If the wage goes up so will everything else and small business will be forced to lay off workers or shut down, with the added cost of health care they won't be able to survive. Without caps and freezes on big business it will never end. Just remember the person that is making $10 per hr now will go back to minimum wage and lose his buying power as well as everyone else, you will all lose money. Write to your Senators and Crongressmen to turn it down. Also with the raise in wage comes more taxes taken out, we lose they(gov.) win, it's just common sense.
Darren Treat - 10 years ago
In 1950, Minimum wage was enough for one man working full time to save up, buy a house, get married and provide for his entire family (wife and two kids) without ever accruing debt.
The problem is not just minimum wage, it's average wage. Even a 'good paying' job (say $12.50 an hour) is not enough full time to support that. In addition, inflation is a silent killer $10 in 1985 is the same as $22 today. The cost of living has quadrupled at the same time.
Companies have duped you to think you are worth less than you are. More money is made by the top 5% than the other 95%. This is a new trend in the US, this only happened in the last 20 years! If you think the US can't support a higher minimum wage, then you are saying that the US can't support it's self to live. You are saying people should die for a companies bottom line. People die due to not having healthcare, People die from homelessness! Children die from lack of support! America will die. Not from a war, not from a nuke, but quietly from the inside.
ZackForester - 10 years ago
So much ignorance in these comments.
1. Minimum wage doesn't increase inflation. It increases cost of living. Cost of living isn't equivalent to the minimum wage. The percentage of increase in the cost of living will be smaller than the percentage of increase in prices giving people working for minimum wage net higher spending power even though that increase isn't as large as the wage increase. Prices will only increase between 12 and 25% depending on the industry if those businesses give EVERYONE in the company commensurate raises.
2. Law of supply and demand doesn't evenly to minimum wage. A raise in the minimum wage to $10.10 cents would increase the spending power of the bottom 40% of households assuming businesses don't give commensurate raises to everyone in the company. The households that are affected by the minimum wage increase will be able to generate at least 31% increased demand by themselves through increased buying power after the increases in price are taken into consideration.
3. The minimum wage in 1964 had kept pace with the cost of inflation it would be $10.10 today. Worker productivity has doubled since 1968 and average minimum wage earner age increased from 19 to 28. 60% of minimum wage earners are women, and 80% of minimum wage earners are the breadwinners for their families.
4. People advocating for the abolition of the minimum wage and allowing for the "free market" to decide prevailing wage are essentially advocating for the return of slavery. There are 101 million unemployed working age Americans in this country. If the free market were to decide how much their labor is worth, their labor would be worth nothing because of an infinite supply of labor. The median wage would collapse and we still wouldn't have 100% economic participation.
Mike - 10 years ago
Our president is a politician, and has ZERO experience running a business. He has no concept of economics. Raising minimum wage will trigger upping wages across the entire pay spectrum. The ripple effect doesn't stop there...business owners WILL pass those higher labor cost onto the consumer via higher prices. Higher prices will cause consumers to restrict spending. Restricted spending will constrict an already strained economy. Oh...let's talk about artificially pumping more money in to the economy thus triggering inflation, thus devaluing the U.S. dollar, Devalued U.S. Dollar further puts the country further behind the "8-ball" in the world currency markets. Our dollar no longer is the world standard. Get ready...the Chinese will be controlling the world currency in the future. Protect yourself...buy gold and bury it in the backyard!!
The minimum wage rate has been in the Wyoming Valley since 1980. Lots of factories took that away from us, over seas. The citizens complain about it, no product made in the USA. You now WHY? Look and think, our Luzerne, Lackawanna and surrounding areas area going to shambles. God Bless Us.
Ang - 10 years ago
I make minimum wage and I don't feel it should be increased. I had a hard time finding a job with my work history so I took this job in order to build a new skill set and I will move on to a job with better pay once I develop the right skills and experience! Minimum wages isn't supposed to be a goal or high enough to live on its only there to keep employers from paying someone $2.00 an hour!
Joe - 10 years ago
Let's face it govt. employees,all political people,corporations, etc have pampered pay packages/pensions and are wealthy, with rented vehicles, daily per deims, etc. They have it made and are making the money.
Prices have risen through out the years and minimum wage hasn't. It all went up each and every year. The risen cost for every bill, item purchased, taxes, etc rose each year & amounts to a much higher percentage than a $3 increase in the minimum wage. This increase is going to be insufficient and amount to a mere single percantage to the average laborer's pay check. Sure it helps but only to help them catch up a small percentage on the ever rising taxes, bills, gas,heating oil, etc. Its not going to be very beneficial but it will help. Its governments way of throwing the average worker a bone every now and then.
