Living on minimum wage, 50s to present

[kwc57]

I worked for a minimum wage of $1.60 back in the early 70's

That must have been terrible, why $1.60 in 1970's dollars only has the buying power of $9.50 today.
Inflation Calculator: Bureau of Labor Statistics

That's all you got out of my post? Really? BTW, I worked less than 20 hours a week. It was to pay for the used car my twin brother and I bought together and buy gas. Minimum wage jobs are starter jobs or extra income jobs. They are not jobs that you can support yourself with. Never have been, never will be.

 

[ReallyMeow]

You worked for the equivalent of $9.50 an hour, whats wrong with obama's $9 an hour minimum wage?

 

[ConHog]

I worked for a minimum wage of $1.60 back in the early 70's

That must have been terrible, why $1.60 in 1970's dollars only has the buying power of $9.50 today.
Inflation Calculator: Bureau of Labor Statistics

That's all you got out of my post? Really? BTW, I worked less than 20 hours a week. It was to pay for the used car my twin brother and I bought together and buy gas. Minimum wage jobs are starter jobs or extra income jobs. They are not jobs that you can support yourself with. Never have been, never will be.

Once again you ignore the real issue. How many people are hired at minimum wage and 5 years later are at the same job making maybe 50 cents more an hour than when hired? Or a dollar even.

Here's a newsflash, some companies aren't exactly reasonable with their pay.

 

[ReallyMeow]

companies dont pay their employees? now thats a laugh, oh you are too much

why should employees start out in poverty at all?

 

[Underhill]

Even excepting the premiss that raising the minimum wage will cause some people to lose their jobs, here is a question.

Which is better?

A job that actually pays enough that people are incentivised to go get that job or a job that pays so little that you are better off on social services?

A job where the pay rate is high enough that you can survive or a job where the rate is low enough that you still end up going to the government for help to feed your family?

I think the higher rate would get more people off their asses. It would mean less people on assistance in the long run. And in the short term it might, maybe, mean a slight dip in hiring among the lowest paying employers in the country.

I can live with that.

 

[kwc57]

That must have been terrible, why $1.60 in 1970's dollars only has the buying power of $9.50 today.
Inflation Calculator: Bureau of Labor Statistics

That's all you got out of my post? Really? BTW, I worked less than 20 hours a week. It was to pay for the used car my twin brother and I bought together and buy gas. Minimum wage jobs are starter jobs or extra income jobs. They are not jobs that you can support yourself with. Never have been, never will be.

Once again you ignore the real issue. How many people are hired at minimum wage and 5 years later are at the same job making maybe 50 cents more an hour than when hired? Or a dollar even.

Here's a newsflash, some companies aren't exactly reasonable with their pay.

If a person takes a minimum wage job and they're still working at it 5 years later for 50 cents more an hour, they would be someone who lacks any intelligence or ambition. As a Boy Scout leader, I deal with a lot of teenagers. When they get a job making minimum wage, they typically get a raise from anywhere between their first 3 months and first year. Most of them eventually take their work experience and find a better job paying more. It's how real life works. These kids are in school and living at home. They have minimum wage jobs because they have no work experience and they need pocket money. If you are a married person with children, a mortgage, car payments, etc. and all you can find is a minimum wage job, then you need to start expanding your range and be willing to uproot and move to where there is a good job. I don't blame an employer who has a minimum wage job for continuing to pay minimum wage. I blame the worker who thinks a minimum wage job is supposed to morph into a living wage job. That can happen if the employer has additional higher paying jobs and you do a good enough job to be moved into them as you gain more knowledge and experience. But if you work for a nursery digging holes to plant trees.....you may be the best hole digger in the world, but your pay is going to remain pretty much the same.

 

[ConHog]

That's all you got out of my post? Really? BTW, I worked less than 20 hours a week. It was to pay for the used car my twin brother and I bought together and buy gas. Minimum wage jobs are starter jobs or extra income jobs. They are not jobs that you can support yourself with. Never have been, never will be.

Once again you ignore the real issue. How many people are hired at minimum wage and 5 years later are at the same job making maybe 50 cents more an hour than when hired? Or a dollar even.

