General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: THE PAY IS TOO DAMN LOW [View all]dman85
(14 posts)I'm a long time lurker, but I think someone should provide a little criticism on this topic.
A dramatic and significant hike in minimum wage is only going to make life even more difficult for those with little to no job skills and their employers. We all like to think that this will only hurt large companies like McDonald's or Kroger....but this is going to put their locally owned, smaller competitors at an even greater disadvantage while reducing the demand and increasing the competitive pressure on people seeking low skilled jobs.
I don't see how you can honestly claim to be looking out for the 'little guy' and support a significant hike in minimum wage. The larger companies have a better chance of absorbing these costs and finding efficiencies and cost cutting elsewhere.
I'd also like to point out...a $4 or $5 hike per hour is an even larger hurdle for both employers and employees in areas with less spending power. It would also be a bitter pill to swallow for politicians who are desperately trying to decrease the unemployment rate - and I predict a significant hike will find opposition in both parties.
I agree that it's impossible to live off the current minimum wage, but I think a better solution should be to encourage more training and trade school programs for our rapidly evolving economy. Our public education system is not meeting the needs of our nation right now.