Minimum Wage

[Zundfolge]

I look back over my entire working life (I'm 44 and have been working pretty much solidly since I was 16) and I believe I've worked for Minimum Wage for only 2 months!

The first month at my very first job at 16 (was a Wendy's). After my 30 day probationary period I got a nickel raise. Then at my second job bussing tables at a Mr. Steak I had to start back at minimum wage again but after my 30 day probationary period I got a dime raise.

That's it, every other hour I've worked since then for the last 28 years has been at some rate higher than minimum wage.

I suspect my experience is pretty common.

[Sawin]

My first real job, aside from mowing lawns, was my senior year in high school. I knew I was going to be studying computer science in college, so figured I'd do tech work at the big new store in town "Staples" to get my feet wet. I started at $7.25 an hour, as a sales associate and computer technician... this was almost 15 years ago... I think I started off strong, and haven't looked back.

I agree 100% that minimum wage is simply a starting point, that no one should ever expect to live on for an extended period of time. Do your job, do it well, and you will not be at minimum wage for long... solid letters of recommendation from my first 3 employers helped me get to where I am now, and that was only because of my character and work ethic, nothing else.

[trlcavscout]

I agree a lot of people don't deserve more then minimum wage. Problem is you can't get an apt, car insurance and put food on the table for minimum wage. I have heard the average age for people to move out of the parents house is now like 28? Then a lot move back in by age 40. We are going the way of the multiple family's living in one house, thats gonna be the only way to have money soon. Everything goes up every year except my fucking pay check.

[roberth]

I agree a lot of people don't deserve more then minimum wage. Problem is you can't get an apt, car insurance and put food on the table for minimum wage. I have heard the average age for people to move out of the parents house is now like 28? Then a lot move back in by age 40. We are going the way of the multiple family's living in one house, thats gonna be the only way to have money soon. Everything goes up every year except my fucking pay check.

That is where the free shit army has the government cover those things.

If a person possesses a minimum wage skill and doesn't want to put in the effort to improve themselves then they shouldn't own an apartment, a car, or any more than ramen on the dinner table. They aren't entitled to anything.

[Zundfolge]

When adjusted for inflation, Minimum wage is higher today than when it was initially instituted.

[davsel]

What country is this again?



Oh, New York.

[crashdown]

Most McDonald's jobs were never meant to be a full time job.
When I was a kid a lot of my friends worked part time, and worked with seniors who were supplementing income, or just looking for something to do.
An entry level position at a fast food joint was not created to become a career.

[Zundfolge]

One of the basic laws of economics is; Price Controls Create Shortages.

Its one of those things you're just not getting around.


Minimum Wage is a price control, and the shortage it creates is called unemployment.

[alan0269]

I don't know of any fast food restaurants that pay minimum wage. They all are paying above minimum wage because they have a hard time drawing employees from other businesses, typically retail, because it's just not "cool" to work fast food. The people that have half a brain and some type of work ethic are able to get into management positions that they can actually make a decent wage (most will get a salary plus bonuses and benefits). What the other "I'm entitled" morons don't get is that if the businesses are required to pay them more, the money has to come from typically one of two places - either 1) fewer employees with increased production (good luck) or 2) the added cost of wages being passed on to the consumer. Since most of the fast food restaurants (McDonalds, BK, Wendy's) are running at a 3-4% net profit when running efficiently, they can't absorb added labor costs, therefore they will try a combination of both options of recouping the money they are paying out, but in the end they will need to increase the cost to the consumer for their products. The workers need to realize that they will be no better off as the increased wages directly increase inflation (at least through some businesses) and they will end up spending more of their money (that they will have to work harder for than before) on the same items they used to purchase for less before their pay increases.

[kawiracer14]

I thought Obummer was gonna fix all dis?