"Living Wage" for Everyone?

[RKMBrown]

Here's some tough love for you, pull your head out of your ass.

Dividing up the existing wealth won't work, there's not enough to go around. If you confiscated all the wealth of the so called 'rich' and divided it up that's like shooting spit wads at the problem they just don't have enough money when spread across 300 million people. Stop drinking the government koolaid talking points about how if we only make the 'rich' pay their fair share that will fix anything. That talking point is designed to fool you into thinking its the rich who are the problem, its not its government.

The only long term solution to bringing our poor out of poverty and growing the middle class to a higher standard of living is generating new wealth via new businesses and more jobs. Sound simple except government is doing all it can to destroy existing jobs and stifle new business and job growth. Via corruption, debt, allowing millions of poor illegals into the country, driving existing jobs out of the country with ridiculous taxes and regulations or stupid trade deals with other countries.

So....still talking out of your ass. Generating new wealth does not cause job growth. Job growth is created by an increase in demand for existing labor.

For example, my hotel is currently on track to beat last year by approximately $1 million. That's alot of new wealth. Nothing therein creates new jobs. I'm not hiring new staff members, or hiring more staff than before. In fact, my contribution to that new wealth comes from me finding ways to reduce overall labor. We've create wealth by eliminating jobs.

Only a ******* idiot would ever claim that creating wealth creates jobs.

I see you are the poster child for dumb liberal. I drill 50 new oil wells hiring 500 workers and sell it on the world market for $80 million, new wealth, new jobs. I hire 1,000 workers to build the Keystone pipeline, suppliers hire 500 workers to provide the materials, their suppliers hire 250 workers to provide the raw materials, new wealth new jobs. Its not rocket science even your average idiot liberal should be able to get it.

Moron, you just proved your own point wrong. Creating wealth does not create jobs. It's the spending on goods and services that helps to create jobs.

Money can be spent without creating any new wealth. And new wealth can be created without spending it.

So says the one who paid close attention to his/her left wing moon bat economics teacher

Only government can create jobs according to these leftwing nutters. I have given up its like talking to a brick wall, nothing penetrates the liberal shell of stupid.

They're just acting like they don't understand. Truth is they are just lazy as dung holes. The only thing they ever produce is shit.

 

[SwimExpert]

Look idiot...ah you libs are hopeless never mind.

Look idiot....I'm not a "lib." Now keep your face shut, you're giving conservatives a bad name.

 

[SwimExpert]

So says the one who paid close attention to his/her left wing moon bat economics teacher

Just because you're an idiot is no reason to insult those of us who are educated and intelligent. Truth is, you're the one who is embracing bullshit liberal economic ideas. People don't hire people just for shits and giggles. Jobs are not handed out just because you want one. Just because someone has created new wealth does not mean they are going to spend it on creating new jobs.

 

[BluesLegend]

Look idiot...ah you libs are hopeless never mind.

Look idiot....I'm not a "lib." Now keep your face shut, you're giving conservatives a bad name.

Riiiiiight I get it (wink wink) /eyeroll

 

[SwimExpert]

If you ran a hotel and were wasting 1 million dollars in labor you didn't need, then you probably would have lost that hotel years ago.

You clearly didn't pay attention to what I said. I never said that the $1 million was strictly coming from reduced labor costs. I said that my contribution to that $1 million was mainly in reducing labor costs. The total $1 million is coming from a combination of factors. We're pulling higher rates, we've increased occupancy, we've reduced labor, we've increased penalty revenues, we've reduced service recovery compensation (that is also mainly thanks to myself), we've reduced relocations from overbookings (partially thanks to me), and we've reduced utility consumption, etc. It's all adding up.

As for people who get wealth from providing customers with products or services, the only way to increase that wealth is to sell more products and services. That takes more people.

Someone clearly doesn't know what they are talking about. As I just explained, one of the ways we've grown this past year is by increasing our rates. Under the old management, the hotel was leaving alot of money on the table. There were instances where rates were being set at $89 for the night, when they should have been set closer to $149 for the night. That's a whole lot of money being left behind. We've fixed that, by and large.

