Is US Minimum Wage really $7.25?

reply to post by ldyserenity


Back in 1985, I made $4.00/hr working in a grocery store at 32 hours a week. I paid rent, owned two cars, paid utilities, groceries and still went out to the bars on Friday and Saturday night. Today at $7.25 I would be lucky to be able to pay for the gas to go to work!

reply to post by haarvik


Sounds like how my Dad says Australia was like in the 70s. Australia isnt perfect. We are becoming wage slaves because of the cost of basics like electricity,fuel and food.
We are all wage slaves really when you consider the cost of a house these days and insurance for everything from Pet to Funeral. Everyone wants a piece of us. And as much as they can get.

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Something I dont understand regarding these high costs. All of our invention and innovation and new machines and techniques were supposed to make things faster, easier and cheaper to produce. So what happened?

It's easier and quicker today to build a house than it was 50 years ago.

It's easier and quicker today to build a car than it was 50 years ago.

It the high cost all because of devaluation of the dollar?

Imagine what things would cost if the dollar was as worthless today as it is but things were still as difficult to produce as they were 50 years ago.

Originally posted by theovermensch
reply to post by haarvik

 

Sounds like how my Dad says Australia was like in the 70s. Australia isnt perfect. We are becoming wage slaves because of the cost of basics like electricity,fuel and food.
We are all wage slaves really when you consider the cost of a house these days and insurance for everything from Pet to Funeral. Everyone wants a piece of us. And as much as they can get.

This is another problem, electricity, back in the 70's it was not a requirement for a family to have it. You couldn't lose your children for not having it but somewhere along the way (unless you were Amish and protected) it became a requirement, and you could lose your children for not having it. More market manipulation, forcing people to buy a service that should otherwise be totally by personal choice, IMO. And now WE are going to be manipulated into buying health insurance too, or lose our children and be fined/imprisoned if we do not buy health insurance, lovely market manipulation, I should open a health insurance agency.

ETA: Notice Electricity for the main part, has no competition, there is no choice, depending on where you live there is usually only one provider as well.

Originally posted by angeldoll
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edit on 12/9/2011 by angeldoll because: (no reason given)

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reply to post by thisguyrighthere


Essentially the things that seem to be reasonably priced to us are manufactured goods that have been outsourced to other lower wage countries or perishable items which have remained reasonable because of government subsidies and increases in agriculture technology (interesting sidenote: if you want to see how effective regulation of a market can be, just study agriculture in the U.S. -- we are the breadbasket to the world because we COOPERATED to make it better).

The things that seem to be outrageously priced are services. If it can't be outsourced or mechanized, you can't hide the actual effects of inflation. We pay through the nose when we go to the doctor, go to college, etc., and THOSE are the prices that we should be looking at to realize the staggering loss in purchasing power we have actually experienced.

Originally posted by ldyserenity

Originally posted by theovermensch
reply to post by haarvik

 

Sounds like how my Dad says Australia was like in the 70s. Australia isnt perfect. We are becoming wage slaves because of the cost of basics like electricity,fuel and food.
We are all wage slaves really when you consider the cost of a house these days and insurance for everything from Pet to Funeral. Everyone wants a piece of us. And as much as they can get.

This is another problem, electricity, back in the 70's it was not a requirement for a family to have it. You couldn't lose your children for not having it but somewhere along the way (unless you were Amish and protected) it became a requirement, and you could lose your children for not having it. More market manipulation, forcing people to buy a service that should otherwise be totally by personal choice, IMO. And now WE are going to be manipulated into buying health insurance too, or lose our children and be fined/imprisoned if we do not buy health insurance, lovely market manipulation, I should open a health insurance agency.

ETA: Notice Electricity for the main part, has no competition, there is no choice, depending on where you live there is usually only one provider as well.

edit on 9-12-2011 by ldyserenity because: add

I agree with all of that Its like they have us locked in to the system. If you manage to not live in it you become a heretic and an outcast.

No to answer the original question the op asked...

The minimum wage is set at 7.25 an gross... which is pre-tax hence gross...

You lose 30 percent roughly to fica and his mafioso friends...


so in effect you are getting paid

5.075 an hour at minimum wage.....
( just to fair... 7.25 x 40 x 52 x.7 =10556 a year)

just so you know let me correct a liberal misunderstanding... this is your pocket book speaking...

