4 ms·

What percentage of the labor force earned the minimum wage in the 1970s versus today? Today it's less than 1%. More realistically the new minimum wage in the

What percentage of the labor force earned the minimum wage in the 1970s versus today? Today it's less than 1%. More realistically the new minimum wage in the US is ~$13-$15 per hour, which you can earn from Walmart, Target, Amazon, Walgreens, CVS, Best Buy and most of the rest. They can't get enough labor and will hire almost anyone that walks in the door. These days you can trivially earn $13-$15 / hour to start, working at popular convenience stores like Sheetz, Wawa and numerous others like them. Skills required? The ability to talk to people normally, show up to work and scan bar codes.

legitster 5y ago
It's worth pointing out that lots of countries don't even have minimum wage laws. It doesn't mean people there make $0 an hour.
- odonnellryan 5y ago
  Those countries are either very strong union countries or countries that have lower standards of living.
  - didgeoridoo 5y ago
    Or have very high labor productivity and a constrained labor supply. Switzerland comes to mind.
    - odonnellryan 5y ago
      Switzerland has a minimum wage, no?
      - didgeoridoo 5y ago
        Not federally. Five out of the 26 cantons do.
- adventured 5y ago
  I'm not sure what your point is. You've invented a premise I didn't suggest, about the lack of minimum wage laws and $0 / hr. If someone is going to reference the US minimum wage, pretending that it matters for the Big Mac context, then it's quite relevant what percentage of the labor force is actually earning the minimum wage. Today that number is exceptionally low and it's trivial for most people in the bottom labor tier to earn far more than minimum wage. About the only places still commonly paying minimum wage, are small mom & pop businesses in the middle of nowhere (ie places entirely devoid of competition from the previously mentioned big businesses). Independent convenience stores run by Joe and Susie Shop Owner in Buckhannon West Virginia, jobs held by local teenagers that can't drive 60 minutes to the nearest Walmart (except of course even Buckhannon has a Walmart Supercenter; a town in the middle of nowhere with 5,000 people). The biggest entry-level US employers - which hoover up labor anywhere they can get it - are all paying far more than the minimum wage (along with other now standard benefits like health insurance, which is very expensive and not included in the pay figures).
  - swimfar 5y ago
    I think the person you are replying to agrees with you.
rootusrootus 5y ago
Our local fast food joints in Portland are also offering 14-15 an hour to start, now. See advertisements at the drive-thru window all the time.
JohnJamesRambo 5y ago
Did people in the 70s really make $3 an hour?
- NDizzle 5y ago
  70s? I started working in the 90s at $4.25 an hour... 1993 I think?
- fortran77 5y ago
  My first job when I was in high school in 1977 paid $2.65/ hour

legitster 5y ago

It's worth pointing out that lots of countries don't even have minimum wage laws. It doesn't mean people there make $0 an hour.

odonnellryan 5y ago
Those countries are either very strong union countries or countries that have lower standards of living.
- didgeoridoo 5y ago
  Or have very high labor productivity and a constrained labor supply. Switzerland comes to mind.
  - odonnellryan 5y ago
    Switzerland has a minimum wage, no?
    - didgeoridoo 5y ago
      Not federally. Five out of the 26 cantons do.
adventured 5y ago
I'm not sure what your point is. You've invented a premise I didn't suggest, about the lack of minimum wage laws and $0 / hr. If someone is going to reference the US minimum wage, pretending that it matters for the Big Mac context, then it's quite relevant what percentage of the labor force is actually earning the minimum wage. Today that number is exceptionally low and it's trivial for most people in the bottom labor tier to earn far more than minimum wage. About the only places still commonly paying minimum wage, are small mom & pop businesses in the middle of nowhere (ie places entirely devoid of competition from the previously mentioned big businesses). Independent convenience stores run by Joe and Susie Shop Owner in Buckhannon West Virginia, jobs held by local teenagers that can't drive 60 minutes to the nearest Walmart (except of course even Buckhannon has a Walmart Supercenter; a town in the middle of nowhere with 5,000 people). The biggest entry-level US employers - which hoover up labor anywhere they can get it - are all paying far more than the minimum wage (along with other now standard benefits like health insurance, which is very expensive and not included in the pay figures).
- swimfar 5y ago
  I think the person you are replying to agrees with you.

rootusrootus 5y ago

Our local fast food joints in Portland are also offering 14-15 an hour to start, now. See advertisements at the drive-thru window all the time.

JohnJamesRambo 5y ago

Did people in the 70s really make $3 an hour?

NDizzle 5y ago
70s? I started working in the 90s at $4.25 an hour... 1993 I think?
fortran77 5y ago
My first job when I was in high school in 1977 paid $2.65/ hour