Minimum wage.

[kakarott]

The Minimum Wage: After Nine Years, Workers Deserve a Raise Before Congress


June 29, 2006

It has been nine years since Congress gave minimum wage earners a raise. Today, a full time minimum wage earner, working 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week, all 52 weeks in the year, without a single day off, takes home just $10,700 -- which is at least $6,000 below the poverty line for a family of three. (U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, 1/24/06) During this same time period, Members of Congress have given themselves eight raises, worth $31,600, or more than $15 per hour for a 40 hour week. (CRS, “Salaries of Members of Congress,” 4/18/06; CNN, 6/28/06) Earlier this month, the Republican-controlled House voted to give Congress another raise in 2007.

The Democratic-controlled House voted Wednesday to increase the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, bringing America's lowest-paid workers a crucial step closer to their first raise in a decade.

The measure, which now goes to the Senate, would raise the federal wage floor by $2.10 from its current $5.15 an hour in three steps over 26 months.

WOW! 26 months. WTF!! When Congress gives themselves a raise; does it take 26 months to take effect?



Something is seriously wrong with this picture. Just goes to show you how much Congress really cares about the poor in this land of 'wealth and prosperity'.

[narcsarge]

Originally Posted by kakarott

The Minimum Wage: After Nine Years, Workers Deserve a Raise Before Congress


June 29, 2006

It has been nine years since Congress gave minimum wage earners a raise. Today, a full time minimum wage earner, working 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week, all 52 weeks in the year, without a single day off, takes home just $10,700 -- which is at least $6,000 below the poverty line for a family of three. (U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, 1/24/06) During this same time period, Members of Congress have given themselves eight raises, worth $31,600, or more than $15 per hour for a 40 hour week. (CRS, “Salaries of Members of Congress,” 4/18/06; CNN, 6/28/06) Earlier this month, the Republican-controlled House voted to give Congress another raise in 2007.

The Democratic-controlled House voted Wednesday to increase the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, bringing America's lowest-paid workers a crucial step closer to their first raise in a decade.

The measure, which now goes to the Senate, would raise the federal wage floor by $2.10 from its current $5.15 an hour in three steps over 26 months.

WOW! 26 months. WTF!! When Congress gives themselves a raise; does it take 26 months to take effect?



Something is seriously wrong with this picture. Just goes to show you how much Congress really cares about the poor in this land of 'wealth and prosperity'.

TERM LIMITS! TERM LIMITS I SAY. No professional politicians! Look, minimum wage is just that MINIMUM! Even people that work McDonalds make over that, so this "raise" is long overdue. I say, we cap what our government official's make, use the profits to pay for effective social programs. Just my thoughts though...

[Behemouth]

The American Government has never cared about the poor and has been clear about that.

[Rambozo]

Minimum wage jobs are not career choices. They are temporary jobs. Wanna make money? Go to school and learn skills that are worth something.

[Supr@]

This is how I see it, if you raise the minimum wage, wouldn't this cause inflation. Since the owner has to pay more to the workers, he must raise the prices just to break even. I basically see it as a win lose, yes the workers do get a nice raise, but whats good if everything along your wage goes up?

[jlozan84]

Originally Posted by kakarott

$10,700 -- which is at least $6,000 below the poverty line for a family of three.

I don't know what the "poverty line" for a single person is, but if you are making 5.15/hr., you shouldn't be having any children in the first place. You certainly shouldn't have 2!

Somewhere along the lines, there has to be some personal responsibility.

[HammerTech]

Originally Posted by jlozan84

I don't know what the "poverty line" for a single person is, but if you are making 5.15/hr., you shouldn't be having any children in the first place. You certainly shouldn't have 2!

Somewhere along the lines, there has to be some personal responsibility.

Bump to you on the personal responsibility part, Jloz...

Legislator pay raises, as I understand them now, go into effect almost immediately, and in some cases retroactively, which I think is a bit of a crock. No employer that I've ever worked for made my raise "retroactive" and caught me up for money that I "should" have gotten.

I betcha...dollars to donuts...if they capped some salaries, eliminated a few "duplicated positions", and curbed some "perks" expenses, you'd see the federal budget not be such an unbalanced debacle and head toward reducing our deficit, which in turn would help the economy.

I can only say "it's about time" to the minimum wage raise, but sadly, the American working man gets $#!t on so often anymore, that it could be more of a slap in the face than a real hand up to those who need it.

[tryin2gain]

Australia's minimum wage is $13.47 an hour, which equates to ~USD$10.50. In Britain it's £5.35 an hour which equates to ~USD$10.40 an hour.

America still has catching up to do. Adjusted for inflation, 5.15 in 2006 is the lowest minimum wage has been since 1955. If you ask me, this is long overdue.

