What are your thoughts about raising minimum wage to $15 for all types of industry?

CPO Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 10:30:58 -0500

Response by SFC Josh Billingsley made Mar 5 at 2016 10:32 AM

SFC Josh Billingsley — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 10:32:11 -0500

I understand protecting the little guy, but if they want $15/hour they should acquire a skill and work for it...I didn't think this nation was founded on handouts

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 5 at 2016 10:32 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 10:32:52 -0500

It's a horrible idea that will drive up the prices of all goods and services thus creating the same mess we have right now. You can't just increase minimum wages to fix the problem, then that just becomes the new baseline.

Response by SFC Josh Billingsley made Mar 5 at 2016 10:36 AM

SFC Josh Billingsley — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 10:36:28 -0500

Minimum wage should be adjusted with inflation. I don't recall milk and bread tripling in price in the last few years, but if you want to watch it do just that, go ahead and make minimum wage $15/hr.

Response by SSG Leo Bell made Mar 5 at 2016 10:39 AM

SSG Leo Bell — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 10:39:01 -0500

This would be nice for the little guy not making much money, but as SSG Nicholas Wallace said it would drive up the prices on everything. You have to look at what raising wages has done in the past. Every time it goes up so does the price of food, clothes and everything else. Could you imagine what gas prices would look like.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 5 at 2016 10:39 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 10:39:32 -0500

Raising minimum wage that high would just keep them in the same place they are at now. If they raise the wages, then the consumer prices go up. The workers won't be happy and will demand more again cause they can't live off that. Fast food, grocery stores, and other types of jobs similar to that are the work force entry jobs. If you want more money go somewhere they pay more. I work in the steel industry, and even though they pay us god, we work for our money, but then again just about everyone up here has a skill in their background.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Mar 5 at 2016 10:48 AM

CSM Charles Hayden — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 10:48:49 -0500

CPO Private RallyPoint Member Walmart is reporting lower profits and is closing stores after raising wages. Are they telling us something?

Response by CW4 Guy Butler made Mar 5 at 2016 10:49 AM

CW4 Guy Butler — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 10:49:17 -0500

Rephrase the question - how much should an entry-level (low or no skill) job pay?

Enough to live on?

Response by LTC John Shaw made Mar 5 at 2016 10:55 AM

LTC John Shaw — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 10:55:02 -0500

Quite simply it is bad policy that hurts the person it is meant to help. I understand your desire is to help the hard working person but the problem is that government can't successfully impose a wage without a black or gray labor market forming around the actual market wage filled by off the book labor and illegal immigrants. If the government is successful then all business transactions will pass this cost to the consumer due to wage inflation. Businesses will also automate functions to avoid employing workers. It is best for all to have entry level lower paid positions that employees spend a short time in while training for a higher skilled job.

Here is how to test the logic of your argument, assign any number per hour. Why not pay entry level $100 per hour?
Answer: no new people will be hired or only hired when the business can be profitable employing the $100 per hour labor.

I prefer for the market to work and encourage people to pursue apprentince training programs like the Germans or formal education like College in the States. I have four children, I want all of them to have opportunities. Liberal policies like minimum wage only reduce the number of opportunities for all.

Response by A1C Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 5 at 2016 10:59 AM

A1C Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 10:59:06 -0500

Inflation...

Response by Cpl James Waycasie made Mar 5 at 2016 12:04 PM

Cpl James Waycasie — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 12:04:05 -0500

I think if you want to pay $8.00 for a loaf of bread, $16.00 for a gallon of milk, $4.00 for a can of tuna. Etc. Go ahead and raise it. What do people think will happen? There will be fewer jobs, harder work loads, and prices will inflate.

Response by PO1 Glenn Boucher made Mar 5 at 2016 12:28 PM

PO1 Glenn Boucher — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 12:28:20 -0500

The only way I would think its a good idea is if businesses would not raise prices on their goods and services to keep their profits.
I am fairly certain that most everyone knows if you give the McDonalds kids $15.00 per hour then the costs of those "value meals" will rise accordingly and these people will be back in the same boat.

