Minimum wage increase passes House

[george_r_1961]

I have close family members living on minimum wage, and believe me, it's not enough to take care of a family on, no matter how much (or how little) it is. Seems like the "minimum wage" was intended as a guide for employers.

Exactly.

Everything goes up in price for one reason or another, not just wages, and it rarely goes down substantially when that reason has "gone away". I can't imagine how people can make it at all on minimum wage. If anything, they live paycheck to paycheck, no savings, no IRA's or 401k's of any substance if at all for later in life.

You can say that again. Once prices go up they stay up.

[HurriCat]

If that happens i will have to adjust the prices of my products upward. Are these lawmakers living in a fantasy world that the only thing that will change is the minimum wage? What is unfair is that those who are salaried usually do not see an increase in their wages thus decreasing the value of their salary.

Rising Prices? Brilliant! (to borrow from those beer ads on TV) - Yep, you nailed it. Raise the minimum wage and watch all of the prices jump up to cover it. The result is that the new wage has the same low-caliber buying power as did the old wage. "D" to the "U" to the "H"

[cajungal]

Okay, so doesn't this wage increase start soon? Like on our next paychecks, anyone know? Another question, okay, I been at my job at Sears for 7 and a half years yet still only make an embarrasing $6.68. I don't think it will be fair for me to get bumped up to only $7.25 and have new hires make the exact same pay. When I been there 3 times as long. Louisiana has no mininum wage law. So, that means they can pay you whatever they feel like it? I am trying to find another job because it seems like even Burger King pays more than Sears. (Not that I would ever go into fast food at my age)

[Brent]

It hasn't been passed by both Houses yet... should be later this year(probably soon with the new Congress)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U. ... imum_wages

Incoming 110th U.S. Congress will be seeking to raise the federal rate to $7.25 an hour sometime in early-to-mid 2007

[j]

When it passes, keep an eye on our Economic growth. Whoops...I mean decline. History repeats itself, and it will be no different this time. Small businesses (as well as greedy large corps like Sears and WalMart) will do what they have to do in order to maintain their profit margins.The math is simple.

A lot of teenageers might have to go back to shoveling snow or cutting grass to make some money.

[Pburgh]

JUMP ON

[cajungal]

Sears used to have a start rate at only $5.90. After working myself up to $6.47, they decided to have storewide raise of up to $6.55. Do you think after busting my butt for years at the store they care? I only got upped from $6.47 to $6.55 making the same as the newcomers. And when I got my review last year, I only got a raise of .13 cents! So, now I make $6.68. I was supposed to KC Staffing today which in an employment acency to find another job. But, stayed home due to severe weather moving into my area and did not want to be caught on the roads in it. But, definitly going on my next day off to hopefully find an office job. Sears cut me down to 20 hours a week since it is after the holidays. That is what I hate about retail! I want to find a job with a set 40 hours a week. I have a $185 car note to pay, car insurance at $ 137 a month, a credit card that I still owe $1,000, to and a cell phone bill that averages $45 a month. Plus, I have no benefits, and at age 30, I feel entirely too old to be living at home with my parents. I need to find a better job to support myself. I can type around 70 WAM and can catch on to a lot of computer programs fast. Business courses is all I pretty much took in high school and took 9 months of Office Occupations in trade school. It is 2007 and I am ready to take control of my life and ready for a change.

[gtalum]

When it passes, keep an eye on our Economic growth. Whoops...I mean decline. History repeats itself, and it will be no different this time. Small businesses (as well as greedy large corps like Sears and WalMart) will do what they have to do in order to maintain their profit margins.The math is simple.

A lot of teenageers might have to go back to shoveling snow or cutting grass to make some money.

Historically, this has not panned out. So few people make minimum wage that changing it does not have a big effect either way on the national economy or unemployment numbers. It's mostly just an emotional issue. I know here nobody pays minimum wage. Even McDonald's pays $8 an hour plus a several hundred dollar signing bonus to start.