Here's a newsflash, some companies aren't exactly reasonable with their pay.

If a person takes a minimum wage job and they're still working at it 5 years later for 50 cents more an hour, they would be someone who lacks any intelligence or ambition. As a Boy Scout leader, I deal with a lot of teenagers. When they get a job making minimum wage, they typically get a raise from anywhere between their first 3 months and first year. Most of them eventually take their work experience and find a better job paying more. It's how real life works. These kids are in school and living at home. They have minimum wage jobs because they have no work experience and they need pocket money. If you are a married person with children, a mortgage, car payments, etc. and all you can find is a minimum wage job, then you need to start expanding your range and be willing to uproot and move to where there is a good job. I don't blame an employer who has a minimum wage job for continuing to pay minimum wage. I blame the worker who thinks a minimum wage job is supposed to morph into a living wage job. That can happen if the employer has additional higher paying jobs and you do a good enough job to be moved into them as you gain more knowledge and experience. But if you work for a nursery digging holes to plant trees.....you may be the best hole digger in the world, but your pay is going to remain pretty much the same.

Certainly that makes more sense than accepting the fact that some people are just not capable of more, and oh yeah SOMEONE has to do those jobs anyway, may as well ensure that those who are don't have to go on welfare to help make ends meet.

 

[kwc57]

Once again you ignore the real issue. How many people are hired at minimum wage and 5 years later are at the same job making maybe 50 cents more an hour than when hired? Or a dollar even.

Here's a newsflash, some companies aren't exactly reasonable with their pay.

If a person takes a minimum wage job and they're still working at it 5 years later for 50 cents more an hour, they would be someone who lacks any intelligence or ambition. As a Boy Scout leader, I deal with a lot of teenagers. When they get a job making minimum wage, they typically get a raise from anywhere between their first 3 months and first year. Most of them eventually take their work experience and find a better job paying more. It's how real life works. These kids are in school and living at home. They have minimum wage jobs because they have no work experience and they need pocket money. If you are a married person with children, a mortgage, car payments, etc. and all you can find is a minimum wage job, then you need to start expanding your range and be willing to uproot and move to where there is a good job. I don't blame an employer who has a minimum wage job for continuing to pay minimum wage. I blame the worker who thinks a minimum wage job is supposed to morph into a living wage job. That can happen if the employer has additional higher paying jobs and you do a good enough job to be moved into them as you gain more knowledge and experience. But if you work for a nursery digging holes to plant trees.....you may be the best hole digger in the world, but your pay is going to remain pretty much the same.

Certainly that makes more sense than accepting the fact that some people are just not capable of more, and oh yeah SOMEONE has to do those jobs anyway, may as well ensure that those who are don't have to go on welfare to help make ends meet.

Here is what makes sense. Just about anyone who isn't physically or mentally handicapped can bag groceries, dig holes or take movie tickets. Doing brain surgery requires a bit more effort and ability. Different jobs have different worths and different pay. A guy who owns a gorcery store knows that he will have a constant influx of new employees made up of teenagers getting their first job or housewives bringing in a little extra income. That is who he hires and he knows that he won't be handing any of them a gold watch after 30 years of loyal service. Minimum wage jobs fill a vital role in our economy, but they are a springboard. They are the kindergarten of jobs. It takes a lot to get from there to a PHD. You take a low paying starter job doing menial labor that any other person on t he face of the earth can do. If you do a good job, you'll most likely get a bump in pay. If you're really good and there are better high paying jobs in the company, you can probably move up and make more pay as they come available. Or you hear from your friend that the warehouse he works at is hiring and they pay $10 an hour and you go apply. The manager interviews you and looks at the work experience you've built up and decides to hire you. You graduate high school and because you and/or your family don't have a lot of money, you choose the vo-tech or community college. You study plumbing, HVAC, etc. or you take EMT training or get an associates in accounting. You find a job making more than your $10 per hour warehouse job you did as a kid. Then you lather, rinse and repeat.

Now tell me how it's the grocery store owner's fault that you don't take some personal initiative to better yourself over time.