[eeeeee!]

i think it would make abunch of stuff costs more to pay.
paying your workers more means higher prices most of the time.
either that or cut your workers.
i think it would be alright to give them more money
but spread it out more than 26 months.
i dont know anything.
i did a report over this today too :P

[Cloudguy]

The 26 months is to soften the blow to the small business owner mostly. To be giving a 2.00 wage boost to all employees at once is a tremendous expense to incur immediately. For a full time employee that is an extra 4000 a year all at once.

Yea this does mean prices will go up, and especially places like fast food restaurants and walmart that already pay their employees dirt and their execs live like kings will complain the most. But the nice thing will be the ripple effect it has on everyone else because, as someone else said, inflation will increase with the boost and the higher wage earners will be getting paid more as well (like me!)

[Hannainnc]

In 26 months the guys who make above min wage now at 7.25 will in 26 months make minimum wage and the poverty monetary amount that dictates "poverty" will rise to reflect this and those of us who make above min wage will be the ones who take the hit.

Not a smart move for our economy at all.

If you make a min wage and are not in high school and are trying to support yourself, much less a family on such a job then that is a problem. Get a grant and go to school.


As far as high wage earners getting a boost in salary because of inflation...my employer does not offer "cost of living" increases and most employers, unless you are employed by the federal government or a local/state government do not pay their employees on a percentage greater than minimum wage...unless you are in California (not sure of other states), where salaried exempt employees must make twice that of minimum wage, so if they are making less than 14.50 per hour, they will get bumped up or their company will make them salaried, non-exempt, so they can get around it if they can...still terrible money.

[roKstar87]

If you dont make minimum wage why complain. I kno wIm going to school and wil make well above the minum wage line because I am going to work to reach that point so i will be good when done with college. I fyou drop out of HS and are working at FAst food I dont feel sorry for you. I fyou are over here and cant speak english and are stuck cleaning toilets I dont feel sorry for you. Get an education and you will get a job. Not everyone will get an education so there will be jobs availible that pay decent at least. I am in my first year of college and have a part time job at a convenience store. I make 9.75 i fit makes any difference in this

When the minimum wage goes up so will prices and we will be back at square one eventually. it will just be a repeated process.

Some of that may sound mean but it is my opinion and I spoke it.

[HammerTech]

It is indeed a vicious cycle, unfortunately.

My complaint, however is not with the idea of upping or changing the minimum wage. I think there are responsible people out there trying desparately to make ends meet that NEED something like this to happen for them. My chief complaint is why does it take so long for legislators who make hundreds of thousands a year in base salary not counting perks and benefits, and gave themselves nearly 32k in raises since the last increase in the minimum wage, so d@mn long to get to this?

I don't care who's in the White House...Bush, Clinton (either one), or anyone else for that matter. There's a major problem in the system that needs fixed and fast. Narcsarge hit it right on the head...."TERM LIMITS!"

Proof positive? We recently re-elected a 32-year congressman here. His claim to fame? 8 miles of road to nowhere, while his brother's pockets have been lined with millions of $$ and his own pockets have been lined times over because of his Defense Committee appointments. Yet everyone thinks because his name's on a bunch of buildings here that he's the greatest.

Thanks for nothing, Jack. X(

[Chauncey11]

Everybody keeps talking like prices are gonna skyrocket becuase a bunch of Corporations have to give their lowest paid workers an extra couple of bucks. Do you say these same things when YOU get a raise??? Do you really give two ****s if things are gonna cost more when they are Giving you money??? Relax people, You will still be able to get a Junior Bacon at Wendy's for a buck.
Raising prices is'nt always the best way to increase profits anyway. If they were and they could they would have raised them already!!!!

[dannyboy9]

I don't really care much for politics. I don't think anyone should unless you like surrounding yourself & dealing with corrupt, self-righteous, immoral and slandering, lying screw faced, inconsiderate individuals.

Ask me how I REALLY feel

[HammerTech]

Originally Posted by dannyboy9

I don't really care much for politics. I don't think anyone should unless you like surrounding yourself & dealing with corrupt, self-righteous, immoral and slandering, lying screw faced, inconsiderate individuals.

Ask me how I REALLY feel

So danny...how do you REALLY feel?

Like I said in my post...there's a major problem needing fixed, and now.

[dannyboy9]

The world is a major problem...one that isn't going to be fixed anytime soon. Tell me something I don't know lol

[HammerTech]

If I had hope in this world only, I'd be of most men miserable...lol

[dannyboy9]

Amen to that.

[Mrbobcat]

I also believe the minimum wage increase will hurt those of us (like me) who make a few bucks more an hour than that. I used to deliver pizza and made 6.25 an hour (plus tips), but the owner (who owned 9 stores) commented a few times that if the min. goes up, then they are going to have to raise their pizza prices again, which that pizza franchise is one of the most expensive already I believe (M****) and are the only place in my town that charges $2 a delivery. Anyway, all fast food places are going to raise their prices and I can see it happening already. It will then trickle down to grocery stores and what not. We don't get cost of living adj. where I work and I still can't make ends meat without alot of OT, which is'nt always available. Thats one reason I'm going back to