Minimum Wage Increasing Again

[charrison]

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands
Personal case in point: after completing his masters degree (with two bachelors, honors in all), a friend worked fast food for 14 months before finding a teaching position due to a glut of teachers in his fields in his area. He ended up having to take a position 2000 miles away just to be working in his field. This is common, and growing moreso.

Your friend picked the wrong field. I know guys with university degrees my age teaching English in Japan and getting hammered five times/week. Who's fault is that? This is like, what's better a degree in engineering or english lit?

Which shows that all the people saying jobs will be lost, people will have to close their business, etc... are just BS.

Yes, in reality it hardly matters either way because so few people are on it.

It sounds like your friend could have had a job a lot sooner had he/she been willing to move instead of working fast food for 14 months before realizing 'crap maybe i should move.'

Probably. A neighbor of mine went to school and amassed $25k in a specialty education over 9 months and was unwilling to move, so never got a job, and had to completely pay it back doing lower wage jobs and then jumped fields. On the other hand I moved 2000 miles also to avoid the same thing. It sucked but if I wanted guaranteed employment I would have become a doctor. I didn't want to, so I played what I was dealt.

You're completely missing the point, which was that there are brilliant, capable, educated people out there who work minimum wage sometimes. You cannot infer ability from a job.

Just because he was smart and capable, still does not negate the fact that were a glut of his skillset locally. It is unfortunate, but it happens and he decided moving was a better option than low wages. He can always keep looking and move back at a later time.

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: JD50

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

According to income data it's more like 20-30%. Well, actually it's 16% in the service industry, but it's 20-30% that earn a total of what equates to minimum wage. Again, they may earn more but only work part time, then again, many people work two minimum wage jobs and therefore appear over the income. It all balances. 1/4 of America makes minimum wage.

According the article in the OP only 2 million Americans will get a raise due to the minimum wage increase. I'd really like to see where you're getting this "1/4 of America makes minimum wage".

After rereading his previous responses I think he is confusing wages earned with min wage earned. For instance I could work for 1 hour at 12,000 bucks an hour and still be considered working min wage in his world because my total yearly income is 12K.

A lot of people who earn 12-16K a year are most likely part time workers who earn above the min wage but dont work 32-40 hour weeks.

I wasn't confused, i clearly made allowances for it by reminding people that MANY minimum wage employees hold more than one job. This raises their income above what would be expected for minimum wage employees, roughly making up for those who work part time with pay rates above minimum.

Go find the minimum wage information and stop using household income data to back up your claims. 1.7% of workers work for min wage. Of those 60% work in the food services industry. Thus they are working for tips. So 40% of 1.7% are actually working for min wage. I bet a good % of those are kids working jobs after school for extra cash.

You are mixing apples and oranges.

Those numbers are meaningless without thresholds and additional information. What do they define as minimum wage? Federal minimum, state minimum, exactly minimum, within $1/hr of minimum, etc. If you just blindly accept the numbers then you're an idiot. Give me enough information to decide if what they're spoon feeding you is rational. In my experience, and based on other types of data available, I'm claiming it's a load of crap.

THe stats are for federal minimum wage and they contian decent information. MOst minimum wage workes are young and inexperienced and not heads of households.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: JD50

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

According to income data it's more like 20-30%. Well, actually it's 16% in the service industry, but it's 20-30% that earn a total of what equates to minimum wage. Again, they may earn more but only work part time, then again, many people work two minimum wage jobs and therefore appear over the income. It all balances. 1/4 of America makes minimum wage.

According the article in the OP only 2 million Americans will get a raise due to the minimum wage increase. I'd really like to see where you're getting this "1/4 of America makes minimum wage".

After rereading his previous responses I think he is confusing wages earned with min wage earned. For instance I could work for 1 hour at 12,000 bucks an hour and still be considered working min wage in his world because my total yearly income is 12K.

A lot of people who earn 12-16K a year are most likely part time workers who earn above the min wage but dont work 32-40 hour weeks.

I wasn't confused, i clearly made allowances for it by reminding people that MANY minimum wage employees hold more than one job. This raises their income above what would be expected for minimum wage employees, roughly making up for those who work part time with pay rates above minimum.

