When I started working at age 16 in 1962, the minimum wage was $1.25 per hour.

[MineralMan]

I delivered milk to people's homes from a local dairy. I worked three hours a day, six days a week, from 5 AM to 8 AM. I was a high school kid, and the job was a great one for me. It was close to being a half-time job, and didn't interfere with my school work or social life.

After three months of that, I had learned the milk route, had memorized most customers' regular orders, and began delivering on my own, driving the milk delivery truck as well as carrying customer orders to their doors.

So, I approached the owner of the dairy and asked for a raise, since I was now doing the work that two people had done before. The man who had been driving the truck was now working inside the dairy and had gotten a raise in pay.

The owner of the dairy objected to giving me a raise, since "You're just a kid. I pay kids minimum wage."

I said, "Well, I am just a kid, but I'm driving the truck and making the deliveries by myself now. You used to be paying an adult to drive the truck while I delivered the orders. Now, you're just paying me. I'm doing both jobs. I need $1.50 per hour."

The owner of the dairy said, "OK. That makes sense." I got the raise.

Minimum wage is just a minimum. It should be set at a level that allows a person to make a living when they start working. It should not be an end point. It's what you pay kids and beginners at a job. Once they learn the job and are more productive, you should be paying more than that to that person.

We need $15/hr. Now. But that's just the starting point. It is not a wage cap, or shouldn't be.

[Kota]

1. When I was 16, the minimum wage for teens was 2.75,if I remember correctly.

I don't know what it was for adults or even if there was one. I'm in Ill. I Pumped gas. The tips were pretty good.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

22. This country has never had a separate minimum for adults and kids.

Some other countries do.

[SlogginThroughIt]

26. States might.

But I think the state rates must be over the fed rate right?

[Just_Vote_Dem]

2. My first job I was paid $2.10 an hour

I was employed for the summer by the CETA (Comprehensive Employment and Training Act) program, designed for disadvantaged kids (I was poor growing up). I got to work with developmentally disabled teenagers. I loved the work and did it every summer until I was 18 and no longer eligible. Sadly I don't believe the program still exists.

[jimfields33]

3. 1.50 is equivalent to 12.99 today

At least raise it to that amount. Although I’m not sure how many literally make 7.50, but that is a horrible wage.

[MineralMan]

7. In most places, people start at more than the federal minimum wage.

Most places have discovered that nobody will work for that wage. Many states have higher minimum wages than the federal number.

Some places, however, can still find people who will work for minimum wage. They'll find better people who will be more productive if they raise that minimum wage, though.

Some business owners never learn that. They treat workers like disposable commodities. Such businesses should fail, and many of them do exactly that.

[jimfields33]

8. Very true.

[rog]

4. So my question is, why has minimum wage decreased?

"$1.25 in 1962 had the same purchasing power as $10.85 in 2021." In Wisconsin, where I live, minimum wage is $7.25.

Absolutely agree:

We need $15/hr. now. But that's just the starting point. It is not a wage cap, or shouldn't be.

[MineralMan]

18. Republicans

[brewens]

5. When I was 18 in the early 80's, in my area, 40 hours at minimum wage would at least

get you a small apartment and other expenses. You were lucky to have $20 bucks left over for the weekend, but you could go out partying on that. Not a chance you can support yourself like that on $7.25 these days.

[Johnny2X2X]

9. My first job was in the 80s too

I worked for $3.35 an hour at Burger King. I remember getting in tight with my boss and knowing that he made something like $5.75 an hour and I was awe struck that he was working 46 hours a week, my 15 year old self couldn't imagine working that much and was unaware my dad was working 60 hours a week.

He was able to afford a decent apartment and a decent car, he could live. I was making $8 an hour in today's wages, basically some pocket money.

I actually worked another job after that making $2.60 an hour for a restaurant that had a waiver to pay their workers less than minimum wage.

[FSogol]

15. Same here, $3.35 at the York Steak House. I quickly got a raise to $3.50 and in a year

moved to another restaurant where my salary shot up to $7.50.

With that I had a nice apartment, a beater car, and put myself thru college.

