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Feedback ForumShould the minimum wage be replaced with a so-called “living wage?”Submissions for this question are no longer being accepted. Previously submitted comments appear below. Comments may have been edited for content or space. Poster: Patrick T McLaughlin Comment: Before we have another civil war, the upper class must realize that the lower classes here need living wage and living benefits. You arrive at these benefits by ending wasteful petro use, increasing taxes to millionaires and distributing funds to states and cities, away from Federal lock on the purse. Poster: Elsa Bondar Comment: Colleges and Universities should not be sweat shops taking advantage of poor students as though they were slave labor. They charge everyone who uses university services very high prices. Students should not be run into terrible debt, as a cost for their education. It is difficult for students to balance their educational needs, study and work time, living costs, without being driven into debt. Poster: Leslie Weinberg Comment: Ideally it would me very good if a Living Wage could be arranged. The cost of living, though higher than the minimum wage varies from place to place. The variation might be one reason why arranging a living wage would be difficult. I am told it would take about $20 per hour to live in Stamford, CT where I reside. Poster: Ron Weinberg Comment: Absolutely, there is no excuse for businesses to pay workers anything less than a living wage. There should also be a maximum wage to reign in the obscene compensation that is being paid to criminal executives. The economy in the united states has gone from capitalism to outright looting. Poster: Linnea Sommer Comment: Yes, absolutely. It is a crime that in this day and age, the richest country in the world continues to shortchange it's lowest-paid workers. Not only is this a deeply moral issue, it is also good business practice. If a business pays it's employees enough to live on, the employees are more likely to stay... thereby reducing turnover costs. Besides, most of the outfits that pay minimum wage or just a little more are big corporations... McDonald's, major hotel chains, etc. There is just no reason except corporate greed for anyone who works to be paid less than a living wage. Poster: Beth Celley Comment: Absolutely! It would be interesting to see what a living wage would be considered. I have a friend that was on cash assistance in the early 90's, she received $330 a month in cash assistance. Today in 2007 a parent a child receives $330 a month. that is degrading and demoralizing. A living wage offers a family a chance to acheive the american dream. Most of us want a better life, we work very hard for what we earn whether it is $7.30/hr or $20.00 an hour. It is time to give a sense of dignity to our hard working families! Poster: Lorry Comment: No, it should not. The minimum wage mostly helps single, young people. Raising the minimum wage will cost jobs as small business, who can't afford the increase keep fewer workers. This is not a 'guess'. It's what happens in real life. Poster: Russ Hawthorne Comment: What the government needs to do is guarrantee work at a living wage on a weekly basis at a living wage. People would get work experience and the businesses would have to compete with the living wage. Poster: Edith Groner Comment: Yes, it is a disgrace for our country to have families living under the poverty line while working for a miniumum wage. Our business community is making tons of money and living high on the government trough while working people are falling further behind and worker harder with little investments to save for their retirements! Poster: Donna Sullivan Comment: Yes. Studies on larger cities where the living wage has already been implemented have proven that it is beneficial to the worker and his/her family, and also to the communities in which they reside. Other than greed, there really is no reason not to raise the wages of the lowest paid workers. Poster: Robina Ingram-Rich Comment: The minimum wage has not kept pace with what is required to pay rent, buy food, clothe children, maintain utilities, use transportation (public or car), afford medical expenses and then have something left over for incidentals. In 1976, the minimum wage was raised to $2.20/hour. Has rent, food, transportation or medical expenses only increased by less than four-fold in 30 years? No. The minimum wage should keep you above the poverty line and able to fully compete in your community. It is time to have a living wage so there is time and energy left to actually live the American Dream. |
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