Week 7 EOC: Minimum Wage

What is your position on minimum wage? Should there be one? Should employers just make less profit? Use 3 quotes.

I am opposed to the minimum wage and instead think there should be a living wage. Since the economy took a downturn in 2008, jobs that used to be considered a starter job are now becoming careers and minimum wage does not sustain a person in a lot of cities. This is especially for a family of more than one person. "In 2008, the take-home pay for a full-time federal minimum wage worker supporting one child was less than the federal poverty level" (Hayes and Ninemeier 104). This does not make sense now for someone who considers the job full time and is their main source of income. A living wage can be adjusted for each city and is calculated by the average living conditions like rent, transportation, etc. I believe this is the way to go now.

"The astounding growth of the living wage movement has been a response to the predicament of Americans who work but are unable to make ends meet, as well as to the public policies contributing to the problem" (Thompson and Chapman). The government sets the minimum wage and it does not change for decades which is unrealistic because of inflation. Little is done to set a rate that people can live on unless there is striking and other means by workers and unions. I believe that employers should take a cut in profit to be able to afford their workers with the means to live. Considering the size of the employer, this can be a substantial cut but it will result in an increase in employee retention and output because they can focus on their tasks rather than on how to pay their rent. "A study of the Los Angeles ordinance found that absenteeism declined, and the decrease in turnover offset 16% of the total cost of the living wage ordinance" (Thompson and Chapman). Benefits for the employer include lower turnover, increased productivity, and overall greater sense of security of their workers with a living wage as opposed to minimum wage.

Thompson, Jeff and Jeff Chapman. "The Economic Impact of Local Living Wages". Economic Policy Institute. February 15, 2006. http://www.epi.org/publication/bp170/. Accessed 9/4/2014.