Minimum Wage

[Ben]

I look forward to increased interactions with robots, AI, and self-checkouts. On the bright side, they might all speak English.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/senate-democrats-introduce-bill-to-raise-national-minimum-wage-to-15-an-hour_3673552.html

[charby]

I look forward to increased interactions with robots, AI, and self-checkouts. On the bright side, they might all speak English.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/senate-democrats-introduce-bill-to-raise-national-minimum-wage-to-15-an-hour_3673552.html

Better give everyone a 103% raise while they are at it.

[WLJ]

[Angel Eyes]

[lee n. field]

A 3D printed burger.

[Jim147]

I'm sure those $20 Big Macs will taste even better.

[Ben]

Better give everyone a 103% raise while they are at it.

Well, that's what will happen when you try a "one size fits all" law like this. The $15 isn't enough to live on in NYC. In much of flyover, skilled people like electricians aren't making much more than $20/hr, and they seem to do okay given the cost of living. Where I am, minimum wage is currently $7.25. I might argue that this is too low given rising expenses (thanks California!), but $15 would be too high. That electrician is going to (rightly) say that if the kid at the local diner is getting $15, then he's certainly worth $30, and he would be right, and then everybody's expenses to get stuff done goes up.

That 30 year old burger flipper that is taking the job of a High School kid is going to kill grandma on her fixed SS income.

[charby]

Well, that's what will happen when you try a "one size fits all" law like this. The $15 isn't enough to live on in NYC. In much of flyover, skilled people like electricians aren't making much more than $20/hr, and they seem to do okay given the cost of living. Where I am, minimum wage is currently $7.25. I might argue that this is too low given rising expenses (thanks California!), but $15 would be too high. That electrician is going to (rightly) say that if the kid at the local diner is getting $15, then he's certainly worth $30, and he would be right, and then everybody's expenses to get stuff done goes up.

That 30 year old burger flipper that is taking the job of a High School kid is going to kill grandma on her fixed SS income.

I live in flyover over country, very few places actually pay minimum wage, most start at 11/hr just so they can get people to apply. McDonald's near my house is always advertising at $11/hr starting wage. Unskilled helper like manual labor, like construction or road construction work is at least $15/hr to start. Non Union journeymen are going to be making over $30/hr here. It's cheap to live here too.

[K Frame]

I'd love to take my current salary to flyover country... GTF away from DC and all of the people and traffic.

[Angel Eyes]

I'm sure those $20 Big Macs will taste even better.

[MillCreek]

https://www.seattle.gov/laborstandards/ordinances/minimum-wage

Seattle is already in excess of $ 15/hour minimum wage depending on the size of the employer.  Depending on what end of the political spectrum you want to cherry pick your data from, this is either a sign that the Apocalypse is nigh for businesses, or a sign that Utopia on Earth has been achieved.  From what HR tells me, it is a tight labor market up here.