Dunkin' Donuts Worker's Death Reveals The True Cost Of Our Low-Wage, Part-Time Economy

originally posted by: Aazadan

originally posted by: Logarock
What about Australia's regressive type taxes? The government in this country just couldn't help itself but to raise those if the masses had more disposable income.

What do taxes have to do with anything? That aside, if you make Australia's minimum wage of $16.87 you bring in $35,089.6 per year. Of that you pay 0 on the first $18,200 and 9.7% on the rest for a total tax of $1638.29 an effective rate of 4.67% on a minimum wage earner. In the US at federal levels you get $7.25/hour, if you're lucky enough to get 40 hours at that you bring in $15,080. The first $8,925 is paid at 10% and the remainder is paid at 15% for a total of $1815.75, an effective rate of 12.04%.

I wanted to establish tax rate, sales, fuel, income, property.....would you say that it was comparatively higher in total? Do they have a national style insurance and SS system?

originally posted by: Logarock
I wanted to establish tax rate, sales, fuel, income, property.....would you say that it was comparatively higher in total? Do they have a national style insurance and SS system?

I don't know the details on everything they pay, they're also broken up into provinces much the same as how conditions vary here in the US from state to state.

As a whole however their minimum wage is a bit more than double ours, their median wage is about 8% higher than ours, and their cost of goods is about 10% above ours.

That means their poor have a considerably easier time and their middle class is about equal. Their rich don't have the enormous benefits that being rich in the US has, but they still have no shortage of wealthy individuals or people who work hard attempting to become rich.

Tax rates don't really have an impact on quality of life, you can see evidence of that in the US's past such as the 50's-70's where rates were much higher than now but quality of life was also very high. You can also see this in Japan or virtually any nation in Europe.

a reply to: Aazadan

Not really changing the subject but yes pay here on labor jobs is not so much fixed on anything as it is how easily you could be replaced. When labor bitches, strikes ect they are considered to be extortionists. However when it comes to someone that cant be easily replaced its called something else.

originally posted by: Dingo80

originally posted by: eManym

What Planet do you live on?

Who chooses to work 4 Jobs because they don't have the motivation to Better Themselves.

It's not a choice to work low paying PT jobs, it's just a matter of trying to survive.

earth 616 for me.
who chooses to work the 4 jobs. a large chunk of those jobs hire without drug tests for one. for another, those same jobs hire felons(no violent felonies. nothing involving kids)....felons need jobs so they roll right through to mcdonalds and hired they are.

my mother in law has a couple felonies. she is working at mcnasty cause she cany get anything else.

originally posted by: Logarock
a reply to: Aazadan

Not really changing the subject but yes pay here on labor jobs is not so much fixed on anything as it is how easily you could be replaced. When labor bitches, strikes ect they are considered to be extortionists. However when it comes to someone that cant be easily replaced its called something else.

That's the same in the US. I remember my first job vividly, I was working in the bowling alley in a casino. The security department in the casino one day decided they were going to plan a strike (they were unionized). Before they got the opportunity the company fired them all and hired non union replacements the very next day.

For a more recent example, somewhat recently we had nation wide fast food strikes with the workers demanding $15/hour. They were painted as lazy extortionists that were demanding far too much for their work.

What you're seeing is that those on the bottom have little if any negotiating power yet are still expected to agree to a contract. How can a contract be fair if one side gets to dictate all of the terms? A person who is harder to replace has more negotiating power and can therefore get a contract where both sides have input.

originally posted by: beezzer
a reply to: Kali74

Give me a break!

Corporations!

Again.

Who makes the laws?

Who?

WHO MAKES THE LAWS?

Beezzer, can you explain how the article linked below is a problem with big government?

Silicon Valley Tech Giants Struck Deals on Hiring, Say Documents (wsj.com)

Or this?
At Walgreen, Renouncing Corporate Citizenship (nytimes.com)

Oh this too...
Fault Runs Deep in Ultrafast Trading (nytimes.com)

This is a good one ...
Tax avoidance: The Irish inversion (ft.com)

Damn one more...
Comcast PAC gave money to every senator examining Time Warner Cable merger (ars technica)

And another ...
Check Out Who's Hiding $32 Trillion in Offshore Accounts (money morning)

Or this?
‘Smart’ Electric Utility Meters, Intended to Create Savings, Instead Prompt Revolt (nytimes.com)

Looking forward to your insight!

