4 ms·
The minimum wage is a factor in relative wage offering, even if it doesn't decide everything. The employers' argument ends up being "well, we're paying double m
by fishtacos 3y ago
The minimum wage is a factor in relative wage offering, even if it doesn't decide everything. The employers' argument ends up being "well, we're paying double minimum wage, so those who don't like it are lazy, entitled people." The problem here lies in a living wage that's decided by living costs in any geographical area, not the absolute wage itself.
You are eggregiously conflating thw two.
- lotsofpulp 3y agoSupply and demand curves for labor have moved well past the federal minimum wage, that is why it is not a factor. Employers’ or employees’ arguments are irrelevant, the only thing that matters is how many buyers there are relative to sellers (or a higher minimum wage).
- fishtacos 3y agoClearly not, given there's worker demand for blue collar jobs that offer 12/13 USD/h in an area where that doesn't even meet rent, let alone savings, buying or repairing a car, let alone the prospect of having children, buying a house or investing into one's 401k (pensions be damned, amirite?)
- lotsofpulp 3y agoWe’re conversing about two different things. I claimed that the federal minimum wage is too low to have an effect on wages, since the supply and demand curves for labor require employers to pay more than minimum wage to find anyone.
- fishtacos 3y agoAnd I'm simply disagreeing with you. You are way off - if the cost of living is too high for offerings for low-skill/blue-collar work is too low to make a living sustainable enough to affect the "demand curves", that means that something is off and the only enforcement mechanism, if we want to have a functional society that doesn't depend on welfare, is through government intervention. That comes directly from the federal minimum wage.