Take a poll that asks the people on fixed incomes & the average person who makes minimum wage. They know best. Not everyone has a good job. And its not only the high school or college student making that wage. Let's ask these folks how they have struggled to make ends meet with every year price increases.
Whether you raise the minimum wage or not you are still paying more in everything across the board every year. Just like the new taxes on gas and the registration fees for new highways. What happened to all of the previous increases in taxes to rebuild our highways and roads. It sure didnt go into any roads but the turnpike and around Harrisburg area. The rest of them still need rebuilding.
It all needs to start from the top and work down. The people making the most need to start paying more to get this country in better shape. Stop all the political per diems, vehicle rentals, etc and then some money will get pumped into our economy. After how hard is it to more your lips for work? It sure isnt as hard as doing general labor work.
Lets get back to our roots where a political job was a side job and not a career. Politicians had a regular job and worked for a living not having hand outs from the taxpayer's money.
Lets put the govt officials on a minimum wage and see how they survive. Let them use their own vehicle for work and not at the taxpayers expense.
CHERYL - 10 years ago
THE ONLY WAY I FEEL IT SHOULD BE RAISED THAT MUCH IS IF YOU ARE GOING TO GIVE PEOPLE THAT MAKE UNDER 15.00 A HOUR THE SAME AMOUNT OF RAISE. BUT THEN THINK ABOUT IT BECAUSE ALL PRICES WILL GO UP AND NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT.
I UNDERSTAND HOW PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT NOT MAKING BETTER WAGES THE GOVERMENT NEEDS TO LOOK AT OTHER WAYS TO HELP THE PEOPLE,STOP GIVING MONEY TO OTHER COUNTRIES AND SUPPORT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FIRST
sharon - 10 years ago
It is not right for the govt to tell an employer how much they should pay their employees. People automatically think the Walmarts, and the McDonald's corporations can afford it, and that all corporations can afford it. Yes, the larger corps can withstand a slight increase, but don't expect them to eat the difference, those increases in the payroll will directly affect the price the consumer will pay, in the store. But the ones that will get hurt the most, are the small businesses that exist in this country. The small business owner cannot afford to give those raises across the board, add to that increase in the minimum wage, to the much higher health insurance premiums that will hit the small business employer, in 2014. Those forced increases on the small business owner will succeed in putting that small business, out of business, their employees out of work; lost jobs; lost tax revenue, and more people added to the unemployment rolls. People have to stop attacking the job makers, and start rethinking their support of the wealth redistributors.
Matt - 10 years ago
Minimum wage was my inspiration to become self employed. I now pay more in taxes than I ever used to make. I say leave the entry level pay rate the same. Its not meant to be a career. Otherwise, there is no reason to try to get to the next level.
Pat - 10 years ago
To OLGA.......stop and think about it, if they raise the wage you probably won't even have a job, because your employer isn't going to be able to keep as many employees. Seems better to have a job than not! I have been in your shoes and do sympathize with you.
Mary Barna - 10 years ago
When was the last time minimum wage was increased and by how much? A laborer is worthy of their hire. OR as John Arbuckle once said, "You get what you pay for."
Deb Payson - 10 years ago
This is a serious question.....I wonder what the figures would be to compare, ...from a business perspective, what would their cost be to provide a wage...... one that would keep one 40 hour employee, where the employee could support themselves? (just themselves). Then, compare what would the cost be to the employer if they instead paid a higher % taxes to the Federal Government to fund those same assistance programs their employees need..The minimum wage has not been increased since 2007. Have prices risen?
Becky - 10 years ago
I forgot to mention the most important part about the potential wage increase. While some companies make billions, it's not those companies that the wage increase will hurt. It is local business. Look around your area. There are far more small and locally owned businesses that drive your economy than you think. It is THOSE companies that will hurt. Those companies have to compete with the billion dollar companies. While the billion dollar companies might be able to absorb a wage increase, local small business cannot. Those businesses will be forced to raise prices and won't be able to compete with corporate America. The wage increase will drive out small business, the thing the drives America. Health insurance reform has already hurt small business. American needs to support small business, not drive it out.
Becky - 10 years ago
Raising minimum wage by THAT much will only hurt the economy. Cortney is correct, anyone who has taken a basic economics course will understand the concept. If minimum wage is raised by about $3, that means everyone across the board deserves a $3/hr wage increase. The person who has already EARNED the $10/hr wage should be paid more than the person who settles for minimum wage. This forced increase across the board will cause inflation to increase rapidly because costs of everything will go up. Do you really want to start paying $6 for a gallon of milk? All this does is put a temporary band-aid on a the problem and raise what is considered poverty level income.
tom - 10 years ago
It is not the place of government to tell employers how much to pay or employees how much they can choose to work for.
