Korean Job Discussion Forums

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

That seems to be first on the agenda.

$5.15/hour is around $850/month before taxes.

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

23 states now have minimum wages higher than the federal minimum.

Kuros · Joined: 27 Apr 2004

What's the proposal? $7.25/hour?

Yo!Chingo · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: Seoul Korea

I agree that the minimum wage in the US is a joke but most of those jobs that pay minimum wage are for highschoolers or college kids. These jobs aren't meant for people to support a family on or even themselves. I believe that raising the minimum wage is a mistake because it only causes a ripple effect. The prices of goods and services will likely go up, so the extra $$$ dissappears.

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

When I went through college.. ALL of my jobs were around minimum wage.. at that time.. that was $3.35/hour. Take-home was around $400/month.

Its true that a lot of high school students work at fastfood jobs for that pay as well - but its not much for them either.. for how hard most of those minimum wage workers actually work.

During those 6 years of myself working at mimimum wage (throughout high school and university).. I worked with a whole LOT of non-high school students (actual adults) supporting families on those wages - I worked in factories, city job cutting down trees, fastfood, restaurants, gas station, grocery store, and as a parking lot attendent. Thats life in most of rural America. None of those jobs I was paid for more than $3.50/hour at that time - $3.35 being the mimimum wage in Michigan at the time.

As far as prices going up if these people had an extra $100 in their pocket a month.. I doubt it.. its the wealthier people with all kinds of money being tossed around that drive inflation up.. the gas station attendent who can actually afford to put gas in his car with a couple more fill-ups at the end of the month than usual won't drive up inflation. We're talking about fairly miniscule amounts of money being added into local ecomies.

jaganath69 · Joined: 17 Jul 2003

Hello inflation and job cuts. Whilst I welcomes the dem's win, I am no fan of their economics. The above poster misses the point that the increase in wages will have a knock-on effect to employers who will then have to raise prices. Better to concentrate on middle-class tax cuts and raising skill levels of lower paid workers imho.

huffdaddy · Joined: 25 Nov 2005

Here's a lengthy article on the effects of a minimum wage increase. I'll just quote a couple of selections that address points raised thus far.

http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/bp178

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

Minimum wage is to democrats what the gay marriage/abortion is to the republicans. Get initiatives on the ballot to raise the minimum wage and bring dem voters to the polls.

I don't see Americans wanting to switch manufacturing jobs that traditionally provided a middle class life style for minimum wage service jobs working at Wal-Mart. If the latter is all the American economy is producing in number, politicians will be happy to deliver.

Didn't Ford raise the wage of his workers under the belief the guy building his cars should be able to afford the cars he's building? I suppose the same could be said for the guy selling the big screen TVs at Best Buy.

Moldy Rutabaga · Joined: 01 Jul 2003 Location: Ansan, Korea

I've sermonized about this before, but a "fair" minimum wage has an effect not shown in economic graphs; it upholds the social contract between the low-wage worker and society, and convinces a segment of the country that they're not being cheated. It's been said, "He who doesn't work shouldn't eat; but he who does work deserves decent pay and dignity." It's not a good long-term investment to make people think that they're worthless grunts.

There is a limit to how high a minimum wage can go before it destroys jobs by making it cheaper to automate or use other labor solutions, or businesses disappear. As well, it will also tend to cause price increases. But my hunch is that other than small businesses, those few people who would see an increase might simply be used as an excuse by large companies to raise prices.

It's just my personal beef, but I wish Americans would get rid of this bloody tipping culture and just have higher wages for service people anyway. I really hate this guessing and math game of adding to the bill and would prefer just paying a little more through better wages. Maybe that will slightly happen anyway if minimum wages go up.

Ken:>

Octavius Hite · Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 5:38 am Post subject:

Everything I've heard, read, seen and been told by various books, newspapers, tv talking heads, think tanks etc....

has been that in the states and provinces (in Canada) that have raised the min wage have actually seen economic growth, more so on average than those with lower min's.

Also I have to chime in and say I have worked with many middle aged people working for min or near min wages. Most manufactoring is leaving NA for China and India that will not change. We now need to make sure that the majority of people, those that work in service in industry, make a fair and unionized living. Imagine how much better America would be if just McDonald's and Wal-mart were totally unuonized, and had to give their employees benefits and at least 8.00$/hr. It would mean millions would have healthcare and could afford to own their own homes. Thats what needs to happen.

cbclark4 · Joined: 20 Aug 2006 Location: Masan

I see nothing wrong with raising the minimum wage.

It will cost jobs, yes there are companies thay may need to lay off workers because the minimum wage will effect the salary budget.

The cost of basic necessities will rise, yes lower waged workers are usaually responsible for baking and delivering your bread and butter.

There will be inflation as these "costs" are carried up through the economy.

In the end it does not effect me I have an economic buffer.

It will serve only as an illusion that makes Ted Kennedy look good.

Now if you want to implement a Minimum wage, and price controls and job protection programs that will work.

Let's call it a five year plan that's it, yep the five year plan.

cbc

Woland · Joined: 10 May 2006 Location: Seoul

bucheon bum · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

cbclark4 · Joined: 20 Aug 2006 Location: Masan

Nothing in that article proves me wrong.

Small businesses will be asking for help to keep employees that's an accepted fact.

Prices always increase after a Min Wage increase fact also.

Does raising the Min Wage do any good, yes.

Are there consequences yes, some negative some positive.

Like I said I am all for it I am buffered.

cbc

Meegook · Joined: 12 Oct 2006

Gee, raising the minimum wage, Glad the dems are back. Now we can address the serious issues facing the country.

forget the bogus war on terrorism, the raping of our God giving rights, the illegal Iraqi war, 9/11 and other crimes and misdemeanors, let's get back and focus on the important stuff - minimum wage for the MacDonald's workers.

Yep, those democrats went to vote because they wanted a higher minimum wage. That and to legalize illegal immigrants.