Minimum
Wage Raise in Increments is best
I recently met a fellow who adamantly claims that
when minimum wages rise, prices for everything else will immediately double. I
think he should do a little fact-checking. First, companies generally don’t
want to drive themselves out of business. Prices for some businesses with lots
of workers paid the new $12 an hour are more apt to raise their charges by 5 to
10%, if at all. Second; food, rent and utility costs didn’t double in any of
the other 29 states who raised their minimum.
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It’s sad that, instead of determining ways to
encourage workers to use more empowerment, innovativeness, imagination and
teamwork, some employers in anticipation of the $12 raise are instead focusing
their energy on exaggerating how much this will hurt them, while looking to
trim work hours, and seeking exceptions or loopholes. (I do agree that an
immediate $15 an hour would injure some companies.)
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Indeed, it’s less of a societal failure when our
leaders of industry realize that higher wages can translate into better worker
stability and even loyalty. Employers will be apt to see less costly worker
turnover when their workers receive something approaching a living wage.
Maintaining experienced workers with institutional memories saves on training
costs, lessens work errors, reduces paperwork and makes for improved work
atmospheres.
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Recently at my minimum wage workplace our paychecks
were delayed due to an accounting error. For some this may seem like a minor
nuisance, but for many of us our anxiety level rose with the continuing uncertainty
of when we might be paid. Concerned work colleagues started canceling weekend
plans and worried about late charges for utilities, which affects credit
ratings. (Fortunately our checks showed up in the nick of time.)
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Many people who have never experienced being absolutely
broke don’t realize how large a difference it is to have $300 versus owning zero
money. Everything comes to a standstill.
Suddenly, don’t have enough to buy toothpaste, Raman noodles or work bus
fare. The minimum wage raise will help us immensely with our efforts to get
unstuck.
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I think Gov. Wolf’s proposal to raise the wage to
$12 and then yearly 50 cent
increments is right on track, considering that we’re experiencing a good economy; that the wage has not kept up with the inflation of the last ten years, and that this long overdue earned increase would give dedicated workers better chances to flourish and shine for their companies and for themselves.
increments is right on track, considering that we’re experiencing a good economy; that the wage has not kept up with the inflation of the last ten years, and that this long overdue earned increase would give dedicated workers better chances to flourish and shine for their companies and for themselves.
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