Minimum Wage

adpiucf · #1 08-17-2006, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f8nacn

Can you explain your position on why 18 year olds are too young to start college?

Looking back many moons later, I now realize that a teenager with no life experience charted my career path. I think this accounts for part of the quarterlife crisis many in our generation are facing.

ufdale · #2 08-17-2006, 01:46 PM

I don't about you all, but I bet a lot of people wouldn't even be going to college if they could make a decent salary at McDonalds. I think most people go to college to try and earn a better salary for when they're older and the low pay at unskilled jobs gives that incentive. Higher skilled jobs will make more money.
Lately though it seems like the prices of everything has shot through the roof on gas, groceries to toiletries.

Lady Pi Phi · #3 08-17-2006, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ufdale

I don't about you all, but I bet a lot of people wouldn't even be going to college if they could make a decent salary at McDonalds. I think most people go to college to try and earn a better salary for when they're older and the low pay at unskilled jobs gives that incentive. Higher skilled jobs will make more money.
Lately though it seems like the prices of everything has shot through the roof on gas, groceries to toiletries.

What is a "higher skilled job"? Is it a Marketing Manager or a CEO or is it a Plumber or Electrician?

I don't know what it's like in the US, but here in Canada, everyone and their mother goes to University, to get that degree that will give them "higher skills", but those degrees are a dime a dozen. I know so many people that have done a B.Comm thinking they were going into the world of high financing and would be starting at a 6 figure salary. Instead, they work as a bank teller making $25,000 a year.
However, we are really desperate for skilled trades people like Plumbers and Electricians and Masons. Jobs many people think are for the lower classes, where workers don't make any money. In fact, these are the people that are making the money.

AlphaFrog · #4 08-17-2006, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lady Pi Phi

However, we are really desperate for skilled trades people like Plumbers and Electricians and Masons. Jobs many people think are for the lower classes, where workers don't make any money. In fact, these are the people that are making the money.

I can attest to this. Licenced plumbers make probably as much as most people with a BS or BA (or in a lot of cases, more). The trade off is working hard labor for the rest of your life.

ufdale · #5 08-17-2006, 03:40 PM

Eek I didn't mean that a person has to go to college to be skilled. I believe that plumbers and welders and the like are skilled. They must go to trade schools or learn on the job training. I believe that "unskilled" would be places like fast food joints and the like.
On the other hand my bf is working as a trained phlebotomist (to pay for med school) and he works with blood and hazardous materials everyday and he only makes $7/ hour.

Lady Pi Phi · #6 08-17-2006, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I can attest to this. Licenced plumbers make probably as much as most people with a BS or BA (or in a lot of cases, more). The trade off is working hard labor for the rest of your life.

That's also true, but some people like that kind of work. I know Mr. Pi Phi does.

Kevin · #7 08-17-2006, 01:50 PM

Why do we even care about people making minimum wage? Who really cares? Where I live, in OKC, where a 2000 sq. ft. house goes for around $150,000 (ridiculously low cost of living), I know of absolutely no one who makes minimum wage other than teenagers.

Also, why would a grown person be making minimum wage? Perhaps because they made poor career decisions, or money wasn't and isn't important to them? We all have choices to make in life, and if your choices lead you to a job where you make $5.25/hr, then either you're mentally challenged, or you're just lazy. In the former case, you may qualify for governmental assistance. In the later case, why should any of us be responsible for paying for others who are simply lazy?

Rollergirl, I'm not sure that it's true that "all Republicans only care about the rich." In fact, that's BS and you know it. Republicans, however, tend to be conservative. Generally, conservatives do not think that as a society we ought to reward those who do not endeavor to make themselves useful to society. It's not that most of us hate the poor, it's that we believe that the poor have the power if they so choose to take advantage of the multitude of social and religious programs in order to make themselves worth more to society than $5.25/hr.

KSigkid · #8 08-17-2006, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ktsnake

Generally, conservatives do not think that as a society we ought to reward those who do not endeavor to make themselves useful to society.

...or that throwing money at a situation will make it better.

ufdale · #9 08-17-2006, 02:13 PM

Honestly I think minimum wage jobs are for people in high school or college and shouldn't be looked at as a "career."

kstar · #10 08-17-2006, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ktsnake

Why do we even care about people making minimum wage? Who really cares? Where I live, in OKC, where a 2000 sq. ft. house goes for around $150,000 (ridiculously low cost of living), I know of absolutely no one who makes minimum wage other than teenagers.

Generally, conservatives do not think that as a society we ought to reward those who do not endeavor to make themselves useful to society. It's not that most of us hate the poor, it's that we believe that the poor have the power if they so choose to take advantage of the multitude of social and religious programs in order to make themselves worth more to society than $5.25/hr.

You obviously don't know many people or are an elitist that doesn't properly socialize. OK has one of the highest rates of people working for minimum wage. Almost all of those people fall below the poverty line.

