This Is Why Stagnant Working Class Wages Are Unsustainable..

[kalm]

Don't know about steel specifically, but Germany still has thriving manufacturing and export sectors, along with unions and government regulations. I would be shocked if Japan didn't have any kind of safety or environmental regulations.

Having it doesn't mean we lost it to them.

"We" didn't lose anything. "We" made a conscious decision to give it away.

[Grizalltheway]

People in Germany and Japan work for a $1 a day?

Last time I checked, Japan and Germany were moving stuff to the US.

So are some American companies. MasterLock and Caterpillar come to mind.

[AZGrizFan]

Having it doesn't mean we lost it to them.

"We" didn't lose anything. "We" made a conscious decision to give it away.

And why would that be?

[BDKJMU]

I delivered chinese food, part time until I found a job, but that was after my gig at a hotel. But like you...it wasn't a career. The point is that fast food/minum wage jobs aren't designed to be careers. Your buddy that went corporate has a degree. That isn't who we're talking about. We're talking about those that don't finish high school or college and are at the bottom of the totem pole.

And as someone who employs mostly minimum wage workers (insert evil Walmart like employer jokes here), I can tell you there are a surprising amount of people with college degrees and I few with masters degrees willing to work minimum wage as there's still not that much out there. And I'm talking about solid, responsible people some of whom have families, from ages 30 - 50's who have had careers. Not everyone working minimum wage is an underachiever.

According to the BLS latest (2012) minimum wage data, only 2.8% of workers in 12' made the minimum wage, and "about" half of those were under age 25.
http://www.bls.gov/cps/minwage2012.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So only about 1.4% of workers were over 25 and making the minimum wage. And I bet most of them weren't the primary breadwinner in 2 parent households with kids.

So if you're employing a bunch of people in their 30s-50s making the minimum wage, you must be dealing with some real dregs...

[Skjellyfetti]

And as someone who employs mostly minimum wage workers (insert evil Walmart like employer jokes here), I can tell you there are a surprising amount of people with college degrees and I few with masters degrees willing to work minimum wage as there's still not that much out there. And I'm talking about solid, responsible people some of whom have families, from ages 30 - 50's who have had careers. Not everyone working minimum wage is an underachiever.

According to the BLS latest (2012) minimum wage data, only 2.8% of workers in 12' made the minimum wage, and "about" half of those were under age 25.
http://www.bls.gov/cps/minwage2012.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So only about 1.4% of workers were over 25 and making the minimum wage. And I bet most of them weren't the primary breadwinner in 2 parent households with kids.

So if you're employing a bunch of people in their 30s-50s making the minimum wage, you must be dealing with some real dregs...

That's a terrible statistic.

It takes the entire population of workers... and looks at those working at the FEDERAL minimum wage. 19 states have a higher minimum wage.

By this statistic... ZERO people in those 19 states work at minimum wage.

[AZGrizFan]

According to the BLS latest (2012) minimum wage data, only 2.8% of workers in 12' made the minimum wage, and "about" half of those were under age 25.
http://www.bls.gov/cps/minwage2012.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So only about 1.4% of workers were over 25 and making the minimum wage. And I bet most of them weren't the primary breadwinner in 2 parent households with kids.

So if you're employing a bunch of people in their 30s-50s making the minimum wage, you must be dealing with some real dregs...

That's a terrible statistic.

It takes the entire population of workers... and looks at those working at the FEDERAL minimum wage. 19 states have a higher minimum wage.

By this statistic... ZERO people in those 19 states work at minimum wage.

And that would be correct. There's not a damned thing wrong with the statistic. I vote we abolish the FEDERAL minimum wage altogether. It's a states' rights issue. In fact, it's a free market issue and should be abolished altogether.

[BDKJMU]

According to the BLS latest (2012) minimum wage data, only 2.8% of workers in 12' made the minimum wage, and "about" half of those were under age 25.
http://www.bls.gov/cps/minwage2012.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So only about 1.4% of workers were over 25 and making the minimum wage. And I bet most of them weren't the primary breadwinner in 2 parent households with kids.

So if you're employing a bunch of people in their 30s-50s making the minimum wage, you must be dealing with some real dregs...

That's a terrible statistic.

It takes the entire population of workers... and looks at those working at the FEDERAL minimum wage. 19 states have a higher minimum wage.

By this statistic... ZERO people in those 19 states work at minimum wage.

Well, then you have 19 mostly blue, mostly retard states mandating that teenagers, living at home with mommy & daddy, working their 1st low to no skill job(s), are paid more than $7.25 an hr.

[Skjellyfetti]

Full list of countries without a minimum wage:

Suriname
Guinea
Somalia
Burundi
Djibouti
United Arab Emirates
Qatar
Kyrgystan
North Korea
Brunei
Malaysia

[BDKJMU]

People in Germany and Japan work for a $1 a day?

Last time I checked, Japan and Germany were moving stuff to the US.

Exactly. Posted this last fall on another thread:

European industry flocks to U.S. to take advantage of cheaper gas
http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013 ... e-gas-basf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

German Firms Flee to U.S. to Avoid Staggering “Green” Energy Costs
http://www.thenewamerican.com/world-new ... ergy-costs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[CID1990]

Having it doesn't mean we lost it to them.

"We" didn't lose anything. "We" made a conscious decision to give it away.