Employers do not hire people they don't need. Rather than lay people off, employers that are affected will raise prices to compensate.

[j]

When it passes, keep an eye on our Economic growth. Whoops...I mean decline. History repeats itself, and it will be no different this time. Small businesses (as well as greedy large corps like Sears and WalMart) will do what they have to do in order to maintain their profit margins.The math is simple.

A lot of teenageers might have to go back to shoveling snow or cutting grass to make some money.

Historically, this has not panned out. So few people make minimum wage that changing it does not have a big effect either way on the national economy or unemployment numbers. It's mostly just an emotional issue. I know here nobody pays minimum wage. Even McDonald's pays $8 an hour plus a several hundred dollar signing bonus to start.

Employers do not hire people they don't need. Rather than lay people off, employers that are affected will raise prices to compensate.

History repeats itself here on s2k. We shall agree to disagree!

[gtalum]

History repeats itself here on s2k. We shall agree to disagree!

Can you provide specific examples of minimum wage increases causing economic contraction or unemployment increases?

I think minimum wage increases are ineffective and pointless, but there is no economic evidence that they're harmful.

[j]

History repeats itself here on s2k. We shall agree to disagree!

Can you provide specific examples of minimum wage increases causing economic contraction or unemployment increases?

I think minimum wage increases are ineffective and pointless, but there is no economic evidence that they're harmful.

I can. Here is one article that is quite specific.

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=6581

[gtalum]

And yet from 1991 to 2000 we had the longest period of peacetime economic growth in US history.

Also, unemployment dropped in every year from 1992-2000:



Further, as a business owner I can tell you that no business owner hires more employees than he needs, regardless of wages. IOW, I question your source's interpretation of the available data.

[Lindaloo]

A rate increase in the state of MS will cause people to go to another state to work, according to our fine Governor. Does not bother me because I already work in Alabama. There is no money to be made in MS, IMO.

[j]

And yet from 1991 to 2000 we had the longest period of peacetime economic growth in US history.

Also, unemployment dropped in every year from 1992-2000:



Further, as a business owner I can tell you that no business owner hires more employees than he needs, regardless of wages. IOW, I question your source's interpretation of the available data.

So...what is your point in reference to the economic growth from 1991 to 2000? The last min. wage increas was in 1997!

[gtalum]

The last two raises were in 1991 and 1997. Great economic growth continued after both increases. Neither resulted in increased unemployment.

[Windswept]

I challenge every person on this board to take their paychecks for one month and pay your rent or mortgage ( so as not to permanently damage your credit rating) then withdraw the amount equal to minimum wage and set aside the rest. Live on the minimum wage amount for one month - no cheating. Pay your utilities first, then groceries, then child care, then clothing and incidentals - then go out had have some "fun" with what is left. ( ha ha) Then report back to us at the end of the month and tell us what it was like.

[gtalum]

Good point, windswept, but very few people actually live on or near minimum wage.

[swimaster20]

I have people in my family that own their own businesses. They are very small operations with only a few employees. I know a minimum wage increase with hurth them very badly I think what should be done is a "staged" minimum wage. For example, employers with so many employees pay a certain minimum wage, employers with more employers pay a higher minimum wage, and so on. Eh...just my opinion.

[angelwing]

I know that if I wasn't working 2 full time jobs, we'd be on the street, we couldn't survive on minimum wage, not with our medical problems.

[gtalum]

I have people in my family that own their own businesses. They are very small operations with only a few employees. I know a minimum wage increase with hurth them very badly I think what should be done is a "staged" minimum wage. For example, employers with so many employees pay a certain minimum wage, employers with more employers pay a higher minimum wage, and so on. Eh...just my opinion.

Honestly if their whole business would be severely hurt by an increase of $84 per week per employee, the largest possible increase forced by the proposed new minimum wage, then they should reconsider their business.