And if you think that people who work for minimum wage don't contribute to society, you are sorely mistaken. Every restaurant would close, since many of those people work for less than minimum wage. The orderlies at the hospital would be gone, and I don't think that doctors would be willing to sully their hands with taking out the trash... Most jobs that are neccessary for society to keep going are minimum wage jobs. Hell, half the teachers I know have to take a less than minimum wage job just to live over the poverty line.

Minimum wage should be raised. Most small and medium businesses I've worked at pay far over minimum wage, while it's the big business box stores that pay the bare minimum. Walmart is reporting record profits, while their employees are barely making over 5.25 and are losing benefits.

AlphaFrog · #11 08-17-2006, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kstar

You obviously don't know many people or are an elitist that doesn't properly socialize. OK has one of the highest rates of people working for minimum wage. Almost all of those people fall below the poverty line.

And if you think that people who work for minimum wage don't contribute to society, you are sorely mistaken. Every restaurant would close, since many of those people work for less than minimum wage.

Waitresses make make less then min BASE PAY, but I've waitressed before. Unless you're a crappy waitress, you make a pretty good hourly when you add in the tips. Kitchen staff also make more then min. wage.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kstar

The orderlies at the hospital would be gone, and I don't think that doctors would be willing to sully their hands with taking out the trash...

I doubt there are ANY hospitals that pay ANY of their employees min. wage.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kstar

Most jobs that are neccessary for society to keep going are minimum wage jobs.

Name a few, besides the ones I've already told you aren't true.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kstar

Hell, half the teachers I know have to take a less than minimum wage job just to live over the poverty line.

There is no such thing as a "less then min. wage job" for anyone with a legal SSN.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kstar

Minimum wage should be raised. Most small and medium businesses I've worked at pay far over minimum wage, while it's the big business box stores that pay the bare minimum. Walmart is reporting record profits, while their employees are barely making over 5.25 and are losing benefits.

I worked at Walmart in Highschool five years ago and I made $6.50 an hour. Fulltime employees make more then that, plus the benefits aren't as crappy as people like to make you think they are.

kstar · #12 08-17-2006, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Waitresses make make less then min BASE PAY, but I've waitressed before. Unless you're a crappy waitress, you make a pretty good hourly when you add in the tips. Kitchen staff also make more then min. wage.

I doubt there are ANY hospitals that pay ANY of their employees min. wage.

Name a few, besides the ones I've already told you aren't true.

There is no such thing as a "less then min. wage job" for anyone with a legal SSN.

I worked at Walmart in Highschool five years ago and I made $6.50 an hour. Fulltime employees make more then that, plus the benefits aren't as crappy as people like to make you think they are.

Most hospitals here in OK do pay min. wage for the janitorial/kitchen staff. Wait staff makes less than min. wage and shouldn't have to rely on tips as the rednecks here in OK don't usually know how to tip, the restaurant should pay minimum wage not pass the cost to the customers. Unless you've been to a cooking school, most kitchen staff makes min. wage. And as I already pointed out, waitresses make less than min. wage. Walmart might pay more in your area, however people I know, stockers and cashiers, make 5.25 full time and hardly have benefits.

MysticCat · #13 08-17-2006, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kstar

Wait staff shouldn't have to rely on tips as the rednecks here in OK don't usually know how to tip, the restaurant should pay minimum wage not pass the cost to the customers.

It's going to get passed to the customer seither way.

AlphaFrog · #14 08-17-2006, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kstar

Most hospitals here in OK do pay less than min. wage for the janitorial/kitchen staff. Wait staff shouldn't have to rely on tips as the rednecks here in OK don't usually know how to tip, the restaurant should pay minimum wage not pass the cost to the customers. Unless you've been to a cooking school, most kitchen staff makes min. wage. And as I already pointed out, waitresses make less than min. wage. Walmart might pay more in your area, however people I know, stockers and cashiers, make 5.25 full time and hardly have benefits.

FOR CHRIST'S SAKE...NO ONE WITH A LEGAL SSN MAKES LESS THEN MIN. WAGE!!

Restaruants are hardly going to change their compensation policies at this point in the game, and even if they did, they'll just pass the cost on, your $8 burger would now cost $10...so what's the freaking difference?? My husband has never been to cooking school, but cooks in a restaurant and makes decent money.

Walmart's benefits are universal. They couldn't offer more benefits to one store's employees then another stores. And their rate of pay matches the cost of living vs. skill level for that part of the country.

preciousjeni · #15 08-17-2006, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kstar

Wait staff shouldn't have to rely on tips as the rednecks here in OK don't usually know how to tip, the restaurant should pay minimum wage not pass the cost to the customers.

Where do you think the restaurant gets the money to pay the minimum wage.

I'm trying to understand the minimum wage argument but it sounds to me like people are complaining about quality of life. In this country, you'd be HARD PRESSED to go without a roof over your head, food in your belly and clothes on your back. Health care is also accessible to the truly needy. What I'm hearing from people is that they want to live larger so they need more money.

It's this mentality that is causing Americans to accrue such enormous debt that they can't pay it off before their own death! It's a very sad state of affairs. Budget your money, GO WITHOUT (sacrifice seems to be a foreign concept to some folks), and you can make it.