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Sat 6 Nov, 2004 01:58 pm
I would like to discuss Pataki's veto of the Minimum Wage Increase for NYS. I will be honest, I am a Senior in High School, soon to be 18, and I know my opinion may not matter to most; but I feel I have the Right to my say.
Pataki has many outlooks on the cons of an increase in wages, but the fact that he would look down on working teenagers outrages me. In his veto message he stated "that most minimum-wage earners are not heads of households, but teenagers working part-time jobs." Some teenagers are struggling to get by if anyone hasn't noticed. Yes, there are the few of us who waste our money away on things we do not need; but have you ever considered that teenagers are unable to support ourselves?
On a personal level, I have been working at my part-time job for over a year now at the wage of $5.45 /hour. If it wasn't for the amount of hours I receive, I would never be able to pay for the things I do. I have a leased car that my father helps me pay because I can not afford a car on my own. I also will be going to College in less than a year. Does Pataki expect College Freshman to support themselves on $5.15-$6.75 /hour? We must purchase rather expensive textbooks, our own food- because we can't depend on our parents anymore, tuition and also parking. That is only College alone.
I know many of you who read this are parents who will or already have gone through supporting your children in College. I believe you understand the hassle of the many costs. It makes sense to me to allow us to earn more money. Not only to be able to pay "things" off, but to learn the value of money, and the responsibility it takes to earn it.
Let me just say that I am heartened at your willing to work and take these things seriously as they are serious.
And you are right, teenagers are having to work more to help out their parents pay for things whereas in the past teenagers could blow their money at the mall. I have two daughters ages 21 and 18 who have been working since they turned 16. If they didn't I don't know what we would do with both of them going to college and having a little grandbaby to take care of as well.
Pataki seems a little out of touch with the realities of the average family in today's economy.
Jessica, I can understand your desire to make more money at your job - most of us would like that. There are some other things to consider, however. The business your working for has lots of expenses - inventory, retail space (I'm making an assumption here about the type of job since you didn't specify), wages, taxes, benefits, services, etc. Generally, minimum-wage type jobs fall into the category of things that need to be done but not necessarily things that directly relate to profit generation for the business. The business owner assumes all of the risk involved with starting and operating the business, including government regulations.
Is there anything you can do that would increase the profit for the company you work for? Simply working at a job isn't enough - improving it is financially beneficial for your employer and gives you the opportunity to shine, and then ask for a raise, with reminders about how much you've helped. If you don't know what you can to to help, ask your boss straight out. Be honest. Tell him/her that you would like to help the business grow and improve but that since you are fairly inexperienced you are not sure how and then ask if there is anything else you can do. That little bit of initiative will take you MUCH further in this job and the next on than an increase in minimum wage.
Idaho - Agree. Raising the minimum wage across the board will just increase expenses, which will be passed on to the customer. Each employee needs to work hard, make oneself indispensible, and then hit the boss for a big raise!
Yea, what do they do after they work hard and make themselves indispensible and make profits for the big boss and then go up hit the boss for a big raise, and he/she says, "no."
revel- There are many minimum wage jobs availible, If a person finds that the company is tight with raises, the person can move on to a place that values and promotes their employees for good work.
I don't believe that jobs just are so easy to come by, minimum wage or not that you just can afford to walk off and find another one. At least not where I live.
revel- And that is a choice that each person must make.
Funny how legislators always keep an eye on minimum wage...but never conceive of the idea of a maximum wage.
CK, are you serious? What would be the point?
Retail, Wal Mart, McDonalds, the malll Food Mart, etc. all pay minimum wage. For our area, you can pretty much start at $7.00/ hour. After taxes, you take home around $5 -$5.50 depending on deductions.
Most of these jobs also only schedule people for up to 29 hours to avoid paying benefits, accumulating vacation days, getting paid sick days, etc.
So a person in Raleigh can get 2 jobs, working 29 hours per week at each one and after 58 hours (not 40) they come home with $1276 per month. That is the rent on a decent apartment and maybe utilities. Forget eating, driving, clothing yourself or any other nicety.
AND, take a look next time you are in Wal Mart, Dress Barn, and other establishments. They are NOT all teenagers.
but honey, it's part of that new ownership philosphy...makes you feel proud....pride...how's that with ketchup?
Teenagers are far and few beyween that need to work to support themselves. Granted there are exceptions, there always are, but for the most part Teens do not need to work to survive.
I have never heard of a teen leasing a car. Buy a shi!t-kicker and drive it till it dies. Take out student loans to pay for college and try to get good grades so you won't have to work minimum wage jobs once you graduate.
If you apply yourself now, you won't have to worry about such things as minimum wage. 20 years from now you will be pissing and moaning about the taxes you pay and wondering why people can't get by on minimum wage because that's all you can realistically afford to pay a cashier/busboy/shelf stocker and keep your business solvent. You'll say to yourself "hey, I got through college making min. wage...they should be able to as well."
Idaho wrote:CK, are you serious? What would be the point?
Yes I'm serious. If there is a minimum wage...there should be a maximum wage.
The point would be that more, if not all workers could share in the success of a business...not just one or two at the top.
I think Ben & Jerrys tried it before they sold their company.
The top earner in the company could only earn 7 times more than the lowest earner. This way they all shared in the success of the company.
IMO the idea would breed more loyalty on the part of both the employer and employee. They would actually be in the same boat and have a stake in the company doing well...unlike what takes place today in corporate America.
McGentrix wrote:Teenagers are far and few beyween that need to work to support themselves. Granted there are exceptions, there always are, but for the most part Teens do not need to work to survive.
That was my point, McG. The minimum wage earners today are not just teenagers as Bush and others in the current administration claim. They are adults trying to support a family. They are the elderly that should have already been able to retire, but can't.
Minimum wage when I worked as a high school and college student (24 years ago) was $3.15 if I remember correctly. A quarter of a century later it has only gone up by $2.20?
By comparison, a gallon of milk was $1.99 then and is $3.99 (double) now. IMO, minimum wage should at least keep up with the rate of increase in food prices.
I'd like to see some statistics to back you up Squinney. WHat percentage of minimum wage workers are trying to support a family?
Also, milk is that expensive down there?! We pay $1.99 a gallon.
Digression, but we're paying $1.99 per HALF gallon. Cheaper at WalMart, if you want to watch it sit around and spoil
McGentrix wrote:I'd like to see some statistics to back you up Squinney. WHat percentage of minimum wage workers are trying to support a family?
Also, milk is that expensive down there?! We pay $1.99 a gallon.
I guess life is cheaper in the Adirondacks....
Bi-Polar Bear wrote:McGentrix wrote:I'd like to see some statistics to back you up Squinney. WHat percentage of minimum wage workers are trying to support a family?
Also, milk is that expensive down there?! We pay $1.99 a gallon.
I guess life is cheaper in the Adirondacks....
mm hmm. More fulfilling as well.
CK - that's a nice thought, but scary to see it legislated. Business owners carry the rish of the business failing. Top executives in the company have more control over risk and more ocntrol over potential profit, so should make more. Generally, people are paid by how much they contribute and how easily replacable they are, skills they have that are unique. It's easy to replace a cashier or stocker, not so easy to replace a CEO, engineer, business development manager. If companies choose to place maximum salaries, fine, but the govt should stay out of it - they'd only screw it up.
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