California Agrees To Raise Minimum Wage To $15

Cool so does that mean a burger flipper in California will make more than a blue collar worker in a manufacturing plant somewhere else ?

What a joke

Yah, but thats fair....

originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: DBCowboy

I don't know why don't you take a shot at it instead of just pointing out problems.

If you were my employee I would fire you for not coming up with a solution and only pointing out problems.

I have broken my personal rule and am responding to this before reading all that has been posted after this.

You sir have no idea of business, or management/ supervisor's duties.
It is part of an employee's job to point out problems in the work place. But it is the supervisor's job, or management's job to find the solution. That is in fact why they get paid more. They take their work home, they constantly are thinking about how to maximize productivity and how to make the job more productive and more enjoyable for their staff.

Until you can find the solutions, you will not succeed as a manager if you fire those who express discontent with the status quo. (Kind of like you did by starting this thread)

There is a reason why not every one makes a good living at their job, and while base pay is a factor in that, it has more to do with knowledge and ability in the job they do.

a reply to: muse7

The manufacturing plants will obviously have to raise their wages to $20 an hour (plus benefits), so they don't lose all their workers to McDonalds.

Either way, its kind of disgraceful how the richest country on earth, which has probably over 70% of the worlds billionaires, only has a federal minimum of $7.25... How can anyone justify that?

originally posted by: DBCowboy

originally posted by: namelesss

originally posted by: onequestion
California Agrees To Raise Minimum Wage To $15

Yeah, in EIGHT YEARS!
Big deal!
$15,/hr in 8 years is still less than $10./hr now!

Interesting point.

So the proposal fools the poor into thinking they're getting something when they aren't, without actually addressing the problem that HIGH PAYING JOBS ARE GONE and everyone is fighting over bottom wages.

Doncha LOVE the irony!
How deliciously Machiavellian! *__-

a reply to: Subaeruginosa

Because minimum wage is not a skilled wage. To me it is more telling on the working individual if they cannot move above minimum than it is on the country.

Education may be moving to the everyone gets awards but that is not true as an adult.
I find it repugnant that certain corporations (walmart etc) keep their wages low, but if you are talented in what you do there is always a better job waiting for you.

originally posted by: randomtangentsrme
a reply to: Subaeruginosa

Education may be moving to the everyone gets awards but that is not true as an adult.

Why does that have to be not true?

I'm an unskilled worker and get $38.50 ($29US) an hour doing a job anyone who can lift 25 kilo could do... The Australian economy isn't crashing and inflation isn't out of control because of it. All the claims about a livable wage in the US destroying the economy are completely unfounded.

Personally, I think a lot of people have a serious case of Stockholm syndrome for the wealthy masters that keep you captive.

originally posted by: Subaeruginosa

originally posted by: randomtangentsrme
a reply to: Subaeruginosa

Education may be moving to the everyone gets awards but that is not true as an adult.

Why does that have to be not true?

I'm an unskilled worker and get $38.50 ($29US) an hour doing a job anyone who can lift 25 kilo could do... The Australian economy isn't crashing and inflation isn't out of control because of it. All the claims about a livable wage in the US destroying the economy are completely unfounded.

Personally, I think a lot of people have a serious case of Stockholm syndrome for the wealthy masters that keep you captive.

One thing to consider is scaling.

US Population = About 320 million
Australia Population = About 23 million

a reply to: TycoonBarnaby

GDP (nominal) per capita 2015

List of countries by GDP per capita
Australia= $51,642
US=$55,904

So it's obviously all relative.

a reply to: Subaeruginosa

From your wiki link "... GDP per capita is not a measure of personal income."

a reply to: snowspirit

Cost of living has always been increasing and wage shave to increase with it period.

a reply to: pirhanna

So what no ones wages ever increase in your scenario and cost of living never stops increasing?

Seems like bs to me.

All wages have always scaled with inflation a throughout history. Stop lying.

Funny someone mentions being in the Carpenters Union. They negotiate inflation increased into their contracts. If they didn't negotiate for inflation raises every year they would be making 5$ an hour still or whatever they made when the union first start.

But no... The poor people must starve because they are skilless dirtbags.

Hey I have a better idea California! How bout you lower your rents and stop taxing the hell out of your residents! Maybe make a state sales tax increase 1% so illegals pay their share as well.

