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Friday Rant: Minimum Wage
By KeMari | August 31, 2007
For some of us, minimum wage is not a concern. Since it isn’t a concern and since it doesn’t affect our lives, we have a tendency to overlook the issue. But what about the people whose lives are affected by minimum wage? What about single mothers or fathers who are forced to take low-paying jobs to survive? What about the thousands upon thousands, if not millions, of high school dropouts attempting to make it in the work place? What about college graduates that, contrary to popular belief, do not graduate automatically making $50,000 a year?
The current U.S. Federal Minimum Wage level is $5.85. Yes, you read that right. The good news is that that rate is not the same in every state. The bad news is that that rate is not the same in every state. Some states have a minimum wage rate of just under $8.00. Others are at a shocking $2.65.
Logically, it would seem these amounts reflect the cost of living in each metro area within their respective states. However, let’s look at an example:
In Washington state, the current minimum wage is around $7.93 (one of the highest in the U.S.), with future increases by way of inflation. If a single person with no kids works and makes minimum wage, working 40 hours a week, he or she would gross $317.20 a week. Since Washington state has no personal income tax withheld, this person would need only take out Federal Income Tax, and the various other mandatory withholdings, such as Medicaid and SSI. If you do the math and use the average 35% taken out of each paycheck, this person is only bringing home an average of $206.18 a week. A month that is $887. An average apartment in Seattle and the surrounding areas for a 1 bedroom would be anywhere from $600 to $800. Let’s go with a low, and lower it even more just for the sake of argument. $500 for a 1 bedroom would leave $387. Electric is say $50, cable is $30, phone is $40, internet if you want it is $30. That’s $750 spent so far out of $887. Now there’s groceries, say at the least is $75 a month. That leaves us with $75; for emergencies, for utilities that might be higher during different seasons, or travel, or entertainment for the month. Can anyone survive on $75 extra dollars a month? NO! And that’s using an example with one of the higher minimum wages.
What about those states with minimum wages of $2 and $3? How do those people survive? What about people who have to travel farther for work? Gas is sky high. So there goes that $75. What about people with children who have to pay for childcare? They have to get a second job just to cover childcare.
Minimum wage is too low if you ask me. This country is swimming in poverty and that’s just the middle class. What about lower class? This all goes back to Courtni’s rant on State Assistance Catch-22’s. These people making minimum wage might not qualify for welfare. So what do they do? They scrape by every month. They work their fingers to the bone so someone else can get rich.
I’m sick of it! And I think something should be done about it.
I admit, not all places start you out at minimum wage, some places pay you higher. Not much higher, but they will pay more. You can start off at $9 or $10 at some grocery stores and some fast food restaurants. But still, some places give you the bare minimum. Often times, it’s an office job. I’ve seen ads here in Arizona for $8 an hour or $7.50 an hour, and they require you be college educated. Shouldn’t a college educated person be making more than $7.50? But these are Small Business owners, you say. They have budgets. Yes they do. I understand that. But one can only expect quality employees if they are paying quality money, right?
I know, some jobs that pay you minimum wage are usually not career-type jobs and yes, sometimes there are people working there that do half-assed jobs and goof off. So they get paid for their quality of work. But if we raised minimum wage, the pay would be higher and maybe people would be motivated to have a high quality level of work. Somehow, some way, we need to be earning more in order to survive and I think it begins with minimum wage.
And the eternal question: Why are we constantly sending our countrymen to help other countries in need when we are so in need ourselves?
This is my rant. What is yours?
DiscussionQs: Do you think minimum wage is too low? What do you consider low income? Do you think people can really survive on a minimum wage job?
Tags: Minimum Wage, Friday Rant, Kemari Blue, Phattitudes |
I think its like $5.65 here or so.
See, my opinion is that people who start out at jobs where the only thing they CAN make is minimum wage would starve and live in poverty on that kind of money. I think the only thing minimum wage is good for is maybe high school kids who live at home with parents, looking to make a few extra dollars. Adults would never be able to survive on that. And it aggravates me that anyone thinks they could.
you could be like me and have 3 college degrees that you’re not doing with and still paying student loans too…bleah
~2
But you do it so well 2!
i live in North Carolina and the minimum wage here is $6.15. It is horrible. I also live in a small college town so businesses are looking for part time college students that they can pay minimum wages to. they dont wanna pay anyone much of anything around here. i work for myself and make much more than minimum wage at the moment but i am still struggling to pay bills. i cant imagine what its like to try and survive on 6.15 an hour. hell, i cant pay my rent with that. i am lucky that my rent is only $675/mo and that includes, heat/AC, electricity, water and cable. i know that sounds great and all, but i have to drive like a bazillion miles just to go to the grocery store or get chinese takeout. the 30 minute dominos guy couldnt make it here in 30 minutes, lol. anyhow, i see the people and the living conditions that are around me and it makes me sad that people cant get anything better around here. i applied for a management position at a dept store here that included being a keyholder and she was like “i can give you 6.75″ i was like “pffffft” ummm no
That’s just awful. It really is. Like I said, any company that expects someone to willingly accept $6.15 an hour is insane. I know, people who make no income would think its better than nothing. But its not better than nothing. Because if you’re earning nothing, at least you can get state assistance. It is such a catch 22 when it comes to this stuff. I’m glad though that you are making more than that, but am sorry you are struggling.