The market does a good job of determining what the proper wage is.
All an increase of the minimum wage will do is create unemployment of those in our society least able to take the hit.
We need to realize that government is not the solution to our economic woes but is all too often the cause of them.
Linda - 10 years ago
So , it is OK to pay CEO's , Senators, etc. 200K or more but the actual worker is only worth $7 ? The fact of the matter is that these companies and government dudes want to keep you poor and dumb . Too many companies are greedy and use the threat of lay-off and higher prices . But who will stock the shelves , deal with upset customers , and clean the toilets ? Definitely not the fat a** managers.
olga - 10 years ago
How many of those who think it should not be raised are living on minimum wage ? Probably none . Try to do that and you will see how quickly you change your tune.
Ryan - 10 years ago
People realize if this goes through you will be paying more for burger and fries and even the grocery store price will go through the roof. And you will be back to square one it would hurt alot more people and stores will be out of business. its bad enough now if this goes through it will hurt more.
Bob - 10 years ago
Companies Cannot increase internal costs and still compete against the imported (Cheap) Goods. The only way to level the field would be to increase or impose the Tariffs on imported goods. That would really "Tick Off" China, who holds most of "OUR DEBT". What To Do ?
Ryan - 10 years ago
Also Lisa, My three local Dunkin Donuts pays 10.00 an hour to all starting employees. And I live in a low income area. So not true. Coffee is still the same price.
Ryan - 10 years ago
Not true, those companies make BILLIONS a year, by paying minimum wage. So they would still make money, just not billions. And the same thing was said when the minimum wage law was put in place.
Lisa Bennardi - 10 years ago
raising min. wage is RIDUCLOUS. It would raise the price of Dunkin Donuts coffee to approximately $5.00. A burger from the dollar menu will $5.00..... five dollar bugers will $10! This whole idea doesn't make sense for the economy
Cortney - 10 years ago
Anyone that has taken a basic economics course understands how horrible this idea is. Inflation will set in and cause much more problems then good. Raising the minimum wage will not change the the lower classes standard of life. A company that employs people at minimum wage must make up for the lost profit that resulted from the increased minimum wage. This will result in higher prices (inflation). The law of supply and demand will also kick in, resulting in even higher unemployment (which is a lot higher then reported since it does not account for a variety of factors such as underemployment.) THUS increasing minimum wage will ultimately hurt our economy as well as each and everyone of us, benefiting NO ONE.
If the wage goes up so will everything else and small business will be forced to lay off workers or shut down, with the added cost of health care they won't be able to survive. Without caps and freezes on big business it will never end. Just remember the person that is making $10 per hr now will go back to minimum wage and lose his buying power as well as everyone else, you will all lose money. Write to your Senators and Crongressmen to turn it down. Also with the raise in wage comes more taxes taken out, we lose they(gov.) win, it's just common sense.
In 1950, Minimum wage was enough for one man working full time to save up, buy a house, get married and provide for his entire family (wife and two kids) without ever accruing debt.
The problem is not just minimum wage, it's average wage. Even a 'good paying' job (say $12.50 an hour) is not enough full time to support that. In addition, inflation is a silent killer $10 in 1985 is the same as $22 today. The cost of living has quadrupled at the same time.
Companies have duped you to think you are worth less than you are. More money is made by the top 5% than the other 95%. This is a new trend in the US, this only happened in the last 20 years! If you think the US can't support a higher minimum wage, then you are saying that the US can't support it's self to live. You are saying people should die for a companies bottom line. People die due to not having healthcare, People die from homelessness! Children die from lack of support! America will die. Not from a war, not from a nuke, but quietly from the inside.
So much ignorance in these comments.
1. Minimum wage doesn't increase inflation. It increases cost of living. Cost of living isn't equivalent to the minimum wage. The percentage of increase in the cost of living will be smaller than the percentage of increase in prices giving people working for minimum wage net higher spending power even though that increase isn't as large as the wage increase. Prices will only increase between 12 and 25% depending on the industry if those businesses give EVERYONE in the company commensurate raises.
2. Law of supply and demand doesn't evenly to minimum wage. A raise in the minimum wage to $10.10 cents would increase the spending power of the bottom 40% of households assuming businesses don't give commensurate raises to everyone in the company. The households that are affected by the minimum wage increase will be able to generate at least 31% increased demand by themselves through increased buying power after the increases in price are taken into consideration.