Go find the minimum wage information and stop using household income data to back up your claims. 1.7% of workers work for min wage. Of those 60% work in the food services industry. Thus they are working for tips. So 40% of 1.7% are actually working for min wage. I bet a good % of those are kids working jobs after school for extra cash.

You are mixing apples and oranges.

Those numbers are meaningless without thresholds and additional information. What do they define as minimum wage? Federal minimum, state minimum, exactly minimum, within $1/hr of minimum, etc. If you just blindly accept the numbers then you're an idiot. Give me enough information to decide if what they're spoon feeding you is rational. In my experience, and based on other types of data available, I'm claiming it's a load of crap.

They define exactly that, what people are being paid on an hourly basis.
Your basis of argument has serious flaws. It assumes everybody is working full time which is simply false. Like I said above. I could work on an hourly basis of 12K\hour, work 1 hour a year, and still fall into your mold of being stuck in a min wage job even though I on my own free will worked for 1 hour a year.

The information came straight from the gov. The very same govt you are basing your argument on.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands
Personal case in point: after completing his masters degree (with two bachelors, honors in all), a friend worked fast food for 14 months before finding a teaching position due to a glut of teachers in his fields in his area. He ended up having to take a position 2000 miles away just to be working in his field. This is common, and growing moreso.

Your friend picked the wrong field. I know guys with university degrees my age teaching English in Japan and getting hammered five times/week. Who's fault is that? This is like, what's better a degree in engineering or english lit?

Which shows that all the people saying jobs will be lost, people will have to close their business, etc... are just BS.

Yes, in reality it hardly matters either way because so few people are on it.

It sounds like your friend could have had a job a lot sooner had he/she been willing to move instead of working fast food for 14 months before realizing 'crap maybe i should move.'

Probably. A neighbor of mine went to school and amassed $25k in a specialty education over 9 months and was unwilling to move, so never got a job, and had to completely pay it back doing lower wage jobs and then jumped fields. On the other hand I moved 2000 miles also to avoid the same thing. It sucked but if I wanted guaranteed employment I would have become a doctor. I didn't want to, so I played what I was dealt.

You're completely missing the point, which was that there are brilliant, capable, educated people out there who work minimum wage sometimes. You cannot infer ability from a job.

Just because he was smart and capable, still does not negate the fact that were a glut of his skillset locally. It is unfortunate, but it happens and he decided moving was a better option than low wages. He can always keep looking and move back at a later time.

Which is exactly what he did. But still beside the point.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: JD50

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

According to income data it's more like 20-30%. Well, actually it's 16% in the service industry, but it's 20-30% that earn a total of what equates to minimum wage. Again, they may earn more but only work part time, then again, many people work two minimum wage jobs and therefore appear over the income. It all balances. 1/4 of America makes minimum wage.

According the article in the OP only 2 million Americans will get a raise due to the minimum wage increase. I'd really like to see where you're getting this "1/4 of America makes minimum wage".

After rereading his previous responses I think he is confusing wages earned with min wage earned. For instance I could work for 1 hour at 12,000 bucks an hour and still be considered working min wage in his world because my total yearly income is 12K.

A lot of people who earn 12-16K a year are most likely part time workers who earn above the min wage but dont work 32-40 hour weeks.

I wasn't confused, i clearly made allowances for it by reminding people that MANY minimum wage employees hold more than one job. This raises their income above what would be expected for minimum wage employees, roughly making up for those who work part time with pay rates above minimum.

Go find the minimum wage information and stop using household income data to back up your claims. 1.7% of workers work for min wage. Of those 60% work in the food services industry. Thus they are working for tips. So 40% of 1.7% are actually working for min wage. I bet a good % of those are kids working jobs after school for extra cash.

You are mixing apples and oranges.

Those numbers are meaningless without thresholds and additional information. What do they define as minimum wage? Federal minimum, state minimum, exactly minimum, within $1/hr of minimum, etc. If you just blindly accept the numbers then you're an idiot. Give me enough information to decide if what they're spoon feeding you is rational. In my experience, and based on other types of data available, I'm claiming it's a load of crap.