This just goes to show what many of us have stated all along...the amount of "hard work" a person puts in is not indicative of the amount of money they make. For people who make lots of money to claim that they "work harder" is a joke. I drive a car and when I need to get gas in a can to mow the grass or something like that I sometimes have to put it in the trunk. I try to limit driving time while doing that, usually just going to the gas station and straight back home, because the fumes will easily get into the cockpit. Or cabin. Whatever, I like to pretend I'm flying sometimes. Especially when fuel fumes get in the cabin. Seriously, it is dangerous. I usually put all my windows down.

I can only imagine the amount of fumes that were in the car that caused her death. Now of course this was avoidable, but it is hard to fault her for trying to be prepared. I know that sometimes when I go to get gas I have to wait what seems like forever, and it takes up a good 10 minutes on such occasions. So if someone had to go to 4 different jobs, and was starting one right after the other, they might not have time to waste at a gas station. This is most likely why she carried a can in her car. She probably left the windows down when driving, but it seems like she was sleeping in her car, and even with the windows down in such an instance, there is not much airflow with the car not moving, therefore fumes would not vent that easily.

This is a tragic scenario, and there are many people who work multiple jobs to try to make ends meet. The low wages mean that this is inevitable. Some will say go to college, but this doesn't even guarantee you a job. It also depends on what you get your degree in. I'm working on a military history degree. What the heck am I gonna do with that, lol? I wanted to major in something that I actually am interested in, so it was a choice between doing something I know I could do, but that I wasn't interested in, or doing something that would actually hold my attention. My point is that even with a degree you are not guaranteed a job, and some jobs for people with degrees are still low-paying. And not everyone can go into tens of thousands of dollars of debt to get a degree. So no one can say that it is her fault for having to work four jobs. I know people with degrees who have to work multiple jobs. Some people think that the dumb ones are the ones who go into so much debt to get a degree without a guarantee of a job. I cannot say they are entirely wrong.

originally posted by: beezzer
I think one of the things we need to do is phase out Social Security.

Put the onus of retirement on the backs of the people who are actually going to retire.

If that safety net isn't there, people will focus on what they are actually making/spending/saving/earning and plan for their own darned futures instead of relying on government.

Doesn't sound like you realize social security is collecting what you yourself put into it...

originally posted by: Willtell
Social security IS NOT THE PROBLEM people.
Don’t be sidetracked by ignorance.

Social security is the retirement plan for most Americans, whether we like it or not.

And a disability plan for the disabled

It was here when the economy in the 50’s and 60’s was roaring away.

It has NOTHING to do with the economy going bad

The problem with the economy is the US trade policy that has sent manufacturing jobs out of the country and makes us compete with slave wages internationally

Also the Tax issue is paramount because the rich and super rich are getting away with murder because Reagan cut their taxes so much in the 80’s

Then there is the anti union issue which has caused many problems such as lowering wages and benefits

Also we need a huge investment in the infrastructure that the GOP congress is constantly stopping

All of this is pre-planned to make America descend into austerity

When and if we have a GOP congress and senate and president again the US will be near total destruction

And if you think the country ended up in this mess because of the GOP, you are the one that has been sidetracked by ignorance! BOTH parties are at fault! BOTH parties have raised taxes, over spent and moved the country closer and closer to destruction! I am so sick of hearing people constantly blaming republicans and the GOP, I could SCREAM! The democrats, and DNC have done JUST AS MUCH DAMAGE! Some of you are caught up in the blame game, you can't see the forest for the trees.

