Kiosks, automated check out, and staff reductions here we come! What was the CBO’s estimate? Half a million jobs.Last time they made a major raise in the minimum wage in the state I live just short of 10,000 jobs disappeared.The worst of the lot were those held by the severely handicapped. Employers were given an exemption to hire them below minimum wage for simple tasks that gave these individuals self-worth and a sense of accomplishment while protecting their disability payments.Because the new minimum had no exemptions the companies employing them let them all go.
In order to believe the conservative line on this, you have to believe that a significant number of modern companies hire more people than they need. Which flies in the face of the evidence. If the minimum wage goes up, they’ll pay more rather than lose business by not having enough workers. And I call BS on Enoki’s “10,000 jobs disappeared.” The minimum wage has been increased many times, and economists have thoroughly studied what happens, and jobs do not disappear. Poor people get pulled out of poverty, and perhaps payments to shareholders go down a bit.
Just look at the data. History makes it fairly clear that the 10.10 wage will probably do a lot of good and have almost no impact on jobs. Most of the rest is political BS on both sides.
The same folks who shout about how there are no jobs are the same folks who shout that these minimum wage workers should improve their situation and find a better job. Where? It seems to me that a higher minimum wage will allow people to work less hours, giving them time to go to school to improve their situation and find a better job. In fact, I bet more jobs open up as a direct result of a higher minimum wage because some of the people currently working two jobs will only need one job. All those second jobs will become available to people who have no job at all.
The American economy used to be a rising tide that lifted all boats. Since Reagan it has only lifted the boats of the well off.Minimum wage earners are actually making less than they did in real terms than when he was elected. The American Gini Coefficient is now the same as Uruguay’s and is heading for banana republic territory. In the long run that spells big trouble for American democracy as the Republican Party becomes the party of the Koch brothers and their cronies on the Forbes list who now have as much wealth as the bottom 60% of Americans, up 20% in just the past seven years. Jefferson said that concentration of wealth and power leads to corruption. What will things be like in another generation when they hold as much as the bottom 70 or 80 percent?
Just a note on those “self checkout lines”. Visiting the big cities, found in almost every store with them, they have to hire MORE people, because the bloody things either don’t work, and the customers need assistance, or those who HAVE figured them out, have increased pilferage (shoplifting) by about 80% in most stores. It’s a variant on that Target et al attempt to computerize everything and replace ALL their employees. “Drones” to do nighttime shelf stocking are also on the horizon.
TTM I am pleased you took the time to recount your seeming lifetime of problems with those systems, but the reality is Big Corporations really don’t care about you and me as retail customers. It is very much a take what we give or take nothing at all much of the time.It is really kind of sad that the small store selling whatever with personal service has gone the way of the Dodo bird.However, you are right about one thing for certain. The future will be simply ordering it of the internet and having a drone deliver it to your door.
What are you talking about Night-Gaunt? Amazon just a couple of months ago was proposing that exact thing.We right here, you included, made all sorts of disparaging sometimes humorous commentary on that.
I am making 10.16 after 6 years is the company I work for going to in crease my pay by 2.85 to 13.01 no so after 6 years I will make 6 cents above min. wage. But you can bet gas and other things will go up.
Enoki about 10 years ago
Kiosks, automated check out, and staff reductions here we come! What was the CBO’s estimate? Half a million jobs.Last time they made a major raise in the minimum wage in the state I live just short of 10,000 jobs disappeared.The worst of the lot were those held by the severely handicapped. Employers were given an exemption to hire them below minimum wage for simple tasks that gave these individuals self-worth and a sense of accomplishment while protecting their disability payments.Because the new minimum had no exemptions the companies employing them let them all go.
ARodney about 10 years ago
In order to believe the conservative line on this, you have to believe that a significant number of modern companies hire more people than they need. Which flies in the face of the evidence. If the minimum wage goes up, they’ll pay more rather than lose business by not having enough workers. And I call BS on Enoki’s “10,000 jobs disappeared.” The minimum wage has been increased many times, and economists have thoroughly studied what happens, and jobs do not disappear. Poor people get pulled out of poverty, and perhaps payments to shareholders go down a bit.
Theodore E. Lind Premium Member about 10 years ago
Just look at the data. History makes it fairly clear that the 10.10 wage will probably do a lot of good and have almost no impact on jobs. Most of the rest is political BS on both sides.
Ziveron about 10 years ago
The same folks who shout about how there are no jobs are the same folks who shout that these minimum wage workers should improve their situation and find a better job. Where? It seems to me that a higher minimum wage will allow people to work less hours, giving them time to go to school to improve their situation and find a better job. In fact, I bet more jobs open up as a direct result of a higher minimum wage because some of the people currently working two jobs will only need one job. All those second jobs will become available to people who have no job at all.
bernardgarner about 10 years ago
The American economy used to be a rising tide that lifted all boats. Since Reagan it has only lifted the boats of the well off.Minimum wage earners are actually making less than they did in real terms than when he was elected. The American Gini Coefficient is now the same as Uruguay’s and is heading for banana republic territory. In the long run that spells big trouble for American democracy as the Republican Party becomes the party of the Koch brothers and their cronies on the Forbes list who now have as much wealth as the bottom 60% of Americans, up 20% in just the past seven years. Jefferson said that concentration of wealth and power leads to corruption. What will things be like in another generation when they hold as much as the bottom 70 or 80 percent?
Dtroutma about 10 years ago
Just a note on those “self checkout lines”. Visiting the big cities, found in almost every store with them, they have to hire MORE people, because the bloody things either don’t work, and the customers need assistance, or those who HAVE figured them out, have increased pilferage (shoplifting) by about 80% in most stores. It’s a variant on that Target et al attempt to computerize everything and replace ALL their employees. “Drones” to do nighttime shelf stocking are also on the horizon.
Enoki about 10 years ago
TTM I am pleased you took the time to recount your seeming lifetime of problems with those systems, but the reality is Big Corporations really don’t care about you and me as retail customers. It is very much a take what we give or take nothing at all much of the time.It is really kind of sad that the small store selling whatever with personal service has gone the way of the Dodo bird.However, you are right about one thing for certain. The future will be simply ordering it of the internet and having a drone deliver it to your door.
Enoki about 10 years ago
What are you talking about Night-Gaunt? Amazon just a couple of months ago was proposing that exact thing.We right here, you included, made all sorts of disparaging sometimes humorous commentary on that.
MermaidStitcher about 10 years ago
I am making 10.16 after 6 years is the company I work for going to in crease my pay by 2.85 to 13.01 no so after 6 years I will make 6 cents above min. wage. But you can bet gas and other things will go up.