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Life As A Minimum Wage Worker

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Recommended: Positive and negative effects of minimum wage

Eryn Watkins
Van Dyck Life as a Minimum Wage worker
The minimum wage has been subjected to a lot of debate and argument throughout North America. Although the cost of living in the United States is generally higher, the move towards the $15 minimum wage has been rather slow. Canada is closer to providing a $15 minimum wage to most of its residents. In spite of this, there are huge currency differences between the Canadian Dollar and the US Dollar. Hence, offsetting the difference to virtually the same levels. In December 2017, numerous states and federal authorities announced a plan to raise the minimum wage. This was in response to the economic growth that occurred in 2017 under the current president. The minimum …show more content…

Roosevelt in 1938 in response to the Great Depression. The Great Depression was caused by corporate and capitalist greed that was not restricted in any way to protect Americans. Hence, it became a prelude to the abuse and misuse of labor as it arose from the Industrial Revolution, where the exploitation of workers was the norm, rather than the exception. Hence, the first minimum wage of $0.25 per hour introduced in 1938 was to create a basic cap to prevent employers from exploiting the working class. This was to ensure that Americans do not live in poverty, but rather, live according to the kind of wealth that abounds in …show more content…

This is considered to be nothing but a hoax. Managers and directors are able to gain so much remuneration and this increases all the time. In spite of this, a small increase in minimum wage is always kicked against. This shows a poor desire to deal with the real issue and challenge faced by many, only to honor the desires and greed of a few. Hence, it is apparent that if we want to increase minimum wage, we can do so. This is something that is a natural outcome of the economic growth that the United States is now enjoying. Clearly, there are going to be increases in revenue and profits throughout America. And if this is only restricted to a few, in top positions who get their salaries increased hundreds of times ahead of the ordinary worker who is doing a lot to keep a company going. In line with this, the small change in minimum wage is not helping and it is clearly not reflecting the fair and just distribution of money throughout the organization and teamwork is hurt by keeping the minimum wage low. It should be increased to force employers to do more to

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When you raise minimum wage you raise the price in everything else for instance if minimum wage was raised ten percent that also raises restaurant prices 0.7 cents that may not sound like a lot but it starts adding up sooner or later and who knows then it could raises prices a whole dollar. Some people think that because the cities they live in are so expensive that minimum wage should be raised but if you live in an expensive city and are also living off minimum wage and can not afford it then you should not be living there. Also women think that they can not have a good lifestyle for their children with what minimum wage is paying. If you are living off minimum wage and trying to raise children then maybe you should find a different job where you can afford a life for your kids. Minimum wage should be raised because the economy is at a point where if minimum wage is raised there would not be a drastic change.

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733 Words | 3 Pages

The federal minimum wage should be increased because raising it would increase the economic activity and spur job growth, decrease poverty, and also improvements in productivity and economic growth have outpaced increases in the minimum wage. Increases in job growth and economic activity will happen when the minimum wage is elevated. If the minimum wage was increased it will “inject 22.1 billion net into the economy and create about 85,000 new jobs over a three year period”. (“Raising the Federal minimum Wage to $10.10 Would Lift Wages for Millions and Provide a Modest Economic Boost") Thousands of new jobs will be created and it will put billions of dollars into the economy.

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There are just few things that both people and companies want and that is to make money. Companies want to make a profit to survive and become stronger and grow. Then you have people or employees they just want to make money to provide for their families. The nations minimum wage right now is low and many people struggle to provide for their families, and then the companies they work for are getting richer and so are their leadership, but the employees are still low or at a minimum pay rate. Which side will win, many states and politicians want the higher minimum wage.

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1656 Words | 7 Pages

Ultimately, regardless of how enticing it is to simply raise the federal minimum wage, such an action will doubtlessly provoke economic instability, further limit job opportunities, and certainly will not help reduce poverty. At the moment, the whole country has become fanatical about the federal minimum wage issue. As demonstrated by several protests throughout the country, the majority of the people are in favor of hiking up the federal minimum wage. Surely, being a representative of the people, it would be a

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952 Words | 4 Pages

The Minimum wage, however, should not be raised as it will not help diminish the unemployment and poverty rates nor create a more efficient economy. According to BeBusinessed.com, “New Zealand passed the world’s first national minimum wage laws way back in 1894.” However, it wasn’t until 1938 when the United States adopted a minimum wage of its own. It was introduced by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1938 and was merely 25 cents an hour which would approximately be in an equivalent of about four dollars in today’s currency.