They define exactly that, what people are being paid on an hourly basis.
Your basis of argument has serious flaws. It assumes everybody is working full time which is simply false. Like I said above. I could work on an hourly basis of 12K\hour, work 1 hour a year, and still fall into your mold of being stuck in a min wage job even though I on my own free will worked for 1 hour a year.

The information came straight from the gov. The very same govt you are basing your argument on.

They define exactly what? I read the article, and none of my questions were answered at all. Until I get better info my opposition remains. I've already covered your suggested flaws ad nauseum.

 

[Genx87]

I am not discussing the article here. I am discussing the govts own numbers.

I looked this morning for the report and unfortunately the only one I came up with was a report from the BLS which showed 1.7 million people of the ~110 million person workforce work at or below federal min wage. The report I read 6 months ago showed a break down by industry of those people and their age. Most were in the food services industry(waiters) and most were below the age of 25(students, college kids, not head of household).

 

[PrinceofWands]

Originally posted by: Genx87
I am not discussing the article here. I am discussing the govts own numbers.

I looked this morning for the report and unfortunately the only one I came up with was a report from the BLS which showed 1.7 million people of the ~110 million person workforce work at or below federal min wage. The report I read 6 months ago showed a break down by industry of those people and their age. Most were in the food services industry(waiters) and most were below the age of 25(students, college kids, not head of household).

At or below? So if you make .01 over minimum wage you're not a minimum wage employee according to that report? Beginning to see the flaws?

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

Originally posted by: Genx87
I am not discussing the article here. I am discussing the govts own numbers.

I looked this morning for the report and unfortunately the only one I came up with was a report from the BLS which showed 1.7 million people of the ~110 million person workforce work at or below federal min wage. The report I read 6 months ago showed a break down by industry of those people and their age. Most were in the food services industry(waiters) and most were below the age of 25(students, college kids, not head of household).

At or below? So if you make .01 over minimum wage you're not a minimum wage employee according to that report? Beginning to see the flaws?

What % of people do you think honestly work at 1 cent over min wage?
I'd say not many who dont already fall in the min wage.

Anyways now you are clearly speculating.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

Originally posted by: Genx87
I am not discussing the article here. I am discussing the govts own numbers.

I looked this morning for the report and unfortunately the only one I came up with was a report from the BLS which showed 1.7 million people of the ~110 million person workforce work at or below federal min wage. The report I read 6 months ago showed a break down by industry of those people and their age. Most were in the food services industry(waiters) and most were below the age of 25(students, college kids, not head of household).

At or below? So if you make .01 over minimum wage you're not a minimum wage employee according to that report? Beginning to see the flaws?

What % of people do you think honestly work at 1 cent over min wage?
I'd say not many who dont already fall in the min wage.

Anyways now you are clearly speculating.

Not at all, I'm extrapolating from individual income data clarified by personal experience. I look around my town and this is what I see:

restaraunts - minimum wage (granted, plus tips sometimes)
gas stations - minimum wage
convenience stores - minimum wage
grovery stores - mostly minimum wage, except for checkers and supervisors
cleaning crews (janitors) - mostly minimum wage
department stores - minimum wage (except for those earning commission)
security - minimum wage (or just over in some specialty niches)
ambulance drivers - $1/hr over minimum wage
office temp places - minimum wage or just over
receptionists - minimum wage
hospital support staff - minimum wage
customer service agents - minimum wage
etc, etc, etc

In other words, a HUGE amount of the people work for minimum wage or just over (say, within a dollar).

I'm also still waiting to hear if those studies include state minimums which exceed federal, and a host of other information necessary to clarify the data.

 

[BoberFett]

Then it must be a low cost of living where you live PoW, because here in Minneapolis even the lowliest McDondald's employee is making $9/hr.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Originally posted by: BoberFett
Then it must be a low cost of living where you live PoW, because here in Minneapolis even the lowliest McDondald's employee is making $9/hr.