Minimum Wage… Normally you get minimum wage for the crappiest jobs, or like Lessa said, you get an offer for management w/ such a shitty pay. How can you accept that. If you are single, it’s a struggle. My husband and I cannot survive off one income and he was making 15.00 an hour and I pay 700 in rent. Everything piles up and gets out of control. So for us to survive, we both must be making at least 11 an hour, that’s 22 an hour between the two of us and that’s with just a little left over for savings cause let’s face it, everything is so expensive. I mean, let’s say we take out son to a movie, with tickets popcorn and A drink, it’s $35. For a fucking movie… Things just keep getting more expensive. And since you asked what my rant is, let me tell you: THE GODDAMN BASTARD KEEP RAISING THE PRICE FOR THE BUSES!!!!! It was 1.70 (???Why not round that up to keep me from having to search in the couch for dimes) and now it’s 1.75. Ok, yeah, small increase, but the monthly pass used to be $50 and now it’s $70. Come on people, I am broke…. Give me a break!! LMAO! Ok, I am done!!
xxoxx
Stephanie
See, that is really what my rant stems from. That everything is going up in costs, and people are still making the same they did 4 years ago. Our pay is not rising, but the cost of living is.
AND WE CAN’T SURVIVE. I can’t even survive on $35K a year. I mean, unless I want to live in a tiny, crappy apartment with 1 bedroom, forcing me and my 2 children to sleep in the same room, then sure, I can survive. But costs are just too high. Either the government and the employers need to raise some pay or they need to lower the costs and taxes of EVERYTHING ELSE.
I think that minimum wage should be based on the job you perform and that there should be some kind of job created where someone goes around and “tests” out each job for a full work week. I have a job that pays $7.50 and that is one of the highest paying jobs here that you can get without a degree.
I understand what you’re saying and agree to a point. But look at it like this…
a woman has been married for 15 years, the last job she worked was as a secretary in an office that didn’t use a computer. She’s spent years raising kids, cleaning, remodeling her kitchens, doing mom and wife things and then her husband leaves her after the kids move out. She has no place to live, no money, and just a high school education.
The only job she can get with her skills makes $5.85 an hour. Now, she is going to need first months rent, security and a cleaning deposit to get an apartment. She also has no way to work so has to take the bus, which is $1.85 or $75 a month. She’ll need to pay electricity, heat and a phone. How can she afford to live? She won’t even have enough for groceries after all of that.
I don’t think it’s fair and I think it is forcing many hardworking people into poverty. Yes, there are people that abuse the system and those people should be made to take these kinds of jobs but the people who NEED a real income to survive should not be forced to have such a tiny income if they are willing to do real, hard work.
It makes me angry, mind-numb and a thousand other things and reminds me of why I better get my ass back to work on this essay…
Me too and I thank ME that I don’t have to worry about it for my own personal self, but I am sad for other people who have to deal with it.
I think that minimum wage is way too low everywhere. I make 17.35 an hour, but after taxes, and insurance, I don’t make shit. I have worked my way up in the company where they started me at 4.75. I am a manager, and when I see some of my crew members checks, I just don’t see how they can live off of 600 a month. I know that some of them get assistance, but still. The states that have 2 or 3 dollar minimum wage, their politicians should be taken out back and shot. How do they expect anyone to get off of federal assistance with those kinds of wages?
I’m in Ohio and we recently got a raise in the minimum wage department. I think it is like 6.75/hr when it was 5.15/hr. I make 9/hr and I am only working part time. Many of these type of jobs that pay hourly wages do not hire many full timers unless you move up the ladder or been there awhile. So if you think about it there are a lot of people working two part jobs at minimum wage. I personally think places that are reporting a profit (this is even after paying all their employees) of millions even billions can easily afford to pay their employees more without having to pass the cost on to the consumer.
I agree with you. Most people trying to live on minimum wage can’t afford to live, at least on one imcome. Often people are forced to work more than one job, as is their spouse. So when this happens, what happens to their kids?
I had no idea that states could make their own minimum wage lower than the federal level. That’s just criminal.