[yellerpup]

6. I got one of those Neighborhood Youth Corps jobs through my school.

The school knew who needed those jobs and I got one working both before and after school in the cafeteria. My dad had been laid off by the oil industry and was delivering orange drink door-to-door on commission and my mom was earning $5 per 12 hour shift working as a cook. My income was the highest and I was able to make the rent. I felt very proud until my father accused me of being a "Commie Dupe" for taking the job. I still paid the rent.

[Hoyt]

10. $1.35 an hour at grocery stores after high school. Of course, gas was like $0.25 a gallon.

I'm fine with shooting for $15/hour as many local governments have already established. Although, there are probably some exceptions that need to be made in rural areas, low cost-of-living areas, perhaps part-time student jobs, etc.

Heck, Medicare pays physicians different rates depending upon a formula that includes a base rate depending upon service performed, adjusted upward of downward depending upon factors like cost-of-living, cost of labor in area, etc.

Fortunately, about 66% of workers make more than $15 and hour. The median wage in 2019 was something like $19 an hour. Of course, other things need to be factored in such availability of affordable/subsidized health care, free/low-cost college and technical training, etc.

[JenniferJuniper]

11. In the 1980's I put myself through college

on minimum wage jobs and a total of about 10k in student loans.

A private university at that. Not even something one can imagine today.

[MineralMan]

12. Today's Students Should Have the Same Opportunities

That's my opinion. I graduated from college in 1972, after a four year stint in the USAF. I managed on the $256/month GI Bill check, plus $100/month from my parents, who insisted that I return to college. I didn't have a job, although I earned some extra cash from trash picking and selling what I found at the local swap meet. Maybe an additional $200/month from that.

It was a state university, with state funding, of course. Used books, cheap housing shared with two others, and food made by myself. I didn't have any spending money, but we all survived somehow.

Such a thing would be impossible today. It should be possible.

[49jim]

13. My first "real" job in

addition to my newspaper route (Newsday on Long Island which at the time was 5 cents a day, 30 cents a week)
I delivered 100 papers....many customers paid 30 cents at the end of the week.....some customers paid 35 cents.....
the extra nickel was my tip. There was no salary from Newsday so my weekly income was 4-5 dollars which was a big deal in 1963 for a 14 year old. Anyway back to my first real job".....I worked as a stock boy in a small mom and pop corner store nearby. My salary was $1.15 an hour. This was my first understanding about the value of a dollar.....the six-packs of beer that I was stacking in the cooler cost $1.15. Although I wasn't old enough to purchase beer...I realized that it took an hour to earn enough to buy a six-pack. I remember the year 1963 because I was working there when President Kennedy was killed and watched the funeral on a small B&W tv they had in the store.
Oh.....yes, the minimum wage today should be $ 15.00 an hour!

[sanatanadharma]

14. 1965 University of Kansas, 85 cents an hour (part time)

At that time, bread could be found for 20-25 cents a loaf and gasoline was about the same price per gallon.
Over the years, it seems to me, a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk have maintained this similar cost relationship.

[Ocelot II]

16. In 1968, as a college student, I got a part-time summer job washing dishes.

It paid $1.10 an hour (it was one of those jobs that wasn't covered by the minimum wage law). A couple of years later I got a union job that paid $4 an hour. I thought I was rich - at least I could afford my own apartment and buy a used car.

[elevator]

17. How's that? I made 90 cents and hour at McDonald's in 1962.

But, I did get all the fries, milkshakes and double cheese burgers I could at, which was a considerable amount. Were fast food franchises exempted?

[MineralMan]

19. I don't know.

Where were you? Different states had different minimum wages. Sometimes restaurant workers weren't included in the laws.

[elevator]

24. Atlanta.

Worked construction two years later and got $2 an hour.

[elevator]

25. Atlanta.

Worked construction two years later and got $2 an hour.
In the late seventies I made $18 an hour as a truck driver....teamsters.

[Klaralven]

20. In '60, I was stacking hay bales for $1 / hr. I don't think farmers paid attention to minimum wage.

[unc70]

21. Farm workers weren't subject to minimum

[brewens]

23. That was my summer "vacation" for a couple years. Visited cousins in Ekalaka, MT and

bucked bales. The meals were worth half a days work. I'd make it as far as the couch if I ate like that today. I don't remember what I was paid. A buck an hour sounds right. I was no city kid wuss though. My job at home in the summer was moving irrigation pipe setups in a big cucumber farm every evening. Bucking bales was about the same.