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346 Words | 2 Pages

Why not give the people more ? Minimum wage is a constant conversation in America. The current state of this controversial conversion in America is raising the current minimum wage, which are 7.25. As of today, 1.7 million Americans are living off minimum wage every year. These people are all living under the poverty line.

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817 Words | 4 Pages

I too believe that this would contribute to less jobs at the minimum wage level. A business must somehow have the money to support a higher income. One of the only ways to do this is through laying off workers. When a business has a larger number of workers the amount of money that the workers are paid is less because you have the same amount of money to give either way. This just depends on where and how much you spend it.

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In conclusion, a federal minimum wage increase will significantly improve the standard of living of low-wage workers. To meet their basic needs, workers must be given a living wage. It is not only morally correct to do so, but also beneficiary to both ends. The increase in wages allows for a more supportable income, but it also stimulates the economy.

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1108 Words | 5 Pages

Just simply raising the minimum wage is like what Germany did after World War I. To pay off their debt they just printed off a bunch of money, but what they did not realize is that the value of their money dropped. Just raising the minimum wage is not going to magically help the United States economy. Raising the minimum wage also decreases employees work ethic and the use of incentives ("Seattle Wins 'Fight for $15,' but Low-Skill Workers Lose." A.7). If the minimum wage is raised then many companies will no longer be able to use a raise to promote their work ethic because they will no longer be able to afford the raise.

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711 Words | 3 Pages

Since the Great Depression, there has been a minimum wage in America, but this minimum wage has changed 22 times since the Great Deprnbession. Many people say minimum wage should stay at $7.25 like it has been since 2009. Meanwhile, other people believe that minimum wage should be $15.00 so they can have more money to live comfortably. People think that a higher minimum wage will help, but it will hurt more people than it will help. If America makes the minimum wage $9.00, people will no longer be in poverty and it will make the economy balance out.

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There are a lot of potential benefits for an increase in minimum wage and on the surface it’s hard to see why you wouldn’t want to increase the wage. One of the clearest to see is that an increase to the minimum wage will also increase the spending for each household during the following years. So it works to help stimulate the economy in whatever area you increase the minimum wage. Along those same lines increasing the minimum wage will lead to a decrease in poverty as well. With the decrease in poverty you will also see a decrease in government spending on welfare items because the individuals receiving the higher wage in theory will be able to pay for these services/welfare items without assistance.

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Raising the minimum wage will cause prices of goods, accessories , and needs to rise as well. As my first source says “A 2013 article by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago stated that if the minimum wage is increased, fast-food restaurants would pass on almost 100% of their

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1130 Words | 5 Pages

Minimum wage was first established in 1938 by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in an attempt to stimulate economic growth and create a better standard of living for the lower class. This attempt was fairly successful, but also has many consequences. You may be asking yourself, “how on Earth could setting a limit on how little you can pay someone be bad?” On the surface this statement seems logical, but if we delve deeper we begin to see many negative effects on the implementation of minimum wage. In our nation the minimum wage law almost seems out of place, like it doesn’t quite fit in.

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The people who make minimum wage very clearly express their theory that higher pay will benefit them and show many valid points on why it should be increased. Minimum wage workers work hard and "[s]ince the 1970s, productivity has risen dramatically... [y]et middle- and low-wage workers ' incomes have barely changed" (Dorn). These circumstances make it hard for low wage workers to stay above the poverty line when the average low wage worker makes only $15,000 annually (Dorn). Before inflation, the minimum wage was surprisingly much higher, "in 1968, the minimum wage was close to $10 per hour in today 's dollars" (Dorn).

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704 Words | 3 Pages

In the past three years, many politicians and labor unions have been pushing for an increase in minimum wage. Minimum wage is the lowest set wage by a law of a government body. An increase in minimum will benefit some people, and hurt others. An increase in minimum wage will cause benefit in the short run but will be very damaging to the economy in the long run. There should not be an increase in minimum wage because it is unhealthy to the economy in the long run and it will be the major cause of job loss, increase in inflation, competition, and the price level of goods and services.

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