Why minimum wage jobs are bad

a reply to: nonspecific

Minimum wage jobs aren't meant to be careers!

I've done minimum wage jobs, 99% of the population has done minimum wage jobs.

It's something everyone does, unless you were born in some manor somewhere.

But them?

pfft!

Who cares.

Everyone is focused on minimum wage jobs because our economy stinks like a fetid skunk carcass wrapped in a dirty diaper.

But we little folk can't change the economy.

All we can do is vote and then vote again.

In the mean-time, when we're all not voting, we can work. Sure it'll be hard. Probably harder than it was 20 or 30 years ago.

But nothing can be done about that.

Onequestion, the reason I mentioned breaking into the supply chain is too many just want to throw money at the bottom tier earners. The bottom tier earners would be better off discovering new ways to make what little they have stretch. To often they only end up putting their hard earned money back into the hands of big corporations. Raw materials and hard work goes a long way.

Quoting Beezzer

Success takes initiative, drive, innovation, education, action.

Someone once said, "Success is 10% insperation and 90% perspiration."

Meaning that it takes work.

Hard work.

Sometimes it pays off.

Sometimes it doesn't.

Those times that it doesn't? Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and try it again.

a reply to: nonspecific

Yes someone needs to clean the toilets in public places (health issues), but no one needs to flip the burgers or stand pointing to the subways. There are maps and home kitchens. Those are not necessity jobs. Those are jobs that are consumer driven. There is a point where the consumer will no longer find the service or goods worth the added cost. Businesses know a consumers threshold of pain.

Why is it that minimum wage has to be a 'living wage'? What is a 'living wage'? I hear people say that a living wage is the wages needed to support a family. I ask, how big of a family? Is it two adults and two children? Or, two adults, two children, and three pets? Who defines 'family' and who determines what is needed to support them? Does a minimum wage need to be enough for one parent to stay home and manage the home and children, while the wage earner earns the income?

I started working at the age of 14 (well, that is when I officially started earning a real paycheck) and I probably learned more in my jobs I had between the ages of 14 and 18, than any education could have taught. I definitely knew what I DID NOT want to do for the rest of my life. I was empowered to make more money and do everything possible to get better paying jobs.

Where are the jobs for 14 year old kids these days? There really aren't any. If my son wants to work at the local bicycle shop for 5 bucks an hour, why can't he? If the bicycle shop owner has to pay a minimum of 10 bucks an hour, he won't be hiring my son.

Where do kids get real work experience these days? They can't even get into the work force until the age of adulthood, and then who will give them the chance to learn or improve themselves? If the business owner has to pay a higher rate, why would he gamble on someone less mature and with no experience?

I keep hearing the argument of 'living wage', but I'm confused because I never believed I could support a family off the income I made when I started working and I never expected to. I have had to take extra jobs during times of financial hardship and even those may have paid minimum wage, but they were jobs to supplement my income and not to be my complete income. Once my financial hardship was addressed, I could easily drop the extra jobs and go back to my 'living wage' job.

If a company has to pay minimum wage people that is more than customers want to pay for the product, then the company will look toward other cost cutting measures and now that the US has eliminated the hurdles to doing business overseas, why wouldn't a company go outside to make their product?

Just because a job may pay a wage that isn't 'livable' does not mean you have to work that job. The business will get the talent they pay for. If a company doesn't pay well, they won't have any employees and will eventually go out of business. That's capitalism.

It seems that too many people would rather not work than work for a wage they deem 'unlivable'. We have social programs that allow people to make that choice. Well, we're now at a tipping point and that luxury won't be around much longer. What then? I bet many would choose a $5.00 an hour job, if needed.

But again, why must my teenage son earn a living wage? He has a roof over his head, paid medical insurance, food in his belly. Why shouldn't he take on a job to pay extra expenses or to save for college? With high minimum wage, he doesn't have that opportunity. Next thing we have are college graduates working minimum wage jobs because they were never given the opportunity I had - to work a minimum wage job to gain experience and workplace knowledge.

Stuck in the Loop? 10/hr with 1000 dollar rent? continually paying high prices for things like housing, fuel, electricity, food?

Introducing government subsidization!

Did you ever think, people who can affect change in society, are blocked from doing so?

The problem with government now, is that they are taking from the poor and giving to the rich.

GE pays zero tax on 14 billion

McDonalds profits 5 billion a year

Are you saying if we made McDonald's pay their employees more they wouldn't be profitable?

Wal Mart profit exceeds 16 billion

If it weren't for the workers, they would be broke. The employees make the company billions while they get pennies on the dollar.

Why can't they shave 10% to improve to living standards of they're employees?

originally posted by: 2gd2btru
a reply to: nonspecific

Yes someone needs to clean the toilets in public places (health issues), but no one needs to flip the burgers or stand pointing to the subways. There are maps and home kitchens. Those are not necessity jobs. Those are jobs that are consumer driven. There is a point where the consumer will no longer find the service or goods worth the added cost. Businesses know a consumers threshold of pain.

