Possible California ballot iniative to raise the minimum wage to $10, then $12

[Eddie Teach]

Guys only have rock star

If she joined Kiss, she would only have to spend half as much time getting makeup applied before the show! 

[grumbler]

Do you think the minimum wage, even as a starter wage, is a living wage?

Do you think that every job should be paid a "living wage" (i.e. $42,000 living wage / 2080 work-hours per year) = $20.20/hour?

[PDH]

I think that I should be paid $42,000 per hour.

[garbon]

ugh.

[PDH]

It's a living wage.

[CountDeMoney]

Do you think the minimum wage, even as a starter wage, is a living wage?

Do you think that every job should be paid a "living wage" (i.e. $42,000 living wage / 2080 work-hours per year) = $20.20/hour?

For a high school kid working in fast food for weekend spending money, that's a lot of drugs.

[derspiess]

I heard Urkel's gonna announce tonight that he's raising the minimum wage for federal contractors to a little over $10 to push Congress to follow suit and increase it across the board.

[Admiral Yi]

I have a hard time believing there are currently federal contractors making less than 10 clams an hour.

[MadImmortalMan]

That won't have much effect. Most federal jobs are already at least that much. Even contracted ones. They dictate what the pay should be when dispensing the contracts.


Edit: Well there you go, Yi.   

[Sheilbh]

Hope it passes in California. I think the $15 is too high but raising it to $10 and eventually to $12 would be good.

I have a hard time believing there are currently federal contractors making less than 10 clams an hour.

Does that include the people who clean government buildings?

[Admiral Yi]

I think minimum wage is a perfect type of policy for states to do as they wish.

Oregon wants to raise it $20?  Fill those goddamn boots!  Alabama wants to abolish it?  Why the fuck not?

[Admiral Yi]

Hope it passes in California. I think the $15 is too high but raising it to $10 and eventually to $12 would be good.

What is the thinking that makes one too hot and one just right?

Does that include the people who clean government buildings?

Surely.

[derspiess]

I have a hard time believing there are currently federal contractors making less than 10 clams an hour.

That was my first thought.  I guess it's a symbolic move.  I'm expecting him to announce a buttload of other executive orders, though.

[MadImmortalMan]

I guess it's a symbolic move.

Yes, that's what it is. He's trying to be out in front as an example on the issue.

[Sheilbh]

What is the thinking that makes one too hot and one just right?

No real reason. I don't have any stats for it, though I think I read that if the minimum wage had kept pace with inflation it'd be around $10 which sounds about right. The campaign for a $15 living wage is doubling it which is too rich for my blood.

I've no issue with a living wage - I think the idea that what people mean is that it covers raising children or 'educational expenses' is absurd. It reminds me of the Tory councillor who thought that £100k was a standard middle class wage. Lots of solidly middle class people struggle with that. A living wage should cover rent, transport and subsistence expenses and it should be higher than what you would get on unemployment benefits.

I generally support the UK living wage proposal (which is voluntarily paid by many major companies and governments) which is to raise the minimum wage from £6.31 an hour to £7.65 and £8.80 in London. Those figures are calculated by thinktanks and, in London, the council based on actual statistics. $15 sounds like it was picked because it's a nice number. Personally I also think there should still be different rates for teenagers.

Also from a British perspective the number of workers on the minimum wage has been increasing since it was introduced. I also think prosecuting businesses who pay under the minimum wage would have more effect on immigration than most of the stunts the parties are announcing.

Surely.

Okay so I'd guess over all Federal buildings there'll be at least a few thousand who'll benefit.