Response by CPT Mark Gonzalez made Mar 5 at 2016 12:37 PM

CPT Mark Gonzalez — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 12:37:00 -0500

If the bottom is raised it will still be the floor, but the middle class will be crushed by inflation. The minimum wage doubling will send prices for everything higher, but unless the middle class sees a similar raise they would be screwed. For a truly rich person it won't matter and for a poor person it won't help much due to the increased price of consumer goods. However, if you are middle class and think this is a good idea get ready for the value of your current pay check to nose dive.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 5 at 2016 12:40 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 12:40:19 -0500

You raise the minimum wage to 15 dollars an hour, all wages then must rise. When labor costs rise, companies will raise the prices on their goods and services. Earning minimum wage is not meant to support someone for life. Folks need to gain skills and education so that they can earn promotions and make more money.

Response by SPC Andrew Griffin made Mar 5 at 2016 12:50 PM

SPC Andrew Griffin — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 12:50:22 -0500

I don't think it should be for ALL Industries! It should be predicated based upon your Education and Skillset!

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Mar 5 at 2016 1:01 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 13:01:27 -0500

I think everybody's wages need to be raised. Wages have been shrinking for way too long. I think if you work full time you should be able to afford some degree of quality of life, Whatever that takes I support, If that is $15 and Hour Minimum I support it.

Response by PO1 Brian Austin made Mar 5 at 2016 1:08 PM

PO1 Brian Austin — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 13:08:55 -0500

Then you will have some of those people who will want to work less hours. Because with the wage increase they will lose their govt/state benefits if they continue to work their current hours.
Like in Seattle....
http://mynorthwest.com/992/2772284/They-asked-for-a-higher-wage-but-now-they-want-fewer-hours

They asked for a higher wage, but now they want fewer hours

You'd think the low-income workers would embrace a raise (in this case to $13 an hour) because it means more pay for the same amount of work. But they're not.

Response by Sgt Joe LaBranche made Mar 5 at 2016 1:32 PM

Sgt Joe LaBranche — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 13:32:25 -0500

Individuals need to educate themselves and learn skills that will make them a valuable member of the work force. The more knowledge an individual obtains, the greater his or her value in the work pkace. If the government is pushing a $15 minimum wage, why not start with our military personnel? Increasing the minimum wage will result in the loss of jobs and higher cost, both at the expense of those seeking employment and the general population!

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 5 at 2016 2:14 PM

CPO Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 14:14:56 -0500

I think the purpose of minimum wage is to employ people with MINIMUM SKILLS ergo a minimum wage! It's not supposed to be a career.

Response by Maj John Bell made Mar 5 at 2016 2:25 PM

Maj John Bell — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 14:25:41 -0500

I am against government sticking its nose in business's business. If you want an example of government over-reach, look at proposed work schedule ordinances in Seattle.

Over $14,000 in additional pay typically costs an employer between$18,000-$21,000 because of FICA, FUTA, SUTA, workers comp, vacation, sick days etc. Actual annual cost of the employee is now about $40K at best. How many employees do I have to let go to pay for an automated system that doesn't come with all the problems of employees. If I can find a machine that does the work of 2 people per shift for two shifts, for $160k, the employees are gone, and I'm in the black in one year. Any investment that pays for itself in one year is a no-brainer. Skilled workers won't bear the consequences. Unskilled workers will make more, but the unemployment rolls will balloon.

Companies do not exist to employ people. They do not exist to provide a product or service. They employ people to provide a product or service, so they can make a profit FOR THE PEOPLE THAT OWN THEM. Any company officer that doesn't know that and serve that, is failing in his/her fiduciary responsibilities and should be canned.

Additionally a national one size fits all minimum wage fails to recognize that employment factors in West Nowhere, Nebraska are not the same as New York City. National solutions are like giving an elephant a sledge hammer and letting it fix a teacup.

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 5 at 2016 2:57 PM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 14:57:34 -0500

I've worked several minimum-wage jobs, as I'm sure many of you guys have at some point or other. I'm kind of on the fence on this issue, because I do see the argument for raising minimum wage as valid. However, 15 dollars an hour is an outrage. Basic economics and a little common sense will tell you that raising it that drastically will only destabilise the economy (if we can even truly call it stable to begin with). The only option left to those employers-- let's use McDonald's as an example-- would be to jack the prices of everything up, to compensate for the increase in money going out. You end up with 20 dollar Big Macs so that McDonald's is bringing in enough money to not only comply with federal pay standards, but make a profit (they are a business, after all). On the flip-side of that, however, cost of living continues to increase, without an increase in wages. All in all, I agree with an increase in minimum wage, but not an increase of 107%. After all, these are jobs generally meant to be after school jobs, not careers.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 5 at 2016 3:28 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 15:28:09 -0500

I live in Canada, the land of liberals and those who are like president OBAMA where they believe pot can be legalized and wages raised and carbon taxes added to gasoline because they know people drive cars no matter what. The $15 wage ($11.25 US) is being mandated by politicians as a goal in some parts of Canada but there are unintended consequences for just forcing it like if this is Sana Monica, California where they force a living wage and rent controls.
Be careful what you wish for. Get a good skill, stay off the drugs and don't just think you are entitled to $15 for nothing.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-s-15-minimum-wage-how-many-will-actually-get-a-raise-1.3086777

The $15 minimum wage: How many Albertans will get a raise?