That's what I said

[AZGrizFan]

Full list of countries without a minimum wage:

Suriname
Guinea
Somalia
Burundi
Djibouti
United Arab Emirates
Qatar
Kyrgystan
North Korea
Brunei
Malaysia

So fucking what....

[Skjellyfetti]

Full list of countries without a minimum wage:

Suriname
Guinea
Somalia
Burundi
Djibouti
United Arab Emirates
Qatar
Kyrgystan
North Korea
Brunei
Malaysia

So fucking what....

Go live out your free market ideals there.

[AZGrizFan]

So fucking what....

Go live out your free market ideals there.

Yeah, because the major problem in those countries is the lack of a minimum wage.

[BDKJMU]

Full list of countries without a minimum wage:

Suriname
Guinea
Somalia
Burundi
Djibouti
United Arab Emirates
Qatar
Kyrgystan
North Korea
Brunei
Malaysia

Link?

[kalm]

"We" didn't lose anything. "We" made a conscious decision to give it away.

That's what I said

I know. Despite the fact you're a total dick, we actually agree on more than you'd ever care to admit. IIRC we are both Buchannon fans for starters...

[DSUrocks07]

That's a terrible statistic.

It takes the entire population of workers... and looks at those working at the FEDERAL minimum wage. 19 states have a higher minimum wage.

By this statistic... ZERO people in those 19 states work at minimum wage.

And that would be correct. There's not a damned thing wrong with the statistic. I vote we abolish the FEDERAL minimum wage altogether. It's a states' rights issue. In fact, it's a free market issue and should be abolished altogether.

That's where I fall on this. If a state wants to raise their minimum wage then they are free to do so. There's no need for a federal standard. Companies will have to adjust accordingly.

[kalm]

That's a terrible statistic.

It takes the entire population of workers... and looks at those working at the FEDERAL minimum wage. 19 states have a higher minimum wage.

By this statistic... ZERO people in those 19 states work at minimum wage.

Well, then you have 19 mostly blue, mostly retard states mandating that teenagers, living at home with mommy & daddy, working their 1st low to no skill job(s), are paid more than $7.25 an hr.

First, I never said I employed a bunch, I said that you'd be surprised at the number of people with degrees willing to work minimum wage. The few that I do employ will quickly gain responsibilities, get a raise, and I will give them bonuses as finances allow so I can keep them around as long as possible before they get a job that pays them for their qualifications.

The majority are high school and college age kids. Ironically, our district's state rep just proposed lowering the state minimum wage down to the federal level for teenagers just as you suggest. And believe it or not, I don't have much of an issue with this.

As for those "19 mostly blue, retard states", what's their population like? How a bout the standard of living? Show me how the minimum wage has caused them to suffer. How does federal spending compared to tax revenues in those states compare to the 31 who are at the fed min. wage level. Why don't you compare poverty, food stamp, and welfare rates between the two.

To summarize.
1). Skelly is right and that was ridiculous statistic to use in light of this argument.
2). I don't employ dregs.
3). You appear to have that special combination of arrogance AND ignorance.

[YoUDeeMan]

To summarize.
1). Skelly is right...

That's where you lost all credibility.

[Ibanez]

Last time I checked, Japan and Germany were moving stuff to the US.

Exactly. Posted this last fall on another thread:

European industry flocks to U.S. to take advantage of cheaper gas
http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013 ... e-gas-basf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

German Firms Flee to U.S. to Avoid Staggering “Green” Energy Costs
http://www.thenewamerican.com/world-new ... ergy-costs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cid, back me up on this if i'm wrong, but another interesting development is the number of American companies fleeing the rising costs of China for Vietnam. There's been a few billion dollars of investment in Vietnam within the past several years.

[Ibanez]

3). You appear to have that special combination of arrogance AND ignorance.

You're talking about BDKJMU. His persona on here is arrogance and ignorance.

[kalm]

3). You appear to have that special combination of arrogance AND ignorance.

You're talking about BDKJMU. He's who persona on here is arrogance and ignorance.

Huh?

[Ibanez]

You're talking about BDKJMU. His persona on here is arrogance and ignorance.

Huh?

You're quote was directed at BDK, was it not?

[kalm]

Exactly. Posted this last fall on another thread:

European industry flocks to U.S. to take advantage of cheaper gas
http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013 ... e-gas-basf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

German Firms Flee to U.S. to Avoid Staggering “Green” Energy Costs
http://www.thenewamerican.com/world-new ... ergy-costs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cid, back me up on this if i'm wrong, but another interesting development is the number of American companies fleeing the rising costs of China for Vietnam. There's been a few billion dollars of investment in Vietnam within the past several years.

Perhaps China's rising wages and green initiatives are not sustainable for those companies.

[kalm]

Huh?

You're quote was directed at BDK, was it not?

Cheater...

[Ibanez]

Cid, back me up on this if i'm wrong, but another interesting development is the number of American companies fleeing the rising costs of China for Vietnam. There's been a few billion dollars of investment in Vietnam within the past several years.

Perhaps China's rising wages and green initiatives are not sustainable for those companies.

Rising Wages AND rising utility costs. Also, it's a logistical nightmare and the freight costs are staggering. Also, Chinese laborers are beginning to unionize.
My wife did part of her thesis on this as part of her sustainable business concept. The reaction American businesses have had to China is worth taking a look at.