[suicidesaints]

Originally Posted by kyle is hk

But there isn't an infinite amount of jobs, so many would be forced to go to Joe's Corner store no? Instead of 10 people making minimum youd have 3 making minimum and 7 making more than minimum?

I agree that there is isn't an infinite amount of jobs, but shouldn't the minimum wage be universal.

Isn't the purpose of a minimum wage so that people aren't paid less that they should be. In the situation where the minimum wage is one amount for one business and another amount for another business makes the job market completely uneven for both prospective employees and the employers.

I feel like there should be a minimum wage based on the cost of living... anything above and beyond this wage would be awarded to people with skills, good work ethic, good job performance, longevity in the company.

Someone who gets hired at minimum wage running a register at WalMart shouldn't be making more than someone who gets hired at minimum wage doing the same job at Joe's Corner Store

[kyle is hk]

Originally Posted by Jake Gyllenhaal

Do you want to pay $10 for a hamburger just so McDonald's worker gets a 20% increase?

Would that necessarily happen though? That's what I'm hoping to get out of this discussion.

[suicidesaints]

Originally Posted by Jake Gyllenhaal

Do you want to pay $10 for a hamburger just so McDonald's worker gets a 20% increase?

Why would McDonalds have to raise the price of their food 300+% in order to give the workers a 20% pay raise?

[knash9]

Originally Posted by kyle is hk

And why wouldn't this cause terrible inflation?

I'm more concerned with fulltime workers living in poverty than some inflation that may result from trying to prevent that.

[lp670sv]

Originally Posted by suicidesaints

Why would McDonalds have to raise the price of their food 300+% in order to give the workers a 20% pay raise?

because that's how corporate logic works. If you cut in to their profits, they must raise prices to make that money back 3 times over.

[Jake Gyllenhaal]

Originally Posted by caveBEAR

-____-

Originally Posted by suicidesaints

Why would McDonalds have to raise the price of their food 300+% in order to give the workers a 20% pay raise?

I've just been playing devil's advocate in this thread. The $10 hamburger was taken from fox news article commenters.

[kyle is hk]

Originally Posted by birdman

I would counter by saying that minimum wage is a starting point mostly enjoyed by by those working their first part-time jobs under the age of 18.

So if you have work experience and are over the age of 18 and you are still stuck at minimum wage, then in my experience, there is something you aren't doing right. I stopped making minimum wage when I was 15, I have never known a single person over the age of 18 who made minimum wage.

"In my experience" isn't that strong an argument. I'm trying to take myself of a my middle-class northeastern bobble for perspective:

Lets say little kyleishk lives in Mississippi. In this small town I don't have a wealthy family who can pay for my education. In this town, a store like Walmart has moved in and put much of the smaller shops out of business. Now most all of the jobs that don't require a college education are monopolized by minimum-wage paying Walmart. I'd like to earn more money but that's very hard without higher education, which I can't afford since I'm stuck at a minimum wage job. What about this cycle?

[kyle is hk]

Originally Posted by Jake Gyllenhaal

I've just been playing devil's advocate in this thread. The $10 hamburger was taken from fox news article commenters.

You're devils advocating my devils advocating?? We might break something

[kyle is hk]

Originally Posted by knash9

I'm more concerned with fulltime workers living in poverty than some inflation that may result from trying to prevent that.

But if there's too much inflation wont they just be making X+2 dollars in poverty instead of X dollars in poverty?

[birdman]

Originally Posted by kyle is hk

"In my experience" isn't that strong an argument. I'm trying to take myself of a my middle-class northeastern bobble for perspective:

Lets say little kyleishk lives in Mississippi. In my small town I don't have a wealthy family who can pay for my education. In my town, a store like Walmart has moved in and put much of the smaller shops out of business. Now most all of the jobs that don't require a college education are monopolized by minimum-wage paying Walmart. I'd like to earn more money but that's very hard without higher education, which I can't afford since I'm stuck at a minimum wage job. What about this cycle?

I don't come from a wealthy family and I paid for my own education through loans. A small town would have a lower population, meaning less unskilled workers, and unless you live in the middle of nowhere, there is probably another town 15 minutes away that has positions.

And, honestly, I worked a Wal-Mart while I was in HS, it isn't as bad as people make it out to be. Then again I was 16.

Look, it's not always easy, but it isn't always hard either. Making a national discourse over an issue that essentially effects 1% of the working class just shows how easy it is for politicians to get people wrapped in emotion.

[kyle is hk]

Originally Posted by birdman

I don't come from a wealthy family and I paid for my own education through loans.

I also don't come from one and am paying for mine via loans. But not everyone can get loans depending on their background.

Quote:

A small town would have a lower population, meaning less unskilled workers, and unless you live in the middle of nowhere, there is probably another town 15 minutes away that has positions.

That's not how it works. Obviously I don't just mean single towns, but entire sprawled out regions who end up being dominated by large chains.

Quote:

Look, it's not always easy, but it isn't always hard either. Making a national discourse over an issue that essentially effects 1% of the working class just shows how easy it is for politicians to get people wrapped in emotion.

Not sure the degree of hoopla should matter for what's right and wrong.

[a speedo model]

Originally Posted by Jake Gyllenhaal

Do you want to pay $10 for a hamburger just so McDonald's worker gets a 20% increase?

But it wouldn't be $10, to offset the costs McDonald's would just hire less workers making minimum wage so instead of 6 people behind the counter and in the kitchen, there would be 2.

I worked in retail and saw this all the time, they just cut hours and staff to a skeleton crew.

[knash9]

Originally Posted by kyle is hk

But if there's too much inflation wont they just be making X+2 dollars in poverty instead of X dollars in poverty?

I'd prefer X+3 dollars, personally. I think raising the minimum wage is the only real solution to get minimum wage workers out of poverty. I'm guessing the effects of inflation are overstated.

[suicidesaints]

Originally Posted by Jake Gyllenhaal

I've just been playing devil's advocate in this thread. The $10 hamburger was taken from fox news article commenters.

you needn't say more

[CollectiveConfusion]

Has anybody ever proposed raising the minimum wage for those who work full-time, rather than high school kids? I know the vast majority of companies would still work around it (ie make somebody work 39.5 hours), but... maybe some wouldn't?

Maybe a tiered system for the minimum wage?