I agree in principle but in order for society to continue as it does then many people will have to to low paid jobs and struggle to survive. I am not saying i agree with this but the volume of high paying jobs and careers in comparison to mass working jobs will always be outnumbered.

In my opinion(and it is only that) There are far too many educated people that have been sold the promise that if they work hard and get a good education then then they will have a happy life.

This can not be the case and the sooner the every day person on the street realises this the better for all of us.

I understand this may seem harsh or at least mean. It is not intended in that way.

Raise the base wage? The difference between cost of those between the old minimum wages and prices....will go up accordingly, ie: gas, milk, soda, eggs, groceries, services etc. will all go up. And the averge between the 2 will remain the same distance. It really solves nothing.

Give people as little as $20 an hour and all small businesses will crumble under the weight...and the cost of a loaf of bread will be $15 a loaf....

It's not minimum wages that are bad - it's 50 million dollar corporate salaries that are the problem.

Not paying poor people a minimum wage to simply eat and have shelter.

originally posted by: SomePeople
It's not minimum wages that are bad - it's 50 million dollar corporate salaries that are the problem.

So we're back to the greedy-greedy-greeds.

Not paying poor people a minimum wage to simply eat and have shelter.

Food and shelter? So you want the government to determine what and how much you should eat and where and what to live in?

a reply to: beezzer

If those are your arguments, have a good day.

originally posted by: Metallicus
The purpose of minimum wage is still unclear to me. Regardless of what you are making you should seek a better job if it doesn't meet your current financial needs. I would rather we offer free higher education than establish minimum wages. When someone betters themselves we win as a society.

I'm all about raising the min wage if you can then stop the Increase being passed right back to the consumer, which comes back tot what tenth said in the greed problem.
But i would rather see free education given before the min wage increased, that is a fantastic idea.

a reply to: Sremmos80

Who would pay for the "free" education?

The "free" books?

The "free" fees?

Does it include "free" dorms?

originally posted by: beezzer
a reply to: Sremmos80

Who would pay for the "free" education?

The "free" books?

The "free" fees?

Does it include "free" dorms?

Why should thigs be free? Genuine question.

Surely everything shold be paid for in some manner? Hard work, effort? Why should things be free?

a reply to: Sremmos80

Free education is being given on a merit basis. The problem with giving everyone a free education is not everyone has achieved the prerequisites to succeed.

My own adult child is the product of a free education. They proved to be a good academic investment.

originally posted by: 2gd2btru
a reply to: Sremmos80

Free education is being given on a merit basis. The problem with giving everyone a free education is not everyone has achieved the prerequisites to succeed.

My own adult child is the product of a free education. They proved to be a good academic investment.

That is wonderfull and I am happy but could you explain a "good academic investment." Please if you could explain your happiness in this is would feel more secure as a parent.

originally posted by: nonspecific


Why should thigs be free? Genuine question.

It's a question I've been asking for quite some time now.

Surely everything shold be paid for in some manner? Hard work, effort? Why should things be free?

A valid point.

a reply to: nonspecific

I agree with you on this being part of the problem.

In my opinion(and it is only that) There are far too many educated people that have been sold the promise that if they work hard and get a good education then then they will have a happy life.

This can not be the case and the sooner the every day person on the street realises this the better for all of us.

It has also been sold to those who are not educated, thus class envy clouds the real issues surrounding value in the work place.

I never taught my children if they worked hard, got a good education, they would have a happy life. I taught them to be happy in all situations. Good or bad. We choose our own happiness as we move through life. Often they would roll their eyes like I was talking crazy, then the 2008 recession hit and they saw how a have could be just as happy as a have not. They now understand.

I think the anwer may be because I'm me and by proxy I must be important?


Otherwise why else would I exist, Why would I be here if I were not important and why are my children here?

It is a valid question but only when looked at from from a personal point of view.

a reply to: beezzer

a reply to: nonspecific

They went to University on merit based scholarships. They took jobs that offered free tuition for advanced studies related to that business. Universities and business have found them to be worth investing in. As they take advantage of their company's tuition reimbursement they are promoted further. They didn't sit around wanting to be something. They are who they want to be, and work toward goals that were already important to them and those investing (Universities and Businesses).

originally posted by: 2gd2btru
a reply to: nonspecific

They went to University on merit based scholarships. They took jobs that offered free tuition for advanced studies related to that business. Universities and business have found them to be worth investing in. As they take advantage of their company's tuition reimbursement they are promoted further. They didn't sit around wanting to be something. They are who they want to be, and work toward goals that were already important to them and those investing (Universities and Businesses).

But are they better for it? Yes they went to universities, yes they were educated.

But (and this is a genuine question) are they better for it? or are they simply pawns in a greater game.

And what are the goals they strive to achieve? And how do they benifit the corperations that supported them?

And how do the corperations support them or will they be strong enough to fight for there rights when they are no longer needed?

All questions.