Holy hell! Yeah, no where I've ever lived...except LA. Of course, in WA $9/hr is within $1/hr of minimum wage. But I've also lived in MS, VA, etc and it was always very nearly minimum wage.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

Originally posted by: Genx87
I am not discussing the article here. I am discussing the govts own numbers.

I looked this morning for the report and unfortunately the only one I came up with was a report from the BLS which showed 1.7 million people of the ~110 million person workforce work at or below federal min wage. The report I read 6 months ago showed a break down by industry of those people and their age. Most were in the food services industry(waiters) and most were below the age of 25(students, college kids, not head of household).

At or below? So if you make .01 over minimum wage you're not a minimum wage employee according to that report? Beginning to see the flaws?

What % of people do you think honestly work at 1 cent over min wage?
I'd say not many who dont already fall in the min wage.

Anyways now you are clearly speculating.

Not at all, I'm extrapolating from individual income data clarified by personal experience. I look around my town and this is what I see:

restaraunts - minimum wage (granted, plus tips sometimes)
gas stations - minimum wage
convenience stores - minimum wage
grovery stores - mostly minimum wage, except for checkers and supervisors
cleaning crews (janitors) - mostly minimum wage
department stores - minimum wage (except for those earning commission)
security - minimum wage (or just over in some specialty niches)
ambulance drivers - $1/hr over minimum wage
office temp places - minimum wage or just over
receptionists - minimum wage
hospital support staff - minimum wage
customer service agents - minimum wage
etc, etc, etc

In other words, a HUGE amount of the people work for minimum wage or just over (say, within a dollar).

I'm also still waiting to hear if those studies include state minimums which exceed federal, and a host of other information necessary to clarify the data.

According to the AT experts those are all kids working those jobs and they'll be making a $100,000 + like them in no time unless they are lazy losers.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Ok, just read the BLS reports more closely, and I was right: they are reporting ONLY persons who made equal to or less than the federal minimum wage. It does NOT account for persons working in states with minimums higher than that, does NOT account for persons making barely over minimum, etc. In other words, they're complete crap.

 

[Jmman]

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

Originally posted by: Genx87
I am not discussing the article here. I am discussing the govts own numbers.

I looked this morning for the report and unfortunately the only one I came up with was a report from the BLS which showed 1.7 million people of the ~110 million person workforce work at or below federal min wage. The report I read 6 months ago showed a break down by industry of those people and their age. Most were in the food services industry(waiters) and most were below the age of 25(students, college kids, not head of household).

At or below? So if you make .01 over minimum wage you're not a minimum wage employee according to that report? Beginning to see the flaws?

What % of people do you think honestly work at 1 cent over min wage?
I'd say not many who dont already fall in the min wage.

Anyways now you are clearly speculating.

Not at all, I'm extrapolating from individual income data clarified by personal experience. I look around my town and this is what I see:

restaraunts - minimum wage (granted, plus tips sometimes)
gas stations - minimum wage
convenience stores - minimum wage
grovery stores - mostly minimum wage, except for checkers and supervisors
cleaning crews (janitors) - mostly minimum wage
department stores - minimum wage (except for those earning commission)
security - minimum wage (or just over in some specialty niches)
ambulance drivers - $1/hr over minimum wage
office temp places - minimum wage or just over
receptionists - minimum wage
hospital support staff - minimum wage
customer service agents - minimum wage
etc, etc, etc

In other words, a HUGE amount of the people work for minimum wage or just over (say, within a dollar).

I'm also still waiting to hear if those studies include state minimums which exceed federal, and a host of other information necessary to clarify the data.

I don't know where you live, but here in Denver your observation about wages is pretty much crap. Heck, even McDonalds around here advertises $8-$12 to start. Waiters with tips are making $10-$15 an hour. Bartenders, even more. Truthfully, not many people around here make minimum wage. As a business manager, owner, and consultant I can tell you that if you offer minimum wage your aren't going to get many applications or any at all.....

Here is a quick job search for Denver for restaurant workers. The vast majority of them start at 8-10 an hour. And how many of them pay minimum wage to start? Exactly none, if you include tips.


