This is an important conversation and I would like to bring it back on track. We do a lot of theoretical posturing about the effects of higher minimum wages but we have actual data and I think what we are missing with all of the sophisticated labor and wage market theories is the strength of the American consumer, which makes up 70% of the economy. And when it comes to the American consumer it’s a story of disparity and growing wealth gaps. I made the point before when unions were at their strongest Americans also had the strongest purchasing power. @Tony Stark is off of his rocker with his Biden hating but he is right that union members make higher wages than non union members. @newwurldmn countered with a pretty specious argument that unions would rather 3 members make $100k than 10 non members make $90k. While there is no basis for that there is nothing wrong with unions pursuing the self interest of their members which is equivalent to businesses pursuing profit motive. The point is that there is no real evidence that higher wages destroy jobs in the larger market. Yes, there will be adjustments where some businesses are priced out and costs increase. What’s also important is that higher wages reduces the expanding wealth imbalances in America. The free market isn’t some panacea that will always create ideal outcomes for everyone. The free market is designed to create competition. That’s it. The rest like health and safety, minimum wages, etc is up to us as a society. I personally would rather see a counterbalance in the labor market with union participation and a minimum wage of $12 an hour but with the decades of assault on unions and declining membership we will see governments act unilaterally on wages. The biggest problem here really isn’t McDonalds in California will raise prices 5% because California will be alright no matter what anyone thinks. The biggest problem will be the growing economic well being disparity between states with higher incomes and states with lower incomes. The tale of two Americas is real and growing, and is mainly an issue of working poor. This has to be addressed with wages or the continuing social unrest will grow.
Fast food jobs are not career opportunities and should pay accordingly. Far as I'm concerned they can all go broke, we'd be healthier as a nation. Unions are great in the private sector and should be encouraged. Slugs in the public sector like the bloodsucking teachers union need to be scrapped. The wage I'm most concerned about is why we pay congress anything at all. Not only are they parasites on our system, congress has become the greatest threat to our country and the world. There is no close second. Every terrorist organization in the world could band together and still not approach the damage congress does and is doing.
of course unions want less employment. They fundamentally want the supply of labor limited to increase wages. higher unemployment but higher wages for the union. It’s good for the union members who pay dues to the organizers.
I don’t know a union’s goal is less employment but they certainly would monopolize available work if left unchecked. Please don’t see me as Pollyannaish on unions. They can be as nasty as the nastiest of corporations. It’s an ugly struggle. I am reminded of the Battle of Blair Mountain. It used to go down in America for real. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Blair_Mountain
Tony Stark didn't bring up Biden in this thread,only countered.A likely butt hurt democrat mad that millions are leaving the democrat party first mentioned Biden and launched a personal attack because Im not voting for Biden.Y'all are a nasty bunch when former Democrat voters leave the plantation. The post that first brought up Biden and lead this thread off track
Yes, I agree. The biggest returns will go to those who own the machines, whether or (more likely) not they make, fix or run them.
Akin to saying "I'm thin now, why should I keep dieting?" However, I believe you'll be right when human nature is perfected.
First off some of you should read the law: The new law, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom last fall, requires that fast-food chains with 60 or more locations nationwide pay their workers at least $20 an hour. The means the state's 553,000 fast-food workers will earn more than the state's $16 minimum wage for all other industries. Bottom line is minimum wage has increased over time and the same arguments about wiping out businesses and jobs are raised yet here we are still thriving. Fast food chains will have to raise their prices but fast food is not as cheap as real food so it is not going to crush the economy that a Big mac meal costs $10.25 instead of $9.95. As long as the wage increase is reasonable and phased in...that is all that owners can hope for. $16 to $20 is not going to destroy a place running well but could put the nail in the coffin on a restaurant with one foot in the grave and who refuses to pass on the costs. Even if they refused to raise their wage they would lose employees to other places that pay better...free market kind of. A restuarant that closes due to that wage increase was basically barely scraping by if they could not take the cost and spread it out efficiently on their food items for marginal 5-8% price increases. If not wages there are price/cost increases on food items, transportation, rent, financing etc... Often higher paid workers spend more as long as hte increases are in line with market forces. A restaurant that keeps workers at a lower wage level gets shittier workers and the job suffers and the quality suffers and the place is not successful. Mom and pop restuarants are exempt but nothing stopping htem from paying more and raising prices.