I think minimum wage should be $25/ hour. Agree or disagree?

[Anonymous]

I’m so sick of how expensive everything is, and jobs NOT keeping up with it. This would ensure that ALL those who are willing to work a full time job, can afford to feed themselves and keep a roof over their heads. This would also lead to higher job satisfaction, companies retaining workers, and increased productivity. If you cannot afford to pay someone a wage that can be lived on, then you should not be in business.

Agree

Disagree

[docster]

Raising minimum wage makes prices go up even more. It's a vicious cycle. Thirty-eight years ago, when I got my first part-time job, the wage was $3.35/hour and you could feed three people at a fast food restaurant for under $5. Today, that meal would probably be pushing $50.

[jahaims]

If a company is forced to pay more then they just raise their prices. So raising minimum wage helps nothing. Gain a skill that someone will pay for instead of asking for free money. You are paid your worth.

[Kelley1]

Instantly the unemployment rate increases to 25% because every employee not worth $25 per hour is laid off.

[debbiedenise]

Minimum wage goes up, then prices go up and workers and/or workers hours are cut.

[debbiedenise]

Thanks for MHO.

[exitseven]

if you think that prices are high now, wait until minimum wage is 25 bucks an hour. You will be paying 25 bucks fora hamburger at McDonalds.

[Ariesman81]

Minimum wage jobs should be filled by highschool kids with few obligations, not adults who lack skills.

[CheeseMonster]

So places with minimum wage employees should never be open during school hours?

[Ariesman81]

@CheeseMonster I could get on board with that. The adults should be working anyway.

[CheeseMonster]

I could also get on board with that. I don't think most companies who pay minimum wage would go for it though.

[Ariesman81]

@CheeseMonster Well, the only other option would be to overpay for an adult who made less than stellar life choices.

[CheeseMonster]

If minimum wage should only be for teenagers working part time after school, then why shouldn't adults who can work full time during school hours not be paid more, even just for that? The skills is one part, the time availability is a whole other part, also valuable.

[Ariesman81]

@CheeseMonster not valuable if I have to cut margins to break even. I'd rather close or automate.

[CheeseMonster]

Then they can close or automate. But instead, right now, they pay minimum wage for people working more than what you've called minimum wage worth of work. Close and automate, or raise the wages for those jobs, either is fine with me.

[Ariesman81]

@CheeseMonster or... keep the wages the same and let the people who desperately need the work work those jobs and complain it's not enough

[CheeseMonster]

So underpay people?

[Ariesman81]

@CheeseMonster Is it underpaying if people accept the job?

[Asker]

@ariesman81 no one is entitled to another person‘s labor without paying a wage that can be lived on. I don’t care what the job is.

[CheeseMonster]

Yes. How much someones time and work is worth does not change depending on whether they accept a job or not.

[Ariesman81]

Then don't take the job. But an employee isn't entitled to higher compensation if they don't bring value other than just existing.

[CheeseMonster]

We just discussed that the value they bring is time. They can work more hours and work during school hours. This makes them more valuable as workers than highschoolers, who you said deserve minimum wage. So these people bring value that is worth more than minimum wage by your logic. But the employers don't have to pay what it's worth, they just have ro pay as if it's only highschoolers working part time.

[Ariesman81]

@CheeseMonster Well... the market dictates what their time is worth. If their time were valuable and marketable... then they wouldn't be applying for minimum wage jobs now would they?

[CheeseMonster]

So you don't think that any sort of labor has any inherent worth, it all comes down to what the market says? In that case, I'm surprised you are okay with any minimum wage. It seems like forcing employers to pay any amount for any type of labor would break this "balance" of the market deciding worth.

[Ariesman81]

@CheeseMonster of course labor has inherent worth. If it didn't people would give labor for free. But you're right, I don't believe in a minimum wage. I believe wages should be based on skill set, knowledge, and value. And if an employer can hire an employee at a lesser amount and both parties agree to the terms, then that is an equitable agreement between both parties. If anything, minimum wage is market manipulation.

[CheeseMonster]

Unfortunately your belief in basing wages on skill set, knowledge, and labor are all made completely irrelevant by putting all control into simply party agreement. People who can afford to be picky will get paid more than you believe they should, and people who can't afford to be picky will get paid less than you believe they should—but at the same time everyone would get paid exactly what they should, because both parties agreed to it. You can't have it both ways. Either labor has inherent value that deserves certain level of payment, or it has no inherent value and payment should be determined solely by free market. I suppose you could find a compromise, but that's just where we are now, and neither perspective seems too happy with it.

[Ariesman81]

@CheeseMonster Yeah... I think you've analyzed my position correctly. The only discrepancy I have is with your statement about picky people being paid more. The market will always correct entitlement. Sure, they can be picky, doesn't mean they'll get a job.. the market dictates that. There are multiple trades where 1st year apprentices are making $25/hr because the pool of potential workers is smaller. That's the market at work.
But to say a flooded field should pay the same, just because, is foolish in my opinion.

[CheeseMonster]

So you do not value skill, you value demand. If more people go into the trades with small pools they will get larger and become less valuable, and if people all leave the large pools the ones who stay will go up in value since they are now rare. I don't believe the same way, but I do agree demand has some value.

Not needing a job and not having one means you can spend your time and labor on yourself, essentially working for yourself and potentially even starting a business and becoming an employer too. So they still get a job even if nobody else hires them, as long as they can afford to work independently.

[Ariesman81]

@CheeseMonster No... I value skill and knowledge. The market values supply and demand. But I agree with your assessment on how the market will respond.
And absolutely, investing in yourself is always the best move. Just know that as an employer... everyone will want more!

[CheeseMonster]

If you value skill and knowledge, then why do you think skill and knowledge should not have value in the market?

[TheStaleMarshmellow]

If everybody gets $25 as a bottom line. That isn't going to reduce cost

[seeyounexttuesday]

If you think things are expensive now, wait till you have $25 an hour factored into the price of your goods and services.

[Anonymous]

Just forces the price of everything else up so it equals again anyway. That is never the solution.

[Anonymous]

That’s because you’re a fake dentist. 🫢

[Asker]

Very strange comment

[KostasKouvalis]

Make it $25, but don't raise the prices

[Anonymous]

Abolish unions and minimum wage.

[BarryLiverstone]

Disagree

[BarryLiverstone]

Min wage should be under $10 an hour