BOTH PARTIES ARE AT FAULT! BOTH PARTIES LIE AND STEAL FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE! BOTH PARTIES ARE INSTRUMENTAL IN THE DESTRUCTION! BOTH PARTIES ARE BOUGHT AND SOLD BY THE LOBBYIST REPRESENTING THE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS!

originally posted by: TheToastmanCometh
a reply to: GogoVicMorrow

Wow honey, i am in the same boat with you being a film maker, but have little to no prospects (i live in bugfck nowhere) also unemployed, looking for work but have disability in the meantime. I've started out doing a series on Youtube, but my popularity isn't really shooting up

I'm not really a film maker or aspiring to be one, but yeah basically the same boat.
No place like ATS for sharing your youtube series. No matter content it could probably fit somewhere. I initially wanted to be a filmmaker, but couldn't afford film school. My best friend graduated Magna Cum Laude at Uni of New Orleans for Film (i've been trying to get him to just quit work and move someplace and work on a project, but he hasn't yet). I also have/know a female acquaintance who just made her second feature length film and debuted it at Sundance. I've pretty much set on writing, but would do a project if my the right one came to mind and my friend was interested. Your first step honestly, is just leaving. Also, if you can get in school, I believe that acquaintance of mine got a grant for her first film. I'm not exactly sure how/what happened, but I believe she received some sort of grant for female film makers.

ive paid my taxes my whole life.

id like to think that if i cant work and need help some of that comes back to me. i paid my taxes for 16 years, id like to think if i cant work for a few months they would look out for me. thats not really asking for a lot.

a reply to: GogoVicMorrow

I can say this from my experience in my own industry:
Step #1 to getting a job - Have your own content created.

If you want to be a script writer then don't wait for a project to come along. Create your own script for your own project. It doesn't matter if it never sells, the idea is to have completed work you can point to.

If you want to produce films then get a camera and start making films, they don't have to be overly complex... it's more about showing off technique.

a reply to: Aazadan

Yeah. I recently got a camera (best that could be afforded) and plan to play around. I actually have the most experience by far in sound development, recording, and editing. I was in several bands. We started recording ourselves with an old version of cool edit pro, and then we recorded at a studio. So I can do the Foley work. Finding people to work with is actually going to be the biggest problem. That's why I tend to focus on writing.

Goddamnit why can't we just get a proper universal healthcare system already?? The whole PT to avoid paying benefits nonsense is just pathetic.

This is coming from a true conservative BTW.

a reply to: JiggyPotamus

Going to college for the poor only has one guarantee: Debt!

Many college graduates are stuck in very low paying jobs, yet still have to pay back their debt. Not paying can result in one's paycheck being garnished and tax refund taken away. There are many people out there with college degrees who are making less than minimum wage after their college loan payment are considered.

a reply to: jrod

some people like the world as depicted in "atlas shrugged"...sad as it may be

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
a reply to: jrod

some people like the world as depicted in "atlas shrugged"...sad as it may be

Have you read the entire book? I found it to be excellent, if idealist and I made it a point to dogear and underline every major flaw in Rand's ideology in the book. No one is perfect, and Ayn Rand's own life highlighted that, but she did come closer to hitting the nail on the head than most other political ideologists of the past century.

A lot of that book is coming to pass right now and some has already come to pass.

originally posted by: 8675309jenny

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
a reply to: jrod

some people like the world as depicted in "atlas shrugged"...sad as it may be

Have you read the entire book? I found it to be excellent, if idealist and I made it a point to dogear and underline every major flaw in Rand's ideology in the book. No one is perfect, and Ayn Rand's own life highlighted that, but she did come closer to hitting the nail on the head than most other political ideologists of the past century.

A lot of that book is coming to pass right now and some has already come to pass.

sure she may have hit the nail on the head...but i am not sure i would agree with her own ideology...she was a big fan of privatization and that is seemingly one of the problems we are facing today...i would almost go as far to say that would quite like a world to pass like that she envisioned

We live in a sad, sad world. True, that sadness is not new but it has not been like this everywhere all the time before.

Welcome Utopia. If you can still imagine such a place.



F&S&

a reply to: hotintexas

The GOP is just the chief of the overt enemy of the people. The Dems are less so but still guilty, as well.

That’s the clear truth, all one has to do is look at the voting records of each pary.

The evil of the GOP and the acceptance of it doesn’t mean one is a lover of democrats.

I vote issues not parties or people.
For instance, on the issue of this ISIS mess, I am on the side of the GOP who mainly are for attacking them. Sometimes I am on the side of Rand Paul, and sometimes Ms. Warren, or even Obama, it depends on the issue.
But overall BOTH parties are guilty of catering to the elite rich who will, if not stopped, destroy this country.