Alberta is home to the second lowest minimum wage in the country at $10.20 per hour. Right now hardly anyone earns minimum wage in Alberta, but that's about to change.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 5 at 2016 4:01 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 16:01:04 -0500

I go to California once a month for drill. Some of you here know of Carls Jr aka Hardy's elsewhere in the USA. Raising the minimum wage will have specials like 2 Famous Stars with Cheese for $6 be more like two for $9 if the wages go up as some wish they would. I am sure your discount prices at fast food and even at Walmart would go away. Your discounters will have less of a discount. We all pay somewhere to make up for this utopian $15 minimum wage. It will get to $15 someday but not overnight.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 5 at 2016 5:52 PM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 17:52:33 -0500

I am more curious as to why more and more people think minimum wage should be a "living" wage. Most people who take a job a minimum wage have minimum skills and still live at home with mommy and daddy and most of those jobs are in the service and retail industries.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Mar 5 at 2016 5:52 PM

Capt Richard I P. — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 17:52:40 -0500

Increase the move toward automation, decrease employment numbers and increase inflation. But for the minimum wage workers that were not layed off or replaced with automation it would be nice, until the inflation neutralized it.

Response by Capt Tom Brown made Mar 5 at 2016 6:09 PM

Capt Tom Brown — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 18:09:12 -0500

Sounds like something Bernie Sanders might support along with other lifetime benefits paid for by the gvt. Maybe that is why he is popular with the younger generation?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 5 at 2016 9:01 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 21:01:23 -0500

Paying people a wage they can live on and giving them money they can spend allows them to buy things they need and want above and beyond basic needs puts money back into the economy and supports businesses. Then they can live and work without the pressure of working two jobs to make ends mees and this would help remove them from the subsistence rolls. LTC John G.S.' argument is a logical fallacy and a Straw Man argument. People need to be paid a wage they can live on. Every employee of Walmart costs local government $6000 a year is food stamps and other subsistence with no reqal chance of improving their lot in life.

Response by PFC Tuan Trang made Mar 6 at 2016 6:08 AM

PFC Tuan Trang — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 06:08:42 -0500

I don' think it a good idea, some people would think difference, but for me higher salary mean higher prices on other stuff like gas, food , etc.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 6 at 2016 7:53 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 07:53:51 -0500

It's a terrible idea no one is thinking of the repercussions. It will further destroy the economy. Plus, why should someone with minimum skills make what some LPNs and Surgical Technologists make?

Response by MSgt Steven Holt, NRP, CCEMT-P made Mar 6 at 2016 8:53 AM

MSgt Steven Holt, NRP, CCEMT-P — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 08:53:54 -0500

Ok, so lemme get this straight... Jonny McBurgerflipper thinks he deserves $15/hr because he has minimum skills with minimum experience and no education. That's cute. I spent six months learning to be an Advanced Emergency Medical Technician at the cost of ~$2800 in tuition and books. Then came the testing fees, license fees, and back ground check fees. So for ~$3500, I get the privilege of earning a whopping $10 on average (some services pay more, some pay less). Assuming I make it to graduation in August, I will have spent 18 months and ~$8000 learning to be a Paramedic so I can earn $13/hr on average.

You think medical care is expensive now... Wait until you have to start paying EMT's and Paramedics $25-$30/hr to compensate for the advanced training and cost of education. Or better yet, instead of a county like ours who operates four ambulances around the clock, they will most likely drop to two ambulances to offset the increased cost of payroll. It's either that, or watch your Public Safety organizations fold up and close because all the employees have quit and gone to McDonald's so they can finally earn $15/hr.

Response by PO3 David Fries made Mar 6 at 2016 9:03 AM

PO3 David Fries — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 09:03:59 -0500

Minimum wage is not meant to be a "living wage".