 

[ConHog]

If a person takes a minimum wage job and they're still working at it 5 years later for 50 cents more an hour, they would be someone who lacks any intelligence or ambition. As a Boy Scout leader, I deal with a lot of teenagers. When they get a job making minimum wage, they typically get a raise from anywhere between their first 3 months and first year. Most of them eventually take their work experience and find a better job paying more. It's how real life works. These kids are in school and living at home. They have minimum wage jobs because they have no work experience and they need pocket money. If you are a married person with children, a mortgage, car payments, etc. and all you can find is a minimum wage job, then you need to start expanding your range and be willing to uproot and move to where there is a good job. I don't blame an employer who has a minimum wage job for continuing to pay minimum wage. I blame the worker who thinks a minimum wage job is supposed to morph into a living wage job. That can happen if the employer has additional higher paying jobs and you do a good enough job to be moved into them as you gain more knowledge and experience. But if you work for a nursery digging holes to plant trees.....you may be the best hole digger in the world, but your pay is going to remain pretty much the same.

Certainly that makes more sense than accepting the fact that some people are just not capable of more, and oh yeah SOMEONE has to do those jobs anyway, may as well ensure that those who are don't have to go on welfare to help make ends meet.

Here is what makes sense. Just about anyone who isn't physically or mentally handicapped can bag groceries, dig holes or take movie tickets. Doing brain surgery requires a bit more effort and ability. Different jobs have different worths and different pay. A guy who owns a gorcery store knows that he will have a constant influx of new employees made up of teenagers getting their first job or housewives bringing in a little extra income. That is who he hires and he knows that he won't be handing any of them a gold watch after 30 years of loyal service. Minimum wage jobs fill a vital role in our economy, but they are a springboard. They are the kindergarten of jobs. It takes a lot to get from there to a PHD. You take a low paying starter job doing menial labor that any other person on t he face of the earth can do. If you do a good job, you'll most likely get a bump in pay. If you're really good and there are better high paying jobs in the company, you can probably move up and make more pay as they come available. Or you hear from your friend that the warehouse he works at is hiring and they pay $10 an hour and you go apply. The manager interviews you and looks at the work experience you've built up and decides to hire you. You graduate high school and because you and/or your family don't have a lot of money, you choose the vo-tech or community college. You study plumbing, HVAC, etc. or you take EMT training or get an associates in accounting. You find a job making more than your $10 per hour warehouse job you did as a kid. Then you lather, rinse and repeat.

Now tell me how it's the grocery store owner's fault that you don't take some personal initiative to better yourself over time.

Dude, we are talking about people who are incapable of bettering themselves. Do you deny that those folks exist? Of course they do, and of course anyone who i making anywhere within a dollar of MW within say 2 years of being hired is probably one of them, but being incapable of bettering oneself is NOT a reason to deny people human dignity.

 

[Uncensored2008]

I worked for a minimum wage of $1.60 back in the early 70's

That must have been terrible, why $1.60 in 1970's dollars only has the buying power of $9.50 today.
Inflation Calculator: Bureau of Labor Statistics

False.

$1.60 in 1975 (dead center of the 70's) calculates to $6.85

 

[Uncensored2008]

companies dont pay their employees? now thats a laugh, oh you are too much

why should employees start out in poverty at all?

If all new hires should be made CEO, how does that work? What if two people are hired in the same day?

 

[HomeInspect]

Just what is wrong with a declining standard of living for Americans?

But I got to ask, home inspect. What is it that I have become dependent on government for?

I have multiple homes, tens of thousands of dollars, a job and my wife has a good job. We pay our taxes on time utilizing the same deductions you do.

So tell me, what is it that I get from the US governmet that you don't.

Zeke, when I talk about we as a society, I am not talking about you. Do you not see many people using government as a crutch. Look at every major city in this country (all run by Democrats mind you) and the urban plight and poverty. Look at how many people are dependent on government for food, shelter, health care, fuel etc. Look at what we give illegal immigrants and what that costs tax payers each year. (more than the middle east wars my friend) Let a conservative offer a program which cuts a few gimmies in order to make people self sufficient, and they are labeled cold and heartless. If you keep putting out food for the neighborhood cat, after a few weeks, will he ever try to catch a mouse? NO. (unless the food runs out)

 

[kwc57]

Certainly that makes more sense than accepting the fact that some people are just not capable of more, and oh yeah SOMEONE has to do those jobs anyway, may as well ensure that those who are don't have to go on welfare to help make ends meet.