3. The minimum wage in 1964 had kept pace with the cost of inflation it would be $10.10 today. Worker productivity has doubled since 1968 and average minimum wage earner age increased from 19 to 28. 60% of minimum wage earners are women, and 80% of minimum wage earners are the breadwinners for their families.
4. People advocating for the abolition of the minimum wage and allowing for the "free market" to decide prevailing wage are essentially advocating for the return of slavery. There are 101 million unemployed working age Americans in this country. If the free market were to decide how much their labor is worth, their labor would be worth nothing because of an infinite supply of labor. The median wage would collapse and we still wouldn't have 100% economic participation.
Our president is a politician, and has ZERO experience running a business. He has no concept of economics. Raising minimum wage will trigger upping wages across the entire pay spectrum. The ripple effect doesn't stop there...business owners WILL pass those higher labor cost onto the consumer via higher prices. Higher prices will cause consumers to restrict spending. Restricted spending will constrict an already strained economy. Oh...let's talk about artificially pumping more money in to the economy thus triggering inflation, thus devaluing the U.S. dollar, Devalued U.S. Dollar further puts the country further behind the "8-ball" in the world currency markets. Our dollar no longer is the world standard. Get ready...the Chinese will be controlling the world currency in the future. Protect yourself...buy gold and bury it in the backyard!!
The minimum wage rate has been in the Wyoming Valley since 1980. Lots of factories took that away from us, over seas. The citizens complain about it, no product made in the USA. You now WHY? Look and think, our Luzerne, Lackawanna and surrounding areas area going to shambles. God Bless Us.
I make minimum wage and I don't feel it should be increased. I had a hard time finding a job with my work history so I took this job in order to build a new skill set and I will move on to a job with better pay once I develop the right skills and experience! Minimum wages isn't supposed to be a goal or high enough to live on its only there to keep employers from paying someone $2.00 an hour!
Let's face it govt. employees,all political people,corporations, etc have pampered pay packages/pensions and are wealthy, with rented vehicles, daily per deims, etc. They have it made and are making the money.
Prices have risen through out the years and minimum wage hasn't. It all went up each and every year. The risen cost for every bill, item purchased, taxes, etc rose each year & amounts to a much higher percentage than a $3 increase in the minimum wage. This increase is going to be insufficient and amount to a mere single percantage to the average laborer's pay check. Sure it helps but only to help them catch up a small percentage on the ever rising taxes, bills, gas,heating oil, etc. Its not going to be very beneficial but it will help. Its governments way of throwing the average worker a bone every now and then.
Take a poll that asks the people on fixed incomes & the average person who makes minimum wage. They know best. Not everyone has a good job. And its not only the high school or college student making that wage. Let's ask these folks how they have struggled to make ends meet with every year price increases.
Whether you raise the minimum wage or not you are still paying more in everything across the board every year. Just like the new taxes on gas and the registration fees for new highways. What happened to all of the previous increases in taxes to rebuild our highways and roads. It sure didnt go into any roads but the turnpike and around Harrisburg area. The rest of them still need rebuilding.
It all needs to start from the top and work down. The people making the most need to start paying more to get this country in better shape. Stop all the political per diems, vehicle rentals, etc and then some money will get pumped into our economy. After how hard is it to more your lips for work? It sure isnt as hard as doing general labor work.
Lets get back to our roots where a political job was a side job and not a career. Politicians had a regular job and worked for a living not having hand outs from the taxpayer's money.
Lets put the govt officials on a minimum wage and see how they survive. Let them use their own vehicle for work and not at the taxpayers expense.
THE ONLY WAY I FEEL IT SHOULD BE RAISED THAT MUCH IS IF YOU ARE GOING TO GIVE PEOPLE THAT MAKE UNDER 15.00 A HOUR THE SAME AMOUNT OF RAISE. BUT THEN THINK ABOUT IT BECAUSE ALL PRICES WILL GO UP AND NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT.
I UNDERSTAND HOW PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT NOT MAKING BETTER WAGES THE GOVERMENT NEEDS TO LOOK AT OTHER WAYS TO HELP THE PEOPLE,STOP GIVING MONEY TO OTHER COUNTRIES AND SUPPORT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FIRST
It is not right for the govt to tell an employer how much they should pay their employees. People automatically think the Walmarts, and the McDonald's corporations can afford it, and that all corporations can afford it. Yes, the larger corps can withstand a slight increase, but don't expect them to eat the difference, those increases in the payroll will directly affect the price the consumer will pay, in the store. But the ones that will get hurt the most, are the small businesses that exist in this country. The small business owner cannot afford to give those raises across the board, add to that increase in the minimum wage, to the much higher health insurance premiums that will hit the small business employer, in 2014. Those forced increases on the small business owner will succeed in putting that small business, out of business, their employees out of work; lost jobs; lost tax revenue, and more people added to the unemployment rolls. People have to stop attacking the job makers, and start rethinking their support of the wealth redistributors.
