1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2013/09/12/californias-minimum-wage-is-about-to-hit-10-an-hour/
2. Category of Problem: Minimum Wage Laws
3. Level of Problem: State & National
4. This Article Concerns: Proposals made by California lawmakers to raise the state minimum wage.
5. Importance/affect on families/individuals: This new proposal to increase the minimum wage requirements in California will directly affect many wage earners, families and the financial well being of the working poor. The impact would be a $2 rise in minimum wage from 2014-2016.
6. My input: I support this policy, even though California already holds the title for the highest minimum wage in the nation right now. I feel that through my support of this policy, it will help raise the minimum wage in other states (who need it more) over time. The democrats in office right now really are helping out the people who are "small"--and for that I am grateful. Everybody knows that minimum wage is a joke, and that no one can survive off minimum wage alone. If you are receiving minimum wage, you also have a second job. Especially when, coupled with the fact that corporations and large organizations do a good job of cutting it's employees off from receiving any health care benefits by carefully orchestrating a work schedule that doesn't exceed 35 hrs per week for most of its employees. Most people can't even get their full 40 hrs in let alone survive off their hourly minimum wage pay. I think it is a shame how so many companies are quick to set the bar low and pay only what the federal government constitutes the bare minimum for it's people. Where is the pride in the establishment? Where is the idea of benefiting individuals and the community really coming into play? ---When we are hiring cashiers for $7.25 an hour in Texas and $5.15 an hour in Wyoming and $6.15 an hour in Minnesota. The truth is that if lawmakers dont do anything to raise minimum wages in their states, then no progress will be made for the employee. I am happy that California doesn't choose to overlook the well being of it's residents, and the re-election of their policymakers will be the example that may actually inspire a politician or two in other states to jump on the bandwagon and start serving the people more! Thanks Cali!
I strongly support this policy of increasing minimum wage in California. We might not like the fact that minimum wage is increasing in California and not in Texas, but as Morgan said, the increase in California could result in an increase in other states as well. I believe that these kinds of changes have to start somewhere, whether it is in the state we live in or not. This brings me back to when we talked in class about minimum wage and the standard of living these days. It IS impossible to live a comfortable lifestyle making $7.25 an hour. I personally have a hard enough time paying my bills, along with supplies and books for school and whatever else may come up and I make $8.50 an hour. To put it even more in perspective, that isn’t even including things such as insurance, phone bill, car payments, and other things that I will be responsible for in the future when I am out of college. I believe that this policy is helping to lead our country in the right direction when it comes to providing employees and workers with the pay they deserve. I do believe that the minimum wage should almost be even higher than that, but you have to start somewhere, even if it is a small increase. I also think that in raising the minimum wage this can help motivate workers to work harder in their workplace. No one wants to bust their butt for a lousy $7.25 an hour. I would definitely be working harder, and have a better attitude when walking into my workplace if I felt I was getting paid a decent hourly wage. If you have happy and motivated workers then your company is going to be more successful and create a more positive environment to work in. I also think that if an employer is going to keep an employee busy for most of the day- so busy that the employee doesn't have time to look for another job- then the employer ought to make the work worth the employee's time. The employer/employee relationship's supposed to be vaguely symbiotic, and both parties get something out of the deal. It's just basic decency; the golden rule: treat someone with the same minimum of respect that you'd want yourself to be treated to. If an employer isn't willing to provide a full-time employee a living wage, then he doesn't have any business employing anybody but himself. If he can't make it worth the worker's time, then it isn’t fair. With this policy, it will at least set a standard of a somewhat decent hourly wage opposed to almost nothing. All in all, I think that this change will is a positive one for the state of California and also other states.
ReplyDeleteI loved NatalieAlexis12's comment about how an employer/employee relationship should be vaguely symbiotic. Great point!
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