Here is what makes sense. Just about anyone who isn't physically or mentally handicapped can bag groceries, dig holes or take movie tickets. Doing brain surgery requires a bit more effort and ability. Different jobs have different worths and different pay. A guy who owns a gorcery store knows that he will have a constant influx of new employees made up of teenagers getting their first job or housewives bringing in a little extra income. That is who he hires and he knows that he won't be handing any of them a gold watch after 30 years of loyal service. Minimum wage jobs fill a vital role in our economy, but they are a springboard. They are the kindergarten of jobs. It takes a lot to get from there to a PHD. You take a low paying starter job doing menial labor that any other person on t he face of the earth can do. If you do a good job, you'll most likely get a bump in pay. If you're really good and there are better high paying jobs in the company, you can probably move up and make more pay as they come available. Or you hear from your friend that the warehouse he works at is hiring and they pay $10 an hour and you go apply. The manager interviews you and looks at the work experience you've built up and decides to hire you. You graduate high school and because you and/or your family don't have a lot of money, you choose the vo-tech or community college. You study plumbing, HVAC, etc. or you take EMT training or get an associates in accounting. You find a job making more than your $10 per hour warehouse job you did as a kid. Then you lather, rinse and repeat.

Now tell me how it's the grocery store owner's fault that you don't take some personal initiative to better yourself over time.

Dude, we are talking about people who are incapable of bettering themselves. Do you deny that those folks exist? Of course they do, and of course anyone who i making anywhere within a dollar of MW within say 2 years of being hired is probably one of them, but being incapable of bettering oneself is NOT a reason to deny people human dignity.

Please reread my highlighted comment above for content. For the people who fit in this category, safety nets already exist. Forcing every employer in the nation to pay a higher wage because of a small minority of people isn't the solution now is it? Know why? Because just like welfare, there are people out there who will take advantage of it. It's easier to work a starter job for 20 years and make enough to live off of than to apply yourself and better yourself to have more. Do you deny that those folks exist?

 

[ConHog]

Here is what makes sense. Just about anyone who isn't physically or mentally handicapped can bag groceries, dig holes or take movie tickets. Doing brain surgery requires a bit more effort and ability. Different jobs have different worths and different pay. A guy who owns a gorcery store knows that he will have a constant influx of new employees made up of teenagers getting their first job or housewives bringing in a little extra income. That is who he hires and he knows that he won't be handing any of them a gold watch after 30 years of loyal service. Minimum wage jobs fill a vital role in our economy, but they are a springboard. They are the kindergarten of jobs. It takes a lot to get from there to a PHD. You take a low paying starter job doing menial labor that any other person on t he face of the earth can do. If you do a good job, you'll most likely get a bump in pay. If you're really good and there are better high paying jobs in the company, you can probably move up and make more pay as they come available. Or you hear from your friend that the warehouse he works at is hiring and they pay $10 an hour and you go apply. The manager interviews you and looks at the work experience you've built up and decides to hire you. You graduate high school and because you and/or your family don't have a lot of money, you choose the vo-tech or community college. You study plumbing, HVAC, etc. or you take EMT training or get an associates in accounting. You find a job making more than your $10 per hour warehouse job you did as a kid. Then you lather, rinse and repeat.

Now tell me how it's the grocery store owner's fault that you don't take some personal initiative to better yourself over time.

Dude, we are talking about people who are incapable of bettering themselves. Do you deny that those folks exist? Of course they do, and of course anyone who i making anywhere within a dollar of MW within say 2 years of being hired is probably one of them, but being incapable of bettering oneself is NOT a reason to deny people human dignity.

Please reread my highlighted comment above for content. For the people who fit in this category, safety nets already exist. Forcing every employer in the nation to pay a higher wage because of a small minority of people isn't the solution now is it? Know why? Because just like welfare, there are people out there who will take advantage of it. It's easier to work a starter job for 20 years and make enough to live off of than to apply yourself and better yourself to have more. Do you deny that those folks exist?

