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Sunday, April 03, 2016

70 Tries After Seattle Raised Its Minimum Wage, I Still Can’t Find A Job

Over the weekend, lawmakers and labor unions in California, the nation’s most populous state, reached a tentative agreement to gradually raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour over the course of the next several years.

Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown had opposed prior legislative proposals over the issue, but finally acquiesced after labor unions garnered enough support last week to qualify an initiative for the Nov. 8 ballot. The deal still has to go through the state legislature, but most anticipate legislators will approve it, thus avoiding the costly campaigning that would result from a squabble at the ballot box.

California’s compromise comes as part of a growing national movement to hike up minimum wages across the county. Indeed, over the past two years, a whole host of states and cities have rapidly pushed through legislation to raise their base pay, likely in response to President Obama’s repeated calls for higher wages.

Twenty-nine states have minimum wages that exceed the federally mandated $7.25 per hour. Heading into the 2016 election, the issue remains hotly contested and politically potent, with Republican presidential candidates in fierce opposition to, and Democratic candidates in strong support of, a dramatic increase in the federal minimum wage.

While many cities have forced local employers to pay artificially higher wages, the issue remains far from settled. Just last month, for instance, Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley signed a bill prohibiting Alabama towns from increasing their wages above the state’s, a move that came in response to the Birmingham City Council voting to raise their city’s base pay to $10.10 an hour.

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13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Seattle, like NYC and San Francisco are only for rich people. I suggest he move and it will be easier to find a job.

Anonymous said...

If employers are forced to pay people $15/hr for about $7 worth of work, many of those jobs will evaporate.
Nobody but an idiot will do that. It's a fantasy that the number of jobs will even remain the same at the higher rate. (Well, unless you want to pay $9 for your McBurger..)

Anonymous said...

What minimum wage job do you wear a suit? Chances are the jobs he has been offered to "pay enough" for him to be interested.

Anonymous said...

If you apply for 70 jobs and get turned down for all of them, then you either need to wake up and realize that you just suck. Or move somewhere with less competition.

Anonymous said...

Kids will be out of luck, your meal will be prepared in China and shipped in to be reheated.

Anonymous said...

Stop with the liberal immigration policies and see how quick wages rise on their own. What it all boils down to is too many butts for so few seats. They are seeing wages rise in Arizona because of their strict illegal immigrant policies. The illegals moved out of state as well as those who were legal who were harboring them. Not only did wages increase but welfare rolls dropped significantly.

Anonymous said...

11:06

Over 50 job rejections here! I guess I just suck!

Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Most business owners don't make 15hr how are they going to pay that much?Only the elites think this way.

Anonymous said...

Mcds now will be $2.99 for a 99 cent burger.

Anonymous said...

Actually since labor costs at a restaurant are in the 25-30% range then the labor cost on a $5 meal at current labor costs would be around $1.25. Doubling the wage would increase the labor cost to $2.50. To keep the same 25-30% range the cost of the meal would have to rise to around $8.00. Now this is a simplistic example as not all labor costs would double as some of the employees already make more than minimum wage and it assumes a stable food cost but it gives an idea of how much prices would rise. On the good side eliminating tips in sit down restaurants would probable save most people money. The people who would be affected the most would be the good wait staff who usually make more than minimum wage with their tips.

Anonymous said...

Maybe you do..or maybe you need to move to get the job your trying to get.

Anonymous said...

Maybe you do..or maybe you need to move to get the job your trying to get.

Anonymous said...

and the media continues to tell Obama's lies .. reporting that insulting Unemployment Rate they contrived as political fodder...this Country has failed it's people in the name of Globalism where the usual suspects profit..nobody else