Aside from that, increasing productivity does not necessarily require more labor, if labor is not being utilized to maximum efficiency. I've reduced our labor usage because under the previous management it was horribly inefficient. For example, there was alot of overtime bleeding through from shift changes, while the outgoing staff briefed the incoming staff on the day's events. There was also alot of dead labor, due to the fact that shifts were structured in a simplistic block format. And there was too much compartmentalizing of job functions. I've redesigned the shift structure so that there's natural overlap. Instead of people being scheduled for 40hrs a week, and ending up with 1.5 to 2 hours of OT, they're now scheduled for 37.5 hrs. This way, if they run over, there's a built in cushion. Meanwhile, there's no more of someone leaving at 3pm and the next person arriving at 3pm. The outgoing person might be scheduled to leave at 3:30, while the incoming person arrives at 3pm. This way, they can review any notes necessary without exceeding their scheduled hours. I've also implemented flex shifts and mid shifts. Before, a moderate day might have been scheduled for two AM people at the Front Desk, and two more in the evening. The morning would be too busy for one person, and the evening would be too busy for one person. But I've moved to an approach where we rely more on mid-shifts to cover part of the morning and part of the afternoon/evening. I've also implemented flex scheduling. One day you might be scheduled for 9 hours, the next day you might be scheduled for 6 hours. This has allowed me to better target labor usage for actual business demand. If the business demand requires more than two people, but isn't enough to really require three people, I now can essentially use only 2.5 people for the shift. I also completely eliminated our evening houseman, and have folded those responsibilities into our Front Desk evening staff. I realized that ultimately the evening Houseman just didn't have enough to do to justify dedicating an entire person. Finally, I've taken it upon myself to establish the habit of working 45 hours a week instead of 40 hrs. I'm spending a little more time helping with Desk coverage, and generally filling in with whatever may be needed at any given moment.

All the meanwhile, I've implemented new processes and provided better training so that my staff can complete their tasks more quickly and easily. They now spend 10 minutes on things that used to take them an hour simply because nobody ever knew a better way. I've been helping them improve their knowledge with the computer systems we have available. I've configured new reports that can give them pertinent information at their fingertips, where before they were having to search manually. They're working a little bit harder. But more than anything, they're working much smarter. The result is that we are doing more with less labor.

 

[OnePercenter]

No, that's not why they moved. They moved because they couldn't compete with global competition; mostly because of wages and benefits.

But even if what you say is the truth, then raising minimum wages would give them much more incentive to move more jobs overseas. Why make 10% when you can make 30%?

Riddle me this: Currently in X city, rent is about $650.00 a month. A big mac combo is $5.75. A hammer at the hardware store is $12.00. Your electric bill is about $60.00 per month.

Okay, so now we force your minimum wage idea onto X city. Now your rent is $1,200 a month. Now your big mac combo is $11.00 per meal. Now your hammer from the hardware store is $25.00. So tell me, how did you make out with your new minimum wage?

When your wages go up, all wages go up, and now you are back to square one. The only thing you accomplished in the long-term is to make foreign labor more valuable to the manufacturers which they will take advantage of.

No, that's not why they moved. They moved because they couldn't compete with global competition; mostly because of wages and benefits.

Sure it is. Lets take Levi Strauss & Company. They moved because they stated they couldn't compete. They had a $26.00 501 pant. Today, the 501 pant is made in Bangladesh and costs $68.00. What do you think the profit is; 80% - 90%?

Rents of $1200.00 are very common and the minimum wage is $7.25. A Big Mac meal in NYC is $8.00. Minimum wage in NYC is $8.75. The franchisee cost is $1.00, up $0.25 in ten years.

It's greed.

Under my plan, prices won't increase, by revert back to 2009

-Base Federal tax for corporations at 30% of revenue.

-Raise minimum wage to $23.50/hr. Based on where minimum wage should be using 1970-2015 rise in food, shelter, and transportation.

-Eliminate all business subsidies (deductions/write-offs/write-downs) except for employee expenses which are deducted dollar-for-dollar on all city, state, and Federal taxes and fees with the Feds refunding city, State, and fees.

-Companies with 500 employees or less, employee expenses above the deduction are subsidized at 100% with funds usually give back to the States.

-Adjust Social Security and private/public retirement and pension payments using 1970-2015 price structure.

-Remove the FICA limit.

-Back down ALL costs, prices, fees, to January 1, 2009 levels and hold them for 10 years which will eliminate inflation.

-Recall ALL off-shore investments tax free, and disallow any further off-shore investments.

-Make inversion illegal.

 

[OnePercenter]

Only government can create jobs according to these leftwing nutters. I have given up its like talking to a brick wall, nothing penetrates the liberal shell of stupid.

