So you work for $3/hr as a cleaner, but while at the shop where you clean you pick up other skills. I.e. helping guys doing other jobs when it gets crazy busy.

So you work for $3/hr as a cleaner, but while at the shop where you clean you pick up other skills. I.e. helping guys doing other jobs when it gets crazy busy. You noticed how at work everybody usually wants everybody's help. Once you're done cleaning Mrs. A will want you to help her with putting merchandise on the shelves (and she will have to tell you how to do it), Mr. Z will ask you for help with some mechnical stuff he's doing, etc, etc. After 6 months you're worth more than $3/hr because now you have real world experience from a job. You move on to putting merchandise on the shelves, and this can be 5usd/hr. So on, so on. The worst thing that could happen to young guy out of school with basic education would be not to be allowed to work at all. And that's unfortunately what the minimal wage put through by the Unions does to them. Again the unemployment rate among young unskilled workers is 30-40% in the EU on average! You say that's better than letting them find actual job and work even for $3/hr ? Remember that's temporary, nobody sane stays at McDonald's at the cash register all their life. You learn new skills and move on.