Minimum Wage - to $15

[James48]

So I’d like to hear your thought on the $15 minimum wage issue.

I know lots of folks on the other side are now screaming not to do it. (Of course, those are all the ones making $15 now, saying lower people don’t deserve to make $15).

But there is a good question- How fast, and how far should the wage be raised?

I’m not an advocate of going from $7.25 to $15 overnight, all at once. I’m more like going to $10 now, then $1 each January for five years. That way the economy. An digest the increases a little better.

But I’m also aware that many may want a different structure for how we get to $15.

I’m old enough to remember yearly changes in the minimum wage, seemingly tied to cost of living. That resulted in some higher inflation too, in the 70’s. That’s got to be kept in check too. But today’s almost zero inflation is bad fir us as well. So how do we roll out a wage increase, so that it is the right balance?

I’m eager to hear your thoughts.

[JoeOtterbein]

1. Overnight, to make it...

...right!

Imagine if you just made say ten bucks an hour. The you get 15 bucks. You will spend it and love Joe and the Democrats even more to win in 2022.

[qwlauren35]

2. In my opinion

It must happen within 3 years. There is no guarantee that the next president will support it. So it needs to be a done deal long before then. I would say $2.50 increase per year plus 25 cents somewhere. That will be less of a "shock to the system" for employers - they've been hearing about it now for several years - they've had time to prepare.

What's really important is to do something about servers' wages. No more need for tips.

[James48]

3. I totally agree on that part- tips.

There should be NO reduction to the wage to account for tips.

Tips exist, and will continue to exist- but tips are to recognize superior service, and the minimum wage shouldn’t be reduced just because of tips.

Minimum just mean minimum - across the board. Nobody makes less then minimum unless it’s part of a special training program, or helping employ people with disabilities that can’t work as fast. I’m ok with a slight reduction in order to employ the disabled. But that’s just me.

[Hoyt]

4. Biden's minimum wage affects federal employees as I understand it.

Probably not many at $15/hour.

Most large companies pay at, or near that, now. Cities that have enacted $15 minimum wage, include a lengthy period before it is required. And I think they are all a year or more away.

Point is, it’s not really a sudden change.

I do agree that the issue is complicated in some respects. There are areas of the country that will lose jobs if every small business has to pay $15/hour. There are age groups and perhaps with limited experience who might lose jobs. But I think those exceptions — say a training rate somewhat lower than $15/hour — should be relatively small.

Now I’d probably support a government subsidy in areas/circumstances where small businesses really can’t supply $15/hour for everyone.

Believe jobs should provide a livable wage, but would hate to see small businesses in rural areas giving up in short-term. Think that would be counterproductive.

[James48]

6. Depends on where you are.

Michigan’s minimum wage is now $9.65 an hour. Many local retail stores in my county pay perhaps $11 to $12.50. Walmart pays $11.75 to new hires right now. Manufacturing jobs are perhaps $13-15 an hour, unless it’s highly skilled CNCms huge operators, or things like that.

A move to across the board $15 would be a big one-time jump.

[Aussie105]

5. $15 per hour?

Holy Moley! That's a whopping $600 for a 40 hour week!

Yes, sarcasm intended.

Don't forget that a lot of minimum wage jobs are also part time jobs, so some people may be working several jobs just to get that 'enormous' $600 per week.
And it would not be reliable income. Split shifts, travel time, etc.

Living the good life in America on $600 per week, fluctuating weekly? Not so much!

Last time I checked I was getting $60 per hour of contact time, 22 hours per week, as a classroom teacher.
A reliable income of $2K+ per fortnight.
Plus job security working for the Government, plus Superannuation (401K) employer contributions.

. . . . and that was 10 years ago.

My location: South Australia. A 'socialist' country, by American (R) standards.

Now retired and sitting pretty financially because of that last point.

So get real, $15/hour? Double that, get money out there, people will spend it on essentials and boost the economy!

[Withywindle]

7. It's not enough but it's a start

If the minimum wage had remained indexed to cost of living, it would be about $23 an hour now.

There is not one single state in the US where a full-time worker making minimum wage can afford a 1BR apartment.

This represents decades of stolen labor value.

We need to be at $20 an hour by the middle/late decade.

[RDANGELO]

8. People who are arguing agaisnt raising the minimum wage are only looking at one side of the equation

. The people wage earners are also consumers who will spend the money. That money stays in the communities of the earners. The economy is continuously evolving. Jobs drop off in one sector and they pop up somewhere else. That' what will happen if you gradually raise the minimum wage. A higher minimum wage can mean a stronger middle class which means a more stable society with less crime and poverty.

[BGBD]

9. $15 would be great

but I'd also happily take a law that sets minimum wage to a base of $2.65 from 1978 and requires yearly adjustments, on a specific day, dependent on inflation. That would mean the minimum wage in 2021 would be just a little over $10.50 an hour. That would be lower than the proposed $15, but would also keep us from having to have this fight every few years when the old minimum wage gets too low again.

Setting it to inflation would mean it would slowly increase, but it shouldn't change overall costs by percentage for businesses, so long as they keep their prices in step with inflation.