Quick Job Search Results

68 Were Found
To sort the list click the column header.
Title Hourly Wage Type Location Posted or
Updated Selected
Restaurant Food Server-5266614 Negotiable Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/22/08 1
Banquet/Coffee Break S-5266568 Negotiable Full Time/Regular DENVER 04/02/08 2
CSTS I Food Service-5275096 20.19 - 28.70 Full Time/Regular DENVER 06/02/08 3
Food Services Director-5277646 19.23 - 24.04 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/21/08 4
Pizza Maker-5267416 10.00 + (negotiable) Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/23/08 5
Food Prep-5267433 10.00 + (negotiable) Part Time/Regular DENVER 07/23/08 6
Dishwashers-5267221 9.00 + (negotiable) Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/22/08 7
Line Cook-5267222 9.00 + (negotiable) Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/22/08 8
Food Preparation Worke-5262724 9.00 + (negotiable) Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/22/08 9
Steward-5281777 8.75 + (negotiable) Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/23/08 10
Hosts and Hostesses, R-5279265 8.50 + (negotiable) Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/01/08 11
Cashier/Sandwich Maker-5281914 8.00 + (negotiable) Part Time/Regular DENVER 07/23/08 12
Host/Hostess-5267456 8.00 + (negotiable) Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/23/08 13
Dishwasher-5267441 8.00 + (negotiable) Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/23/08 14
Cook-5273892 8.00 + (negotiable) Full Time/Regular DENVER 05/22/08 15
Banquet Cook 3-5273508 8.00 + (negotiable) Full Time/Regular DENVER 05/20/08 16
Manager-5271885 13.46 - 14.90 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/22/08 17
On Call Banquet Barten-5270100 13.00 Part Time/Regular DENVER 07/23/08 18
Line Cook-5274867 10.00 - 13.00 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/22/08 19
Line Cook-5279328 10.00 - 13.00 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/01/08 20
Line Cook-5279326 10.00 - 13.00 Part Time/Regular DENVER 07/01/08 21
COOKS, SERVERS, UTILIT-5277982 10.00 - 12.00 Part Time/Temp DENVER 07/01/08 22
Line Cook-5266736 8.00 - 12.00 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/22/08 23
Line Cook/Grill Cook-5282022 10.95 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/22/08 24
DINING SERVICE II WORK-5256170 9.46 - 10.51 Part Time/Regular DENVER 01/18/08 25
Cooks, Restaurant-5281174 10.00 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/16/08 26
Cooks, All Other-5275327 8.00 - 10.00 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/22/08 27
Hosts and Hostesses, R-5282011 9.50 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/22/08 28
Host/Hostess Hospitali-5262991 9.50 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/22/08 29
Barista-5278343 9.50 - 9.50 Full Time/Regular DENVER 06/24/08 30
Lead Steward-5270096 9.25 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/23/08 31
Cook-5266749 9.00 - 9.25 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/22/08 32
Food Server-5266747 8.00 - 9.25 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/22/08 33
Food Service Workers-5277711 9.06 Part Time/Temp To Reg DENVER 07/11/08 34
Room Service Server AM-5278132 9.00 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/23/08 35
Team Member/Customer S-5270567 9.00 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/22/08 36
Line Cook-5266738 9.00 - 9.00 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/22/08 37
Room Service Server AM-5278133 9.00 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/18/08 38
802776-Temporary Aide-5249684 9.00 Full Time/Regular DENVER 06/03/08 39
Team Member/Customer S-5270682 9.00 Part Time/Regular DENVER 04/30/08 40
Dining Services Associ-5274338 8.75 Part Time/Regular DENVER 07/23/08 41
Cashier/Food Prep-5281190 8.50 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/16/08 42
Utility worker-restaur-5281026 8.50 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/15/08 43
Utility worker-restaur-5279325 8.50 Part Time/Regular DENVER 07/01/08 44
Food Handler-5270611 7.50 - 8.50 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/22/08 45
PREP COOKS-5279523 7.02 - 8.50 Part Time/Temp DENVER 07/02/08 46
Steward-5270095 8.25 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/23/08 47
Food Preparation Worke-5266737 8.25 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/22/08 48
Food Production-5281194 8.25 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/16/08 49
Driver's Helper-5279142 8.20 Full Time/Regular DENVER 06/30/08 50
Host/Hostess-5266740 8.00 - 8.00 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/22/08 51
Dishwasher/utility/bus-5281083 8.00 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/15/08 52
Banquet Server-5278754 8.00 Part Time/Temp To Reg DENVER 06/26/08 53
Cafeteria / Food Sanit-5276711 8.00 Full Time/Regular DENVER 06/12/08 54
Cashier-5270687 7.50 - 8.00 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/22/08 55
BANQUET SERVERS-5277987 7.02 - 8.00 Part Time/Temp DENVER 06/23/08 56
Prep Cook-5278751 7.25 Part Time/Temp To Reg DENVER 06/26/08 57
Server-5267458 7.05 - 7.05 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/23/08 58
Banquets Houseperson-5281591 7.02 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/24/08 59
Dishwashers-5277918 7.02 Full Time/Temp DENVER 07/21/08 60
PM Cafe Server-5281341 7.02 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/18/08 61
AM Cafe Server-5281343 7.02 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/18/08 62
Dishwasher-5278750 7.02 Part Time/Temp To Reg DENVER 06/26/08 63
Beer and Wine Server-5278755 7.02 Part Time/Temp To Reg DENVER 06/26/08 64
Bartenders-5274853 5.50 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/22/08 65
Waiters and Waitresses-5271233 5.50 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/22/08 66
Food & Beverage Cockta-5273351 4.35 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/22/08 67
Waitress-5280754 4.00 Full Time/Regular DENVER 07/14/08 68

