their population is about half the size of California.

They're not likely counting aborigines. Looks to me like they have about 3M people living in poverty, and many in abject poverty (under $400/mo for family of 4).

The UN and other agencies that measure living conditions rank them around 15th worst.

If this is true, look at how expensive things are there vs here due to the high minimum wage.

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-livin...jsp?country1=Australia&country2=United+States

 

[Denny Crane]

99% of our minimum wage 'force' is young workers, disabled and apprentices? lol, I think not.

I think so.

http://www.bls.gov/cps/minwage2011.htm

Looks, also, like maybe 2% of the workforce makes minimum wage.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Minimum wage in Australia is $16/hr. Its one of the few countries that wasn't hit by the global recessions.

If we raised our min wage to $16/hr thr price of all goods, rent... would raise as well and the buying power would be the same. Then, we'd have to substantially raise welfare, food stamps... to keep up with rising prices.

 

[MarAzul]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/28/s...ched-wages.html?pagewanted=1&ref=opinion&_r=0

Are all people entitled to a wage that will support them, and their children, without federal aid?

I know 1 person can live on $9/hr and if 2 people are working at that rate they can support a family of 3 (ok, ok, notywithstanding those rare exceptions people love to toss out in idiocy).

It seems to me that if, as one person in ther article suggested, minimum wage was raised to $15/hr (or to be more practicle, $12/hr) the cost of goods and services will rise along with it and then where do we go?

Perhaps raising the minimum wage to $9/hr is a good start.

It is now.

http://www.oregonlive.com/money/index.ssf/2012/09/oregons_minimum_wage_climbs_in.html

 

[Eastoff]

fast food in michigan that pays 12$/hr
their menu

 

[MARIS61]

For a thrifty couple to raise 2 children, feed and clothe and educate them and provide decent healthcare and dental care and house them in a reasonably safe community requires a combined yearly income of at least $100,000. That's assuming none of the family is handicapped or special needs.

$9 is slave wages.

 

[Denny Crane]

fast food in michigan that pays 12$/hr
their menu

Their $1 menu looks like $3 menu to me.

 

[Denny Crane]

For a thrifty couple to raise 2 children, feed and clothe and educate them and provide decent healthcare and dental care and house them in a reasonably safe community requires a combined yearly income of at least $100,000. That's assuming none of the family is handicapped or special needs.

$9 is slave wages.

Maybe in La Pine.

http://money.cnn.com/2013/04/01/news/economy/jobs-wages/index.html

Mean wages
Retail Salesperson > $20/hr
Cashier ~$10/hr
Food Prep Worker ~$9/hr
Office Clerk ~$14.50/hr
Registered nurse ~$33/hr
Waiter ~$10/hr
Customer service rep ~$16.50/hr
Laborer ~$13/hr
Janitor/cleaner ~$12/hr
Secretary/administrative assistant ~$16.50/hr

 

[TradeNurkicNow]

gross

 

[Denny Crane]

"There are 4.3 million retail sales workers out there, making them the most common job, but the position pays only $25,310 for the year."

That's over $20/hr. For some reason, the employers aren't paying them the $7.25 minimum wage, but almost 3x that.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

"There are 4.3 million retail sales workers out there, making them the most common job, but the position pays only $25,310 for the year."

That's over $20/hr. For some reason, the employers aren't paying them the $7.25 minimum wage, but almost 3x that.

25310/52/40 = $12ish

 

[Denny Crane]

25310/52/40 = $12ish

Grrr.. my bad. 12 ish.

Still, they're paying $5 over minimum wage.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

Grrr.. my bad. 12 ish.

Still, they're paying $5 over minimum wage.

not sure what "retail" encompasses, but likely some high end stores and people on commission/bonus pay

 

[Denny Crane]

not sure what "retail" encompasses, but likely some high end stores and people on commission/bonus pay

It's median pay. If there are 4.3M of these jobs, 2.15M of them pay the ~$12 or more, and 2.15M pay less.

There's no averaging going on that 1 person making $1billion is making the $12 figure higher.

About 4% of hourly workers make minimum wage. 3.6M out of 75M. The entire workforce is over 130M.

The data almost certainly does not include income from tips.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

Wrong chart?

 

[Denny Crane]

Wrong chart?

Why is the chart wrong?

Seems like it tells the same story and more. Like the bottom half of earners are 24 or less.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

For a thrifty couple to raise 2 children, feed and clothe and educate them and provide decent healthcare and dental care and house them in a reasonably safe community requires a combined yearly income of at least $100,000. That's assuming none of the family is handicapped or special needs.

$9 is slave wages.

I thought slaves worked for "free"?

 

[Denny Crane]

I thought slaves worked for "free"?

If I pay at least $9/hour to the government in taxes, I guess I'm a slave to the government, eh?

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

If I pay at least $9/hour to the government in taxes, I guess I'm a slave to the government, eh?

No, you could be on welfare and collect from the government. You choose to make more money, so you choose to pay the government.

 

[Denny Crane]

No, you could be on welfare and collect from the government. You choose to make more money, so you choose to pay the government.

I don't choose to pay the government. It's TAKEN from me by threat of prison or worse.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

I don't choose to pay the government. It's TAKEN from me by threat of prison or worse.

It's still a choice.

 

[Denny Crane]

It's still a choice.

It's a kind of false choice.

Like shoot yourself, but choose where.

 

[e_blazer]

Minimum wage in Australia is $16/hr. Its one of the few countries that wasn't hit by the global recessions.

$16 Australian = $14.61 US

Additionally, that is the minimum wage rate for people over the age of 20.

<16 years: 36.8% $6.03
16 years: 47.3% $7.74
17 years: 57.8% $9.46
18 years: 68.3% $11.18
19 years: 82.5% $13.51
20 years: 97.7% $16.00

http://www.wageindicator.org/main/salary/minimum-wage/australia

I guess I wouldn't be averse to a similar age-graduated system in the US, but it would mean that nobody over the age of 17 would work at a fast food restaurant.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

It's a kind of false choice.

Like shoot yourself, but choose where.

Not really. You do get benefits for your taxes. Even if you don't see it that way.

 

[Denny Crane]

Not really. You do get benefits for your taxes. Even if you don't see it that way.

I don't mind paying gas tax at the pump, or sales tax at the register, or tolls to cross the bridge.

 

[TradeNurkicNow]

Taxes are alright sometimes.

What if, come tax time, we allocated how much tax we owe to specific programs. If I don't want to give half of my taxes to the fucking military, I shouldn't have to.

 

[Denny Crane]

Taxes are alright sometimes.

What if, come tax time, we allocated how much tax we owe to specific programs. If I don't want to give half of my taxes to the fucking military, I shouldn't have to.

How about we send S. Korea the bill for the cost of our military presence there!

 

[Natebishop3]

I just think the government needs to redefine the tax brackets.... currently, if you make over $3600 (or a number really close to that), you pay 25% income tax to the Feds, THEN you pay 7% state. So 32% income tax at a level of income that's not even middle class anymore? What exactly are the Feds doing to earn 25% of my income?