Not everyone who is not suited for a better job is handicapped man.

 

[oldfart]

If taxes and all that government support are so good for the economy, then why doesn't the government actually raise taxes that high? Because doing so would crush the economy faster than anything else.

tax rate was 94% coming out of ww2, myth busted

The 90%+ income tax rates were a product of war financing. While the very high rates were only for millionaires (and a million a year of income was quite a bit in 1942!) the rates were comparatively high for everyone. The economics were simple: with consumer goods production cut to the bone to divert resources to war production, some way had to be found to limit consumption and avoid inflationary pressures of large holdings of cash by the public. The answer was rationing, price controls, selling War bonds to the public, and high taxes.

After the war marginal income tax rates came down, especially on the working class. The Kennedy tax cuts made the top rate 50% on personal service earned income, and 70% on everything else. These rates prevailed during the period of highest economic growth in modern American history.

 

[Uncensored2008]

Not everyone who is not suited for a better job is handicapped man.

What determines who is suited for a better job? Should there be commissars who decide what jobs people hold? Maybe Obama can appoint people who will decide the position and wage of every person in America? The evil rich can clean toilets and not be paid, while Janitors can be put in charge of IBM and Monsanto!

 

[Uncensored2008]

The 90%+ income tax rates were a product of war financing. While the very high rates were only for millionaires (and a million a year of income was quite a bit in 1942!) the rates were comparatively high for everyone. The economics were simple: with consumer goods production cut to the bone to divert resources to war production, some way had to be found to limit consumption and avoid inflationary pressures of large holdings of cash by the public. The answer was rationing, price controls, selling War bonds to the public, and high taxes.

After the war marginal income tax rates came down, especially on the working class. The Kennedy tax cuts made the top rate 50% on personal service earned income, and 70% on everything else. These rates prevailed during the period of highest economic growth in modern American history.

So, if we can find a way to completely destroy the infrastructure of Europe and Asia, we can jack rates up with an expectation of similar results - assuming federal regulators are laid off first...

Oh, you didn't grasp the reason for the growth?

 

[ConHog]

Not everyone who is not suited for a better job is handicapped man.

What determines who is suited for a better job? Should there be commissars who decide what jobs people hold? Maybe Obama can appoint people who will decide the position and wage of every person in America? The evil rich can clean toilets and not be paid, while Janitors can be put in charge of IBM and Monsanto!

What the.............? I honestly don't even know how to respond to that since it essentially has no bearing on my post that you quoted.

 

[Dragonlady]

Forcing every employer in the nation to pay a higher wage because of a small minority of people isn't the solution now is it? Know why? Because just like welfare, there are people out there who will take advantage of it. It's easier to work a starter job for 20 years and make enough to live off of than to apply yourself and better yourself to have more. Do you deny that those folks exist?

This is NOT forcing every employer in the nation to pay a higher wage, it's asking those who pay the least, some of whom are the most profitable companies in the US, to pay their lowest wage employees a reasonable wage - enough to pay basic necessities for one person.

This would reduce the need for food stamps and other low income aid programs, thereby reducing government expenditures and making companies responsible for paying a decent basic wage to their workers.

Walmart has no problem paying it's workers $10.25 in Canada, and the Canadian subsidiary was still a highly profitable company.

 

[dblack]

Forcing every employer in the nation to pay a higher wage because of a small minority of people isn't the solution now is it? Know why? Because just like welfare, there are people out there who will take advantage of it. It's easier to work a starter job for 20 years and make enough to live off of than to apply yourself and better yourself to have more. Do you deny that those folks exist?

This is NOT forcing every employer in the nation to pay a higher wage, it's asking those who pay the least, some of whom are the most profitable companies in the US, to pay their lowest wage employees a reasonable wage - enough to pay basic necessities for one person.

This would reduce the need for food stamps and other low income aid programs, thereby reducing government expenditures and making companies responsible for paying a decent basic wage to their workers.

Walmart has no problem paying it's workers $10.25 in Canada, and the Canadian subsidiary was still a highly profitable company.

But the 'mom and pops' competing with Walmart might have more of a problem. Raising overhead always favors the bigger companies.