When you raise minimum wage you raise cost for businesses so they pass it along to the consumer... You may not realize this but here goes...

an item produced in america goes through this process

Raw material
workers get paid min


workers shipping

processing workers

Shipping workers

wharehousing workers

Salesmen to stores

Stores associates...

As you go deeper at each level you find more taxes being paid... this was just a basic outline.. when you raise the cost of workers you raise the cost on the business... at each stage... so that liberal Idea of raise the minimum wage crap just raises my cost so forget it...

it is cumulative.... an it sucks... it is not a free market.... over 90 percent is damn taxes and associated cost....



Prediction- countries with high min wages will falter... and it will be there fault....

the numbers are against the liberals on this philosophy.....

PS.... I would never pay 20 an hour to a burger flipper... at this point the service is worth only 9 an hour for competence and less then ten mistakes a week... This includes no attendance issues.... no disciplinary problems at work........

The reason only 9 for perfection..... The ones who meet this criteria will be trained for management or for transfer to cook school for restaurants in my empire I want to build... college my tab.....

As for bene's .... none offered ...

mind you, company doctor once big enough for low level employee use only.... (reduce call ins and kept spreadable disease low...)


BTW I have met those I would steal from there current employers....... those that would get the slightly higher pay.....

No the company is not accepting applications.... we poach ours from other companies...

Relax walmart your completely safe from us....

reply to post by theovermensch


If you think $7.25 is disturbing you should look into other forms of work that are outside the regulations of this "minimum wage" law. For instance, the minimum wage for wait staff(at least in this state) is $2.13(before Taxation). It is expected that Mr. and Mrs G.Q. Public will give a gratuity that balances out to the standard minimum wage. Unfortunately this is not always the case(especially Sunday night-Thursday night), because of the economy. So not only are they payed an insulting wage but treated as lower forms of humans as well.

reply to post by Agarta


Yeah,I noticed that. It would be pretty bad if you didnt get tips.

I also noticed the American Territories(Puerto Rico,Guam,Virgin Islands...)have shockingly low wages. The United States could manufacture in those places and it would be better than buying from China. It is like you are funding your greatest rival.

reply to post by Agarta


Waiters and waitresess make a pretty good dime if they work at a popular restaurant. Sure their hourly rate is low, but the tips they take in are most likely not counted on their taxes.

Minimum wage is used on jobs that are minimum to our needs. If you have to work minimum wage jobs then get 2 of them until you can find something better.

Originally posted by ripcontrol
No to answer the original question the op asked...

The minimum wage is set at 7.25 an gross... which is pre-tax hence gross...

You lose 30 percent roughly to fica and his mafioso friends...


so in effect you are getting paid

5.075 an hour at minimum wage.....
( just to fair... 7.25 x 40 x 52 x.7 =10556 a year)

just so you know let me correct a liberal misunderstanding... this is your pocket book speaking...

When you raise minimum wage you raise cost for businesses so they pass it along to the consumer... You may not realize this but here goes...

an item produced in america goes through this process

Raw material
workers get paid min


workers shipping

processing workers

Shipping workers

wharehousing workers

Salesmen to stores

Stores associates...

As you go deeper at each level you find more taxes being paid... this was just a basic outline.. when you raise the cost of workers you raise the cost on the business... at each stage... so that liberal Idea of raise the minimum wage crap just raises my cost so forget it...

it is cumulative.... an it sucks... it is not a free market.... over 90 percent is damn taxes and associated cost....



Prediction- countries with high min wages will falter... and it will be there fault....

the numbers are against the liberals on this philosophy.....

PS.... I would never pay 20 an hour to a burger flipper... at this point the service is worth only 9 an hour for competence and less then ten mistakes a week... This includes no attendance issues.... no disciplinary problems at work........

The reason only 9 for perfection..... The ones who meet this criteria will be trained for management or for transfer to cook school for restaurants in my empire I want to build... college my tab.....

As for bene's .... none offered ...

mind you, company doctor once big enough for low level employee use only.... (reduce call ins and kept spreadable disease low...)


BTW I have met those I would steal from there current employers....... those that would get the slightly higher pay.....

No the company is not accepting applications.... we poach ours from other companies...

