Ok.. Minumum wage... Immagration

originally posted by: onequestion
Prove that minumum wage workers are typically younger people and why is it ok to take advantage of them because they are young?

Of the 3.3 million minimum-wage workers in 2013, about one-quarter were between the ages of 16-19, another one-quarter were between the ages of 20-24. Characteristics of Minimum Wage Workers, 2013

Additionally, two thirds of all minimum wage workers are PART time.

a reply to: thesaneone

No, what you refer to is "only the strong survive". For some, it's not a matter of effort, they just weren't built with the same brain you have.

And you'd blatantly take advantage of that if there were no minimum wage because it's "efficient".

edited due to wrong info.

a reply to: KawRider9

Maybe you should refine your ability to find applicants and run a better work/ reward program.

We start everyone at 10$ an hour and give them raises quickly if they earn it. Hell sometimes they get it on their first paycheck.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

No it's not and give me a link and a quote to prove your point or your full of #.

Edit due to wrong info.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

I speak only for myself, but when I was working minimum wage, I had one full time and one part time job. So that part time statistic does not surprise me in the least. After all, even today's minimum wage isn't enough to live on, in most areas. At least, not without working two jobs.

a reply to: ScientificRailgun

Everyone has a worth, that worth is in what they are able to benefit their community.

Ancient Irish people gave everyone a worth, I liked that about them actually. They said, you could increase your worth and change your own circumstance, but what you benefited your community was what your worth was based on. If someone had a family member who was mentally incapacitated in some way, the family took care of them.. but everyone had a worth.

I believe I have a worth, and that worth is based on what I can do for others, what I can bring to the table of my community... I DO believe people can and should be judged according to what they can bring.

My doctor has a worth to the community, an artist has a worth to the community, a laborer has a worth to the community... and their worth is judged according to the benefit that same community derives from them.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

You must not be good at running a business if you can't afford to properly compensate your employees.

originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Prove that minumum wage workers are typically younger people and why is it ok to take advantage of them because they are young?

It's not taking advantage of them. It's a starting wage.

I worked fast food in high school. I waited tables through college--I busted my butt for those tips. When I first started teaching, I also supplemented by working as a bartender and selling appliances.

I never complained about those minimum wage jobs. I was grateful for them. They allowed me to get to where I am today.

This age of entitlement needs to stop. Develop a skill. Be good at it. You will be successful.

a reply to: OpinionatedB

Yeah but you can't have one without.... The other..... So everyone has the same value in the macro.

originally posted by: ScientificRailgun
a reply to: thesaneone

No, what you refer to is "only the strong survive". For some, it's not a matter of effort, they just weren't built with the same brain you have.

And you'd blatantly take advantage of that if there were no minimum wage because it's "efficient".

Yup, it's a dog eat dog world.

So, lets have a hypothetical business creating iWidgets. Those iWidgets are the latest fad, and EVERYONE wants not 1 but several. The business owner needs to produce as many iWidgets as possible since there is no guarantee that this fad will last beyond next week. But, not only produce them but advertise, sell, manage the stock, ship them, process returns, handle customer support, etc.... Every one of those positions require a set of skill sand qualifications.

For example (a few of the roles needed to run a business, but definitely not ALL):
- Assembly line worker: Common-sense skills, no college degree needed, assembling prefabricated components produced in an offshore facility (due to lowest material cost)
- Advertising Manager/Associate: Specialized skills, usually a college degree position
- Sales Manager/Associate: Specialized skills, usually a college degree position
- Stock/Shipping Manager: Specialized skills, no college degree required
- Stock/Shipping Associate: Common-sense skills, no college degree needed, moving and shipping the packaged stock
- Customer Support Manager/Associate: Some specialized skills, no college degree required

So, looking at each of these with the view of the number of employees needed and the salary equivalents might be:

Several employees needed with specialized skills and perhaps a college degree, less available (~ 4-8 employees)
- Advertising Manager/Associate (5X)
- Sales Manager/Associate: Several employees needed (4X)
- Customer Support Manager/Associate: Several employees needed (3X)

Many employees needed with varying skills, mostly common-sense skills that are widely available (~ 20+ employees)
- Stock/Shipping Associate (1.5X)
- Assembly line worker (X)

If the base pay is X/hr, and increases based upon skill or education level. As you ca see, the majority of the employees make less than 2X here. So, if you want to set a minimum wage of $8.00/hr, then the most expensive employee is being paid $40.00/hr, and those you want to have as few as possible to be competitive. However, if you raise the minimum wage for the lowest paid employees to $10.00/hr, then that has a ripple effect of now the highest paid employees (the one's with the most skills and least available in the market) will now want to make $50.00/hr. If that is the case, your expenses are rising, so you need to cut costs. Where to cut? Where does a cut have the least impact to a business? Most likely it is in the largest number of workers in an area, like the stock room. S0, you layoff 1/5 of that workforce (~5 people).

The raising of the minimum wage now only supports keeping 15 people on-staff instead of the 20 people before. So, 5 families are negatively affected by that change that was supposed to help them?

I don't see it helping, only driving costs higher. Another option is to offshore ALL of the manufacturing (all the assembly work) to a country that provides a more cost-effective price while maintaining the remainder of the employees at their new higher wages.

So, how did that help those assembly workers that are now not only unemployed, but the jobs are no longer there for another person to take upon themselves?

This is how business works, whether you agree with it or not. Business is in the business to make money for the business owner, the investors, and the employees. A business that does not streamline and stay competitive will not be in business very long, and will eventually shut down, making ALL employees unemployed.

Again, I do not see this helping....

a reply to: ScientificRailgun

That's the real issue. We have 50 million people collecting food stamps and 100 million completely out of the workforce and what's left are competing for the same jobs. Those jobs are paying less and less every year and on top of it we are feeling pressure from inflation.

It's an issue that isn't going to go away. In fact eventually there will come a time when we have to stop capitalism in its tracks and just realize there isn't jobs for everyone and start providing a basic standard of living.

Go ahead keep ignoring it and it living in your 1950's fantasies.

a reply to: onequestion

Apologies, I confused you with another poster from a thread we were both participating in.

a reply to: Krakatoa

Right we get that but how do you stop people from paying their workers 1$ a day like in other countries that don't have it?

I swear to god no one read my entire OP so far.

a reply to: onequestion

Not everyone has the same worth to their community. Someone who helps provide a few calories to those too tired/lazy to cook their nights meal, does not have the same worth as someone who is a healer and can save a man's (or womans) life...

My worth is not the same as another's, as my worth is unique to what benefit others find in me.

If you don't like the worth others place on the benefit they find in you, change your circumstance to something others find more beneficial... but don't try and demean me by placing my worth on yourself.

a reply to: ScientificRailgun

Your situation is anecdotal to you and is not highly relevant to the conversation.

I supplied the requested data, and while there are of course people outside of the parameters, the majority of minimum wage employees are part time younger workers.

originally posted by: onequestion

You must not be good at running a business if you can't afford to properly compensate your employees.

I was highly successful at running my business and paid my employees on what we negotiated.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

You haven't adressed the issues I present in the op at all your implying that I support minumum wage when in fact that isn't the point.

I can take some blame for that for not clearly articulating my point but you didn't ask either did you?