The $15 Minimum Wage Will Kill Jobs. Should You Care?

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
One interesting thing we've seen in places where the minimum wage has been raised raised in places like Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles is, employees are asking for fewer hours in order to remain on government assistance programs.
 

Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
My take on increases in minimum wage, especially large increases, is that these increases eventually raise all hourly wage earners. A person making $9/hour as an assistant to the assistant french fry manager will want more per hour than the new, rookie assistant to the assistant french fry manager. $15/ will be the new base hourly pay. The $9/ worker who has been there 1 year will want more than the $15/hour rate so there will still be a wage disparity.

A drastic increase in the minimum wage, will not necessarily lead to lost jobs, it will contribute to higher prices. Higher prices will reduce the buying power of minimum wage workers. There will always be working poor. Someone has to do the low skill jobs (van expediting), unless Bernie gets elected and levels the playing field. Keeping the minimum wage in line with the cost of living is fine. A drastic increase in the minimum wage will do nothing, in the long run, to help the people it is intended to help.
 
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OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
I think it's a wash if wages goes up and the goods go up comparatively that is breaking even employee gains nothing
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
When I went up to Ontario Canada eight breaded chicken fingers $15.99 ...a foot long one dog was 1299
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Then there are the effect of what higher wages would do to our children putting themselves through school maybe they would graduate with less student debt and be able to contribute to the general economy a little sooner?
 

BobWolf

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Heres the problem with jacking minimum wage, those who have spent the past ten or more years making the proposed minimum wage or more for many years with no raises will not see a pay increase, or loose their job.

The biggest issue is the fact we have nothing to support the wage such as major manufacturing. So, the end result is increase the cost of goods and services and we get absolutely nothing and nowhere. we are just as broke at a higher tax bracket.

I never believed in minimum wage, and rarely paid it when I ran a construction business.
The exception was a brand new guy just out of school or with no experience for his first week or two then it was going rate for the work delivered or he was gone.

No, I wasn't a douchebag I just didn't want to insult anyone by underpaying if you were a lumper you were paid well but you earned every penny.
 

BobWolf

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
I felt insulted ten years ago being offered 10 bucks an hour to be a lumper on a jobsite. I paid that back almost 20 years ago.

Today 15 bucks an hour? are you kidding me? No thanks, ill stay home or parked at a truck stop, and wait for the phone to ring
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
I felt insulted ten years ago being offered 10 bucks an hour to be a lumper on a jobsite. I paid that back almost 20 years ago.

Today 15 bucks an hour? are you kidding me? No thanks, ill stay home or parked at a truck stop, and wait for the phone to ring
Aren't you from NY? One of the most expensive states in the union..there are regions where 15 bucks is a good wage... It's perspective I believe...
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Value added tax
not unless they changed something since last there....Minimum is just over $12 bucks....and there has been no rash of closures....price increases yes....but we are talking luxury here.....and eating out is a bonus...IMO...if you can't afford it then you can't do it...smokes and booze should be here the tax should be at least doubled to help pay for all the hurt they do....
 

muttly

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
not unless they changed something since last there....Minimum is just over $12 bucks....and there has been no rash of closures....price increases yes....but we are talking luxury here.....and eating out is a bonus...IMO...if you can't afford it then you can't do it...smokes and booze should be here the tax should be at least doubled to help pay for all the hurt they do....
I guess what they have in Canada is a goods and services 'value added tax.' (GST) When I used to drive to or through Canada I tried not to spend money there. Everything seemed more expensive. I just figured it had a lot to do with their taxes added on to their products. Probably other factors as well though. But that was a few years ago when I used to go there. Agree, they should tax the hell out of smokes.
Goods and services tax (Canada) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
I guess what they have in Canada is a goods and services 'value added tax.' (GST) When I used to drive to or through Canada I tried not to spend money there. Everything seemed more expensive. I just figured it had a lot to do with their taxes added on to their products. Probably other factors as well though. But that was a few years ago when I used to go there. Agree, they should tax the hell out of smokes.
Goods and services tax (Canada) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to mention someone has to pay for the free healthcare:p
 

tknight

Veteran Expediter
If your American you can get a refund slip at customs for you purchases that you paid vat on , it takes a little work but worth it in the long run.
 
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skyraider

Veteran Expediter
US Navy
In Cookeville tn, the delivery drivers for auto parts places like Auto Zone and Napa pay $7.25 an hour,,,,15 bucks an hour looks good to me, just do the math...about 290 a week vs 600 a week.....no brainer.
 

JohnWC

Veteran Expediter
Just seems to me everytime they raise minimum wage it just puts more Americans in minimum wage bracket
 
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