The government DOES create the need for jobs through new infrastructure. What would Vegas be today if Interstate 15 hadn't been built? Our new terminal 3 at the airport? Improvement of roadways on the strip?

Government creates the need for jobs. Employers hire employees because of that creation.

The government is the egg, the employer is the chicken.

 

[BluesLegend]

Only government can create jobs according to these leftwing nutters. I have given up its like talking to a brick wall, nothing penetrates the liberal shell of stupid.

The government DOES create the need for jobs through new infrastructure. What would Vegas be today if Interstate 15 hadn't been built? Our new terminal 3 at the airport? Improvement of roadways on the strip?

Government creates the need for jobs. Employers hire employees because of that creation.

The government is the egg, the employer is the chicken.

Good lord, what you meant to say is what would Interstate 15 be today if businesses didn't generate the wealth government confiscated to build Interstate 15. Do you think government held a bake sale to raise the money to build Interstate 15? Newsflash, government didn't build it.

 

[dblack]

Under my plan, prices won't increase, by revert back to 2009

-Base Federal tax for corporations at 30% of revenue.

-Raise minimum wage to $23.50/hr. Based on where minimum wage should be using 1970-2015 rise in food, shelter, and transportation.

-Eliminate all business subsidies (deductions/write-offs/write-downs) except for employee expenses which are deducted dollar-for-dollar on all city, state, and Federal taxes and fees with the Feds refunding city, State, and fees.

-Companies with 500 employees or less, employee expenses above the deduction are subsidized at 100% with funds usually give back to the States.

-Adjust Social Security and private/public retirement and pension payments using 1970-2015 price structure.

-Remove the FICA limit.

-Back down ALL costs, prices, fees, to January 1, 2009 levels and hold them for 10 years which will eliminate inflation.

-Recall ALL off-shore investments tax free, and disallow any further off-shore investments.

-Make inversion illegal.

I wish we could actually grant these idiots the kind of power they crave, if only temporarily. At least then we'd learn our lesson - albeit painfully.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

No, that's not why they moved. They moved because they couldn't compete with global competition; mostly because of wages and benefits.

But even if what you say is the truth, then raising minimum wages would give them much more incentive to move more jobs overseas. Why make 10% when you can make 30%?

Riddle me this: Currently in X city, rent is about $650.00 a month. A big mac combo is $5.75. A hammer at the hardware store is $12.00. Your electric bill is about $60.00 per month.

Okay, so now we force your minimum wage idea onto X city. Now your rent is $1,200 a month. Now your big mac combo is $11.00 per meal. Now your hammer from the hardware store is $25.00. So tell me, how did you make out with your new minimum wage?

When your wages go up, all wages go up, and now you are back to square one. The only thing you accomplished in the long-term is to make foreign labor more valuable to the manufacturers which they will take advantage of.

No, that's not why they moved. They moved because they couldn't compete with global competition; mostly because of wages and benefits.

Sure it is. Lets take Levi Strauss & Company. They moved because they stated they couldn't compete. They had a $26.00 501 pant. Today, the 501 pant is made in Bangladesh and costs $68.00. What do you think the profit is; 80% - 90%?

Rents of $1200.00 are very common and the minimum wage is $7.25. A Big Mac meal in NYC is $8.00. Minimum wage in NYC is $8.75. The franchisee cost is $1.00, up $0.25 in ten years.

It's greed.

Under my plan, prices won't increase, by revert back to 2009

Under your plan most businesses would move because they could't afford to stay in the country. No matter what rent, housing prices, or even merchandise costs today in NYC, it would over double with your plans.

I've seen businesses leave our area. They either moved out of state to get away from the unions or out of the country because their competitors were already manufacturing out of the country.

If you and I both had widget factories, but I decided to move my widget factory to Vietnam, you would have no choice but to do the same. That's because I would be able to manufacture ten widgets for the price of your one. Even including shipping costs, I would bury you in sales because my widgets are so much cheaper to make.

Years ago, unions were a good thing for workers at the time. But what most didn't realize is as those workers received more money and benefits, that raised wages of non-union outfits as well. When everybody increases wages, it creates inflation. That's how we priced ourselves out of the world market. It didn't happen overnight and those greedy business owners could have moved anytime they liked.

At some point, we need to learn from our mistakes.

