5 ms·

$15/hr is not a lot of money, regardless of how positive and mind blown these media websites are. Nobody's "moving cities" for $15/hr. It's still barely above p

$15/hr is not a lot of money, regardless of how positive and mind blown these media websites are. Nobody's "moving cities" for $15/hr. It's still barely above poverty in anywhere that's not rural. $15/hr in Seattle is poverty or living 2-3 hours away from work.

jonknee 8y ago
Well I guess you should let these excited employees know that they should be upset: https://twitter.com/davehclark/status/1047071466787889154 https://twitter.com/davehclark/status/1047071466787889154
SEJeff 8y ago
One of the biggest Amazon warehouses in the US is in Lexington, KY. The average income of a Lexington-Fayette resident is $29,168 a year. For them, $15 / hour puts them above the average, so that is still an improvement.
- Orphis 8y ago
  Above the previous average. With the increase they all have, it may raise the average income in the area too, and they could still be below it.
ProfessorLayton 8y ago
I'm not going to argue that 15/hr is a lot of money, but as someone who didn't grow up with much, it isn't terrible either. That translates to ~30k/year, which doesn't sound like much, but for a dual-income family a $15/hr min wage (Something Amazon is lobbying for) becomes 60k/year — Pretty much the median household income in the US [1] Just putting some perspective. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Household_income_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Household_income_in_the_United...
- cm2012 8y ago
  30k a year is around the median individuals wage also.
- throwaway2048 8y ago
  keep in mind 15/h is radically different from when you grew up, especially in a city that anyone wants to live in. Over half your wage is going towards rent, even with the shittiest conditions.
  - tcbawo 8y ago
    Many people are choosing where to live based on income/expense differential instead of just income. Talent is choosing not to relocate to high cost of living areas, so many companies are opening up offices in these middle-tier cities.
  - brianwawok 8y ago
    Not many amazon warehouses are in high COL cities. I know the big ones for Chicago were the far burbs and Wisconsin.
- commandlinefan 8y ago
  Unless rent, transportation and groceries all go up by the same amount so nobody can live on $30k/year any more...
Karunamon 8y ago
$15/hr in Seattle (and Tacoma/Bellevue) is $1.61/hr above a living wage for the average single person with no kids. [1] I thought the goal of the living wage was to ensure that, in general, people can cover their necessities without having to resort to welfare. Once the first couple levels of maslow's hierarchy are taken care of, doesn't the usual advice of "start climbing" apply to the rest of it? [1]: http://livingwage.mit.edu/metros/42660 http://livingwage.mit.edu/metros/42660
- prolikewh0a 8y ago
  That's such a bulls##t study. $15/hr is rent and nothing else anywhere within 15 miles. $15/hr qualifies for HUD rent control in Seattle.
pm90 8y ago
Most amazon warehouses are not located in Seattle. This compensation might be very attractive to more rural/small town folks and could considerably improve their quality of life.
- prolikewh0a 8y ago
  >It's still barely above poverty in anywhere that's not rural. I included that.
andyburke 8y ago
Not to mention that, based on some of the Reddit threads I've seen on this from actual Amazon warehouse employees, they're often not even getting full-time hours. Lots of people seem to be getting 4 6-hour or 3 8-hour shifts a week.
- prolikewh0a 8y ago
  I would bet they'll be given even less hours now, but at $15/hr.

jonknee 8y ago

Well I guess you should let these excited employees know that they should be upset: https://twitter.com/davehclark/status/1047071466787889154 https://twitter.com/davehclark/status/1047071466787889154

SEJeff 8y ago

One of the biggest Amazon warehouses in the US is in Lexington, KY. The average income of a Lexington-Fayette resident is $29,168 a year. For them, $15 / hour puts them above the average, so that is still an improvement.

Orphis 8y ago
Above the previous average. With the increase they all have, it may raise the average income in the area too, and they could still be below it.

ProfessorLayton 8y ago

I'm not going to argue that 15/hr is a lot of money, but as someone who didn't grow up with much, it isn't terrible either. That translates to ~30k/year, which doesn't sound like much, but for a dual-income family a $15/hr min wage (Something Amazon is lobbying for) becomes 60k/year — Pretty much the median household income in the US [1] Just putting some perspective. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Household_income_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Household_income_in_the_United...

cm2012 8y ago
30k a year is around the median individuals wage also.
throwaway2048 8y ago
keep in mind 15/h is radically different from when you grew up, especially in a city that anyone wants to live in. Over half your wage is going towards rent, even with the shittiest conditions.
- tcbawo 8y ago
  Many people are choosing where to live based on income/expense differential instead of just income. Talent is choosing not to relocate to high cost of living areas, so many companies are opening up offices in these middle-tier cities.
- brianwawok 8y ago
  Not many amazon warehouses are in high COL cities. I know the big ones for Chicago were the far burbs and Wisconsin.
commandlinefan 8y ago
Unless rent, transportation and groceries all go up by the same amount so nobody can live on $30k/year any more...

Karunamon 8y ago

$15/hr in Seattle (and Tacoma/Bellevue) is $1.61/hr above a living wage for the average single person with no kids. [1] I thought the goal of the living wage was to ensure that, in general, people can cover their necessities without having to resort to welfare. Once the first couple levels of maslow's hierarchy are taken care of, doesn't the usual advice of "start climbing" apply to the rest of it? [1]: http://livingwage.mit.edu/metros/42660 http://livingwage.mit.edu/metros/42660

prolikewh0a 8y ago
That's such a bulls##t study. $15/hr is rent and nothing else anywhere within 15 miles. $15/hr qualifies for HUD rent control in Seattle.

pm90 8y ago

Most amazon warehouses are not located in Seattle. This compensation might be very attractive to more rural/small town folks and could considerably improve their quality of life.

prolikewh0a 8y ago
>It's still barely above poverty in anywhere that's not rural. I included that.

andyburke 8y ago

Not to mention that, based on some of the Reddit threads I've seen on this from actual Amazon warehouse employees, they're often not even getting full-time hours. Lots of people seem to be getting 4 6-hour or 3 8-hour shifts a week.

prolikewh0a 8y ago
I would bet they'll be given even less hours now, but at $15/hr.