Minimum wage was my inspiration to become self employed. I now pay more in taxes than I ever used to make. I say leave the entry level pay rate the same. Its not meant to be a career. Otherwise, there is no reason to try to get to the next level.
To OLGA.......stop and think about it, if they raise the wage you probably won't even have a job, because your employer isn't going to be able to keep as many employees. Seems better to have a job than not! I have been in your shoes and do sympathize with you.
When was the last time minimum wage was increased and by how much? A laborer is worthy of their hire. OR as John Arbuckle once said, "You get what you pay for."
This is a serious question.....I wonder what the figures would be to compare, ...from a business perspective, what would their cost be to provide a wage...... one that would keep one 40 hour employee, where the employee could support themselves? (just themselves). Then, compare what would the cost be to the employer if they instead paid a higher % taxes to the Federal Government to fund those same assistance programs their employees need..The minimum wage has not been increased since 2007. Have prices risen?
I forgot to mention the most important part about the potential wage increase. While some companies make billions, it's not those companies that the wage increase will hurt. It is local business. Look around your area. There are far more small and locally owned businesses that drive your economy than you think. It is THOSE companies that will hurt. Those companies have to compete with the billion dollar companies. While the billion dollar companies might be able to absorb a wage increase, local small business cannot. Those businesses will be forced to raise prices and won't be able to compete with corporate America. The wage increase will drive out small business, the thing the drives America. Health insurance reform has already hurt small business. American needs to support small business, not drive it out.
Raising minimum wage by THAT much will only hurt the economy. Cortney is correct, anyone who has taken a basic economics course will understand the concept. If minimum wage is raised by about $3, that means everyone across the board deserves a $3/hr wage increase. The person who has already EARNED the $10/hr wage should be paid more than the person who settles for minimum wage. This forced increase across the board will cause inflation to increase rapidly because costs of everything will go up. Do you really want to start paying $6 for a gallon of milk? All this does is put a temporary band-aid on a the problem and raise what is considered poverty level income.
It is not the place of government to tell employers how much to pay or employees how much they can choose to work for.
The market does a good job of determining what the proper wage is.
All an increase of the minimum wage will do is create unemployment of those in our society least able to take the hit.
We need to realize that government is not the solution to our economic woes but is all too often the cause of them.
So , it is OK to pay CEO's , Senators, etc. 200K or more but the actual worker is only worth $7 ? The fact of the matter is that these companies and government dudes want to keep you poor and dumb . Too many companies are greedy and use the threat of lay-off and higher prices . But who will stock the shelves , deal with upset customers , and clean the toilets ? Definitely not the fat a** managers.
How many of those who think it should not be raised are living on minimum wage ? Probably none . Try to do that and you will see how quickly you change your tune.
People realize if this goes through you will be paying more for burger and fries and even the grocery store price will go through the roof. And you will be back to square one it would hurt alot more people and stores will be out of business. its bad enough now if this goes through it will hurt more.
Companies Cannot increase internal costs and still compete against the imported (Cheap) Goods. The only way to level the field would be to increase or impose the Tariffs on imported goods. That would really "Tick Off" China, who holds most of "OUR DEBT". What To Do ?
Also Lisa, My three local Dunkin Donuts pays 10.00 an hour to all starting employees. And I live in a low income area. So not true. Coffee is still the same price.
Not true, those companies make BILLIONS a year, by paying minimum wage. So they would still make money, just not billions. And the same thing was said when the minimum wage law was put in place.
raising min. wage is RIDUCLOUS. It would raise the price of Dunkin Donuts coffee to approximately $5.00. A burger from the dollar menu will $5.00..... five dollar bugers will $10! This whole idea doesn't make sense for the economy
Anyone that has taken a basic economics course understands how horrible this idea is. Inflation will set in and cause much more problems then good. Raising the minimum wage will not change the the lower classes standard of life. A company that employs people at minimum wage must make up for the lost profit that resulted from the increased minimum wage. This will result in higher prices (inflation). The law of supply and demand will also kick in, resulting in even higher unemployment (which is a lot higher then reported since it does not account for a variety of factors such as underemployment.) THUS increasing minimum wage will ultimately hurt our economy as well as each and everyone of us, benefiting NO ONE.