What started this off is a convo with a buddy at the till of a liquor store, he is a brilliant man, working on his Master's thesis. He is working for 10 dollars per hour. Many of his co-workers for 9.50, all with at least 3 years of Uni education. Because it is convenient.
The owner is not a bad man, he is paying them the least he can get away with. These guys could go work flogging shit on the phone, big co's. , like Shaw , Telus, etc. But they stick where they are at because it is convenient. These are single guys, with no kids. But what about the single mamas with kids, who work for 9.50. Really? Are we so impoverished in spirit that we cannot give someone the equivalent of what we used to, 35 years ago, as a living wage, so kids and moms can eat ?
Thank you , conservative revolution for increasing our poor , and jailing those who react to that.
12 bucks. 15 bucks. Might cut into the profit margin a bit, but you wont have to hire and train every month.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
smart people, stupid wages
Back in 1977, I was 18 years old. I worked for 3 dollars per hour. That could buy me a 6 pack of beer, a pack of smokes, a McDonalds cheeseburger, and a phone call. For one hours work.
Now, with a B.A., 38 years work experience in a variety of fields, including hiring, training, firing, budgeting, cash management, customer retention, etc. etc, I work for 17.25 plus bonus.
That buys me either a 6 pack and a McD, or a pack of smokes and a McD. Not all the above.
At 18, I could rent a house for 300 bucks including utilities= one week's work. If you pay rent, you know what it is now. If you dont pay rent, keep doing whatever you do in exchange.
One would think that after earning a degree (B.A., geog and poli sci, admittedly not like engineering) and spending almost 4 decades in the work force , one would be earning more in real wages than one did when living out of cardboard boxes in a rental and beer came before groceries or rent.
The Reagan/Thatcher revolution happened, a calculated assault on working people that created a huge gulf. Yes, its nice for those who got into the well-paid streams, electronic toys are cheaper, air fare to slave regimes are cheaper, but it has left the vast bunch (used to be called masses, but nobody liked that) making less year to year.
The one-dollar raise on a 17 dollar rate doesnt mean much when your expenses (groceries, rent, utilities) go up 10-15%.
If you are making good money now, I am happy for you. If you want the same conditions that enabled your folks to buy a house to be around for your kids, think about it.
Its not lower taxes for the rich, its higher wages for the workin cats.
Good workers will earn more, but lets raise the bottom.
Now, with a B.A., 38 years work experience in a variety of fields, including hiring, training, firing, budgeting, cash management, customer retention, etc. etc, I work for 17.25 plus bonus.
That buys me either a 6 pack and a McD, or a pack of smokes and a McD. Not all the above.
At 18, I could rent a house for 300 bucks including utilities= one week's work. If you pay rent, you know what it is now. If you dont pay rent, keep doing whatever you do in exchange.
One would think that after earning a degree (B.A., geog and poli sci, admittedly not like engineering) and spending almost 4 decades in the work force , one would be earning more in real wages than one did when living out of cardboard boxes in a rental and beer came before groceries or rent.
The Reagan/Thatcher revolution happened, a calculated assault on working people that created a huge gulf. Yes, its nice for those who got into the well-paid streams, electronic toys are cheaper, air fare to slave regimes are cheaper, but it has left the vast bunch (used to be called masses, but nobody liked that) making less year to year.
The one-dollar raise on a 17 dollar rate doesnt mean much when your expenses (groceries, rent, utilities) go up 10-15%.
If you are making good money now, I am happy for you. If you want the same conditions that enabled your folks to buy a house to be around for your kids, think about it.
Its not lower taxes for the rich, its higher wages for the workin cats.
Good workers will earn more, but lets raise the bottom.
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