 

[PrinceofWands]

So apparently I have somehow managed to randomly live in every place in America where minimum wage is common. What are the odds?

 

[Jmman]

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands
So apparently I have somehow managed to randomly live in every place in America where minimum wage is common. What are the odds?

Maybe so! Actually, there are places where the minimum wage does come more into play. I helped open a restaurant in Brownsville Texas once and the owner put an ad in the local paper offering jobs at minimum wage or close, and he got 5000 applications within 4 days! Of course, the wage pressure and high unemployment from illegal workers or immigrants in Brownsville (right on the Mexican border) is an extreme example........

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: Jmman

I don't know where you live, but here in Denver your observation about wages is pretty much crap. Heck, even McDonalds around here advertises $8-$12 to start. Waiters with tips are making $10-$15 an hour. Bartenders, even more. Truthfully, not many people around here make minimum wage. As a business manager, owner, and consultant I can tell you that if you offer minimum wage your aren't going to get many applications or any at all.....

Here is a quick job search for Denver for restaurant workers. The vast majority of them start at 8-10 an hour. And how many of them pay minimum wage to start? Exactly none, if you include tips.

Denver is a pricey city not like Tulsa.

Tulsa you will see people making $6.55hr

 

[shortylickens]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: XZeroII
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25822136/

Here's some of the best parts about this magnificent news:

About 2 million Americans get a raise Thursday as the federal minimum wage rises 70 cents. The bad news: Higher gas and food prices are swallowing it up, and some small businesses will pass the cost of the wage hike to consumers.

Here's more good news.

David Heath, owner of Tiki Tan in College Station, Texas, said the increase will force him to raise prices for his monthly tanning services by about 12 percent. Tiki Tan had been paying its employees $6 per hour. "There just isn't any room for profit, and so this is why prices will have to go up," he said, citing the wage increase and higher fuel costs. "I have to recoup those costs."

but wait! There's more!

But he said he did not expect the change to have a major impact on the economy because recent increases in productivity, which enables companies to produce more with fewer workers, are keeping labor costs in check.

Fewer workers??? so basically they can recoup those costs by making the survivors work harder and by laying a bunch of people off! What good news!

This is the best thing in the world. Wow. I love it when the government goes and starts mucking with stuff. It's so wonderfull for everyone.

What's a fair price then since obviously $6 an hr is too much that he can't make a profit?

$3hr ?

$2hr ?

$1hr ?

25 cents?

You ever wonder why they have so many asian and (sometimes) mexican girls working in those salons?