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 6 at 2016 9:07 AM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 09:07:14 -0500

Do a true study on what the minimum wage has been able to buy over the years. I am pretty sure you will find that not much has changed.

And, I don't think another raise in the minimum wage, especialy a large one will be any different except in the very short run.

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Mar 6 at 2016 11:21 AM

LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 11:21:54 -0500

It's a double edged sword, but the reality is that far too many Americans are way below the poverty line.

It is easy to say they should go to school and get better skills, but in practice, it doesn't work that way...

In one of the wealthiest nations in the world, it is a tragedy that we have so much poverty.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Mar 6 at 2016 3:14 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 15:14:49 -0500

Inflation and profit disruption to corporations and small companies.

Response by 2d Lt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 6 at 2016 4:49 PM

2d Lt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 16:49:33 -0500

Inflation will go through the roof, so raising wages are moot. My opinion

Response by SSG Trevor S. made Mar 6 at 2016 7:22 PM

SSG Trevor S. — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 19:22:02 -0500

I have a compromise solution I worked up for another debate. I established that my starting position was that the minimum wage does not need to be raised at all. The other side wants $15/HR. So here is what I gave as a compromise:I'm just floating this as a compromise. Since many of us fiscal conservative types see the minimum wage as a starter step and not a career making wage I propose separating adult and teen minimum wage. We keep teen minimum wage where it is to encourage teens to start off and gaining working experience. We raise raise adult minimum wage to $12/ hour.

Response by CPO Andy Carrillo, MS made Mar 6 at 2016 7:27 PM

CPO Andy Carrillo, MS — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 19:27:51 -0500

Unsustainable, as we are watching in North Dakota in real time. The oil boom brought inflated high wages due to a relatively shortage of workers. The Cost of Living also became highly inflated (think CA on steroids). Now what?
http://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Cheap-Oil-Hits-Housing-In-North-Dakota-Texas-and-Others.html

Cheap Oil Hits Housing In North Dakota, Texas, and Others | OilPrice.com

Whereas most Americans are delighted by lower gasoline prices, many others in oil producing states are feeling more pain as they see the value of their houses collapse

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 6 at 2016 8:16 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 20:16:58 -0500

First things first, it would start off great. And then slowly inflation would hit, and alls that would happen is prices on products would rise. And we'd be right back to Square One.

Secondly, it would teach bad work practicalities and performance. It wouldn't give any person a reason to strive for promotion that much, or move on to other career jobs because simply they're doing a low skill required job and getting paid a decent amount.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2016 7:19 AM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 07:19:06 -0500

It's an overdue measure.

Response by SSG Jesse Cheadle made Mar 7 at 2016 9:33 PM

SSG Jesse Cheadle — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 21:33:47 -0500

Think unemployment rates and prices are high now. Just wait. Nobody will be able to work more than 20 hours. Obamacare will be too expensive. It is rediculous to think $15/hr is the answer to peoples woes.

Response by 1LT Aaron Barr made Mar 14 at 2016 9:27 AM

1LT Aaron Barr — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 09:27:20 -0400

I think that it is a bad and counterproductive policy for the following reasons. The purpose of business is to make money for its owners. Business does this by providing consumers goods and services. Since most businesses are large enough that the owner cannot provide these himself, they seek the productive output of labor to help in creating these goods and services. Both wages and prices are subject to market forces. The minimum price a business can charge is the actual cost of production, of which wages are a part. By that, we can see that a wage is a standard of productivity. Raising the minimum wage does nothing but increase the cost of labor, as well as the minimum standard of productivity needed to be legally employable. This hurts the most the very people those who advocate raising the minimum wage claim to want to help; those who lack the education, experience and skills to make their labor worth the minimum wage. These are the young and those who don't have a good education who are disproportionately poor and minority. The people who will benefit most from this are the guys who design, manufacture, assemble and install the machines that will replace these people who lack the productivity to be employable. They get more than $15/hour because they EARN it, not because of some idiot government dictat.

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made May 20 at 2016 11:58 AM

SGM Mikel Dawson — Fri, 20 May 2016 11:58:04 -0400

Most of your minimum wage jobs are flipping burgers and such. These jobs are entry level jobs which mainly was filled with kids starting out, people with some time on their hands. When you raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, most of these places can't afford it. Example, Wendy's is already planning for it. Many jobs will be lost and in the end, the people you think are being helped, maybe they will be if they keep their jobs. Prices will go up, it's a vicious cycle.