I think most things have been spelt out pretty nicely but just to add another facet of supply and demand that I didn't see discussed. If the wage goes to $15 it will make working in california pretty attractive to all low paid Americans! People would travel far and wide to fight for these jobs! This of course equals less jobs or rather a more competitive jobs market. It's just all swings and roundabouts (english saying, sorry).

The thing about all this is capitalism is designed to sort all this out, supply and demand is a strong motivator and will work regardless of government meddling! If a lot of people can do a job then supply will be very high and so it doesn't command a high wage. If supply is very low and demand is high then the wage commanded will be high. It's just common sense!

Of course as many people have pointed out the system will simply adjust and you'll be back to square one! It doesn't matter if you get paid $1,000,000 an hour if a loaf of bread costs $1,000,000! It's all relative.

I do understand the frustration from people about the nature of the dog eat dog world but what's the alternative? Just have to grow some teeth! Woof!

one thing to consider is cali is the absolute worst state to look at when deciding what is "justified", these are people that think 1500 a month for a 500 sq foot apartment is a good deal.

My last job as a full time reservist for the military, I made 25 an hour in oklahoma... more than enough to live on buy a house and have a vacation twice a year. (all the while keeping my personnel debt under control)

In cali... if I lived around san fran I would have to live a couple hours away from my job and commute half the day and just be making ends meet.

You cannot just dictate a one size fits all minimum wage in America... many parts of the country are 100% service oriented and only survive on tourism, there are no manufacturing jobs. Many of these area work on a razor thin profit margin... we are not talking multi national corporations... but mom and pop stores.

Unfortunately many people would rather work a dead end minimum wage job to stay near "home" than move to where the work is. I dont understand it, I hope to move back to oklahoma but if they only job I can get is elsewhere upon my return to the states I will move to where the work is.

California, a beautiful state, but after visiting and my research, I will never live there let alone run a business. At an increase of minimum wage your going to see a lot more mom and pop stores fold up especially in the rural areas. Like what someone else said, why put yourself in that position when you could live in another state and actually live reasonably with money going in savings.

a reply to: onequestion

What percentage of the government taking your money is slavery?

How much money that ones earn should they keep.

A number please, not the indicinared answer of 'fair share'

originally posted by: Subaeruginosa
a reply to: muse7

The manufacturing plants will obviously have to raise their wages to $20 an hour (plus benefits), so they don't lose all their workers to McDonalds.

Either way, its kind of disgraceful how the richest country on earth, which has probably over 70% of the worlds billionaires, only has a federal minimum of $7.25... How can anyone justify that?

Minimum wage is determined by supply and demand. Nothing more. It has nothing to do with how many billionaires reside here.

The more people who can do your job, the less money will be paid for said job. The fewer people available to do the job, the more will be paid for it. Of course, this all assumes the work being done has value to said business.

For example, burger flippers are not going to make a lot because there are a lot of them and easy to train. In addition, the value they provide to the business is not that high in terms of revenue generation.

On the other hand, there is only one Lebron James or any other professional athlete that can perform at a certain level. Plus you throw in the money they generate for the team, it is easy to justify paying millions of dollars when the business is making hundreds of millions.

CEOs of F500 companies make a lot because they have highly sought after leadership and business skills to run global companies with tens if not hundreds of thousands of employees. Remember, there are only 500 of them out of the millions and millions of businesses in this country. They hardly represent the average business owner who has mortgaged his house and dipped into his retirement to make payroll.

Working hard and being able to provide a living for yourself HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with how wages are determined. Nothing. Just because someone works hard does not mean their work is valuable.

Each person has to view themselves as a business and takes steps so that their personal efforts are valued whether it is gaining unique skills, education, etc. A minimum wage job is supposed to be an entry level position for someone to get their feet wet and gain some skills, quickly moving up to better positions or other job opportunities. You show you can show up on time, perform a task as given, etc. The company gets some cheap labor to perform menial tasks and you get to improve your resume.

If you decide to have a family, etc while still making minimum wage and find you can't make ends meet. That is on you and a personal decision. The business is not there to provide for you.

Good news.

originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: snowspirit

Cost of living has always been increasing and wage shave to increase with it period.

Exactly. When they froze that minimum wage in 2009, at just over $7/hr, the cost of living still went up. Lots. Too much, actually....