 

[OnePercenter]

Good lord, what you meant to say is what would Interstate 15 be today if businesses didn't generate the wealth government confiscated to build Interstate 15. Do you think government held a bake sale to raise the money to build Interstate 15? Newsflash, government didn't build it.

As usual, your post is misleading and ignorant. The Interstate Highway System was built and is maintained with tax monies paid by all, to be enjoyed by all.

 

[LordBrownTrout]

Let's go for 500 an hour. We all know that businesses just have mountains of cash.

 

[OnePercenter]

Under your plan most businesses would move because they could't afford to stay in the country. No matter what rent, housing prices, or even merchandise costs today in NYC, it would over double with your plans.

I've seen businesses leave our area. They either moved out of state to get away from the unions or out of the country because their competitors were already manufacturing out of the country.

If you and I both had widget factories, but I decided to move my widget factory to Vietnam, you would have no choice but to do the same. That's because I would be able to manufacture ten widgets for the price of your one. Even including shipping costs, I would bury you in sales because my widgets are so much cheaper to make.

Years ago, unions were a good thing for workers at the time. But what most didn't realize is as those workers received more money and benefits, that raised wages of non-union outfits as well. When everybody increases wages, it creates inflation. That's how we priced ourselves out of the world market. It didn't happen overnight and those greedy business owners could have moved anytime they liked.

At some point, we need to learn from our mistakes.

Under your plan most businesses would move because they could't afford to stay in the country. No matter what rent, housing prices, or even merchandise costs today in NYC, it would over double with your plans.

Under my plan all employee costs will be reduced 20% to 30% which will add an additional $5M/yr to my net. ALL prices for goods and services will be reduced to 2009 levels and held for ten years.

I've seen businesses leave our area. They either moved out of state to get away from the unions or out of the country because their competitors were already manufacturing out of the country.

Such as Levi $trau$$ & Company?

If you and I both had widget factories, but I decided to move my widget factory to Vietnam, you would have no choice but to do the same. That's because I would be able to manufacture ten widgets for the price of your one. Even including shipping costs, I would bury you in sales because my widgets are so much cheaper to make.

One of the many benefits of being adequately financed, I can leverage the costs of undercutting you until you file BK, then buy your entire inventory for -90% and return the loss.

Years ago, unions were a good thing for workers at the time. But what most didn't realize is as those workers received more money and benefits, that raised wages of non-union outfits as well. When everybody increases wages, it creates inflation. That's how we priced ourselves out of the world market. It didn't happen overnight and those greedy business owners could have moved anytime they liked.

Yes, the American worker DOES hurt excessive profits.

At some point, we need to learn from our mistakes.

The mistake of middle class voting for Republicans, and their bastard step-children the teabaggers and Libertarians.

 

[OnePercenter]

Let's go for 500 an hour. We all know that businesses just have mountains of cash.

No, $23.50/hr will put the middle class back to solvency.

FYI: Corporate America is sitting >$100T cash, so YES, they can afford it.

 

[Harry Dresden]

For those who support a "living wage" minimum of $15 per hour, how about applying that standard to everyone? We could then do away with other "entitlements" and just guarantee every adult $2500 per month. That would be a lot cheaper than what we are spending now.

I don't understand what point you are trying to make. If we raised the minimum wage, millions of people would no longer be eligible for programs like food stamps and public housing.

what happens when those making 15-20 an hour ask for more money?...

 

[Billy000]

For those who support a "living wage" minimum of $15 per hour, how about applying that standard to everyone? We could then do away with other "entitlements" and just guarantee every adult $2500 per month. That would be a lot cheaper than what we are spending now.

I don't understand what point you are trying to make. If we raised the minimum wage, millions of people would no longer be eligible for programs like food stamps and public housing.

what happens when those making 15-20 an hour ask for more money?...

Even if they did, obviously they wouldn't get it.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

Let's go for 500 an hour. We all know that businesses just have mountains of cash.

No, $23.50/hr will put the middle class back to solvency.

FYI: Corporate America is sitting >$100T cash, so YES, they can afford it.

But the mom and pop flower shops can't. The ice cream stand owners can't. The hardware store owners can't. The Convenient store owners can't.

Under your plan most businesses would move because they could't afford to stay in the country. No matter what rent, housing prices, or even merchandise costs today in NYC, it would over double with your plans.

I've seen businesses leave our area. They either moved out of state to get away from the unions or out of the country because their competitors were already manufacturing out of the country.

