Think you can make it on minimum wage? [View all]

[davidthegnome]

So, out of frustration with my employers today, I did some math to determine whether someone who earns the minimum wage at 40 hours per week can survive independently - just one person. The math I used was VERY conservative, the only possibly un-necessary expense added on was for cell phone service of roughly 35 dollars per month. Here's the numbers I came up with - I am no economist, or accountant, they may be slightly off, but I'm fairly certain they hit near the mark. (Note: Maine's minimum wage is 7.50 per hour)

Minimum wage: 7.50
At 40 hours a week, total monthly income (after state taxes) average of 1115 dollars.
Taxes are (roughly) at .53 for each hour worked. After a Federal tax of 10% the rough average comes to 1004 per month.

Rent: 400 dollars (very conservatively)
Heating Oil: 200 dollars (guesstimate of the average of a year of living with Maine's harsh winters)
Electricity: 100 dollars
Debt/Student loans/Credit card/whatever: 100 dollars (No one I know is free of these)
Car Payments (with insurance/used, older vehicle): 200 dollars
Groceries: 200 dollars (I hope you like Ramen and spaghettios)
Gas: 60 dollars (Living close to work)
Health Insurance: 10 dollars
Cell Phone: 35 dollars
Total of 1305 and counting....
Note: I have not added several other expenses yet (such as water), but have already pretty much made my point
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Already, with some very basic math, estimating at a very conservative living... 1,305 per month out of a total monthly income of roughly 1,004. This is for one individual, living alone. Without the aid of family, friends, or state or federal services... we are already well past the means of the minimum wage, full time employee. So the reality is that they will have to work more than this to survive independently. Possibly at 60 hours per week (ten hour shifts, Monday through Saturday) there could be a reasonable expectation of some kind of survival.

My own income totals out around 1131 per month (roughly). This is at 8 dollars an hour.

My manager at my place of work the other night went on a rant about how wicked unions are. Told me that they enable people to be lazy, that their exorbitant wages is why so many of our good manufacturing jobs were shipped over seas. People always have their hands out, they are lazy, selfish, greedy, according to her. She loves helping out with federal withholding forms because of this. Raises are for "absolutely exceptional service only". Or, this little gem, "If you want a raise, you need to stop making mistakes."

Where I work, there is no holiday pay. There are no mandatory breaks either through the employer, or mandated by state labor laws, not for my department at a hotel (front desk). Nor for the bartender. Nor for any employee working in a department with less than three people presently at work. This includes bathroom breaks, breaks for meals or to stretch your legs, whatever. Stay in your cage. You may possibly get a break, if there is someone around who can fill your position, but only for a couple minutes.

Now... I live with my parents, so I live reasonably well compared to most of my fellow employees. Even so, my own expenses are roughly 1100 dollars per month. This includes gas, car payments, food, the small amount I pay my parents for rent and such. If I have car issues, health issues, sudden expenses for any reason... I end up needing help.

Does anyone at all think they can survive on 7.50 an hour? Living independently, without any children, without any dependents, just yourself. If not, if this cannot be done, then, ladies and gentlemen, it's time to grab our pitch forks and torches. It's time to get up and surround our state and federal government buildings to demand action. It's time to form unions, it's time to fight for our very survival. The current state of affairs continues only because we permit it to.

I'm well past angry and tired. Damnit, where's my pitchfork.