NEW living wage??

[Guest]

If you believe that GMO and pesticide inserted foods are just as healthy and OK for you as natural grown organic food, please private message me, I have a bunch of $30 bills I can sell you for real cheap !

[EightFingers]

Gypsy69,

Your wish has been granted. No one in Hawaii will be paid less than $15/hour.

So now what happens?

[Guest]

Great question Eightfingers,

Again I will only give you an opinion on this so please take it that way. Most who are working at these wages, would help you more with the actual answers you may be needing to hear. I would assume some would be able to work one less JOB, I say job because most are not careers. This in turn could mean a few more fathers and mothers spending more time with their own kids (Better up bringing cant hurt).Or teen-agers being able to afford a better education. Those are things worth working for. Most of these folks working minimum wage jobs have pretty good work ethics to be there in the first place. Now they should have more incentives to keep their JOBS, which in turn may lead to more productivity with in the work force, ( maybe less stealing from with in the work place?.) Maybe their can be better relationships between the employers and employees rather than the next one up mentalities?. Hopefully more full time work for those who need benefits for themselves or children?. Really most of the minimum wage working class are just equal human beings who have not given up yet and should be treated as so. To not care, or not walk in their shoes yet pass judgment or assume its all their fault really shows a lot about how we were raised. What is the rich afraid of?. That one day their slaves may have enough saved, with a better stronger work ethic to go with the money that they themselves will be replaced?. I know many good people who make the minimum and could answer your question probably better than myself Eightfingers. GREAT QUESTION though.

[Russell]

Wow, it is so strange to be attacked for contributing to the discussion. Snark much?
Terracore - If ever I'm asking someone to sing my praises, I'll make the request clearly, and I surely won't ask you. Try addressing the actual points raised - no one else is hearing the voices in your head.
Obie- You would oppose me if I said the world is round. You tell me that the pono thing would be to give all my employees a raise; I do exactly that, every year, over and over. And none of them started at minimum. So once again, when I've done exactly as you wish, you still throw stones at me. Why? Seriously, why, Obie???
Rob- there are at least 3 other threads about GMOs. Why are you griping about Bill 113 & GMOs on a minimum wage topic? And your distaste for natural foods has been made clear, why derail this thread? But I do appreciate Rob's willingness to use his real name and stand behind his comments.
No one expects the outcome to be a $15 minimum wage. But it's time to increase it.
For those who oppose a wage increase, let's carry your logic to its conclusion - abolish the minimum wage or make it 50c/ hour. Is that the society you desire? Shall we move toward China's labor policies? Or shall we be our brother's keeper, and care about the least among us?

Russell

[Russell]

PS to answer Obie's other question- our pay rates vary with the job and experience. All are above minimum. About 2/3 of my employees are full time. Almost all are over 20 hours/week, and thus get employer-paid health insurance. I hope this answers your question.

Russell

[Obie]

Russell

If you read my question I ask "How much do you pay your employees and how many are part time?"

Don't see any stone throwing there.As usual though you try to throw up a smokescreen and turn to attack mode.

[Russell]

Upon re-reading, I owe you an apology, Obie. Sorry, my snide comment was un-called for in this case. I hope you forgive me.


Russell

[kalakoa]

Minimum wage needs to be tied, however loosely, to the actual cost-of-living.

Everything else works this way: costs go up, so prices are raised to pass that cost along.

Today's "double it to $15" will be inadequate within 10 years.

[sputnut]

Less than that. Increasing min wage only causes prices to rise all along the board and in the end, everyone is making the same buying power but with bigger numbers. Those who were making a good wage whose employers can't afford to give them the same percentage of dollars over minimum that they were making before are actually going to be making less in reality. (for instance, if minimum wage doubles to $15, then the guy who is making $15 now would need to make $30/ hour to keep it equal, but no employer is going to do that.) It ends up after 2-3 years that minimum wage earners make the same as they were in actual buying power, and all the rest make less in actual buying power, and the rich get richer, as usual.
I don't know what the answer is for this economy, but I know raising the minimum wage isn't it. Think long term. Think how it affects us all, not just those making minimum wage now. Remember, if most of the ones making minimum follow the pattern of their predecessors, they will get raises and better jobs and it won't matter in the big picture. Only those who are too lazy to excel and work hard to get ahead will still be making minimum wage in 2-3 years, and maybe that's all right. Even the Bible says if they are too lazy to work, don't let them eat.(2 thes 3:10-11) They will learn to work or do without. Very few are actually "stuck" in minimum wage jobs.

comin' your way soon!

[Obie]

Thank you Russell !