If you and I both had widget factories, but I decided to move my widget factory to Vietnam, you would have no choice but to do the same. That's because I would be able to manufacture ten widgets for the price of your one. Even including shipping costs, I would bury you in sales because my widgets are so much cheaper to make.

Years ago, unions were a good thing for workers at the time. But what most didn't realize is as those workers received more money and benefits, that raised wages of non-union outfits as well. When everybody increases wages, it creates inflation. That's how we priced ourselves out of the world market. It didn't happen overnight and those greedy business owners could have moved anytime they liked.

At some point, we need to learn from our mistakes.

Under your plan most businesses would move because they could't afford to stay in the country. No matter what rent, housing prices, or even merchandise costs today in NYC, it would over double with your plans.

Under my plan all employee costs will be reduced 20% to 30% which will add an additional $5M/yr to my net. ALL prices for goods and services will be reduced to 2009 levels and held for ten years.

I've seen businesses leave our area. They either moved out of state to get away from the unions or out of the country because their competitors were already manufacturing out of the country.

Such as Levi $trau$$ & Company?

If you and I both had widget factories, but I decided to move my widget factory to Vietnam, you would have no choice but to do the same. That's because I would be able to manufacture ten widgets for the price of your one. Even including shipping costs, I would bury you in sales because my widgets are so much cheaper to make.

One of the many benefits of being adequately financed, I can leverage the costs of undercutting you until you file BK, then buy your entire inventory for -90% and return the loss.

Years ago, unions were a good thing for workers at the time. But what most didn't realize is as those workers received more money and benefits, that raised wages of non-union outfits as well. When everybody increases wages, it creates inflation. That's how we priced ourselves out of the world market. It didn't happen overnight and those greedy business owners could have moved anytime they liked.

Yes, the American worker DOES hurt excessive profits.

At some point, we need to learn from our mistakes.

The mistake of middle class voting for Republicans, and their bastard step-children the teabaggers and Libertarians.

You keep posting the same fantasy over and over again, so allow me to pop your bubble:

HTF could you possibly reduce prices to 2009 levels? Don't you think if business owners could do that, they would do so without your suggestion? And how are you going to freeze prices for 10 years? If you can do that, then go ahead and keep our gasoline this price for the next ten years. Business owners are constantly looking for ways to reduce costs. If they could reduce the cost per employee, they would have done it years ago.

Now if we were competitors, it wouldn't matter how well you were financed. Nobody stays in business very long making products they can't sell, especially when I have all the customers and financially doing ten times better than you.

Voting Republican is the same worn out excuse you on the left have for your failed liberal policies such as strong backing of unions and taxation that are the actual culprits when it comes to international job loss in this country. Not one company ever left the country because Republicans were in charge.

 

[dblack]

Let's go for 500 an hour. We all know that businesses just have mountains of cash.

No, $23.50/hr will put the middle class back to solvency.

FYI: Corporate America is sitting >$100T cash, so YES, they can afford it.

What have you got against comfort and luxury? Why not set wages so that everyone is rich?

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

For those who support a "living wage" minimum of $15 per hour, how about applying that standard to everyone? We could then do away with other "entitlements" and just guarantee every adult $2500 per month. That would be a lot cheaper than what we are spending now.

I don't understand what point you are trying to make. If we raised the minimum wage, millions of people would no longer be eligible for programs like food stamps and public housing.

what happens when those making 15-20 an hour ask for more money?...

That's called the Domino Effect these minimum wage people refuse to acknowledge.


Even if somebody was making adequate money such as $22.00 an hour and plenty happy about it, after such a huge increase in minimum wage, they wouldn't be happy for very long because now they are making as much as a french fry maker. They would demand at least $35.00 per hour to compensate for the huge increase in minimum wage.

 

[Harry Dresden]

For those who support a "living wage" minimum of $15 per hour, how about applying that standard to everyone? We could then do away with other "entitlements" and just guarantee every adult $2500 per month. That would be a lot cheaper than what we are spending now.

I don't understand what point you are trying to make. If we raised the minimum wage, millions of people would no longer be eligible for programs like food stamps and public housing.

Oh bullshit, they'd just up the threshold.... the dependency class is too important to the DNC.

Thats so stupid. Polls show most Americans want a higher minimum wage - not more food stamps spending.

yea 10 -11 an hour not 15...