Relax walmart your completely safe from us....

edit on 9-12-2011 by ripcontrol because: the business fairy had an appointment with the TWC... so i filled in

edit on 9-12-2011 by ripcontrol because: fairy is still out

Upward Mobility hasnt worked out.

reply to post by Agarta


again I have to respectfully disagree... being a smart waiter you can make a fortune off the books with proper management,,,,

Also the problem is this.... why should I pay for garbage service....

I vote with my dollars.... I also have extra pounds for it...( I share that wealth free fat just for the liberals on this issues)

I go to a restaurant I have 2 rules...

The first is this...

one of my old roommates has hygiene issues... he can walk into a room and you need fresh air.... But when we went to eat out I found a solution....

I will over tip and I forced him to over tip... Oddly enough we are in there for say thirty minutes... when spend maybe twenty dollars on food.. (recently more like 25, Thank you liberals for raising my cost... I am feeling that change)

when tip no less then ten dollars.... the service is medium.... no great not bad... food is okay...


the second rule is this....

If I find a great waitress I will tip ten dollars for it... I have my customer service rules and if they are violated You lose tips....

Now you ready for this..... I pay the tip in cash and have taught my friends to do so as well... you know why...

So the gubiment revenuers cant track the waitress on her cash... minus any new laws that may come out... this means for thirty minutes of actual work and putting up with me is ten cash not traced.... I leave it to their conscious as to the reporting methods...

Surprisingly my system works.... the bad ones dont like me and the good ones surprisingly are always to see us... even the managers have caught my routine and my friends and sit us with the one s we like...

I also have been asked by managers in line why they havent seen me in a little bit... I tell them...(makes great walmart line conversation and funny enough I usually see that mythical walmart employee walk by )

reply to post by Becoming


I do agree with you if you are a college student working at Applebees, However, lets say you are a mother of 2 not yet school age. Your husband leaves you and you have never worked before as he brought home all the money. He does not pay child support. You are forced to get a job and waiting tables is the only option for you in your area, not to mention the restaurants you have a choice of is Village Inn or IHOP. You have rent, food, forced utilities, etc, not to mention an average of $375/mth/child in child care while you are at work(that is of course if you work during the day and not at night. Get a second job and poof that child care/babysitting skyrockets. You end up working 80 hours + a week(half of which is only to pay your child care so you can work the first job) then tack on your taxes for income then sales tax(which is not buyers tax and should be payed by the companies in the first place) and all the other taxes and expenditures like toilet paper, clothes, shoes, etc on top of it all. All because your husband found greener pastures.

Originally posted by haarvik
reply to post by ldyserenity

 

Back in 1985, I made $4.00/hr working in a grocery store at 32 hours a week. I paid rent, owned two cars, paid utilities, groceries and still went out to the bars on Friday and Saturday night. Today at $7.25 I would be lucky to be able to pay for the gas to go to work!

Yes, that is the effect that inflation has had on us. What causes inflation? Well the Fed printing money for the govt at breathtaking speed.

reply to post by ripcontrol


You are one in a million for tipping that high. When I was a waiter I would have treated you like gold. Unfortunately $10 tips are far and few between.

reply to post by ripcontrol


You make a good point.

I think what must be changed here is not the min wage but rather availability of higher paying jobs, less taxes on products especially the essential ones, more streamlines business practices etc.

The main fundamental problem I see with the day this society is going is we have reached our productive peak ling ago. We are no longer expanding or moving forward, our current industries are drying up and stagnating. We need a new revolutionary discovery be it new colonizable land or development of higher technology. Humans need to expand and find new resources, find new innovations or breakthroughs in technology. This hadn't happened in years. As far as we have advanced technologically in the last hundred years our basic operating principles are the same.

We need something revolutionary, kind of like when we invented the internal combustion engine, transmission of electricity, making gunpowder from the nitrogen in the air, or atomic energy. Something that is just as epic as any of those discoveries. Otherwise we are in big trouble .

Originally posted by Agarta
reply to post by Becoming

 

I do agree with you if you are a college student working at Applebees, However, lets say you are a mother of 2 not yet school age. Your husband leaves you and you have never worked before as he brought home all the money.

I stopped reading right there.

I will not feel sorry for someone who decided to let others take care of them and not contribute only to find yourself alone, kids to feed and bills and rent to pay. That person should have been more self reliant and made herself relevant to the world.

Now because she was wrong about finding herself a sugar daddy, she is stuck in a low end job with no qualifications and you think she deserves more money.