What is the New Minimum Wage - Living Wage Vs Minimum Wage
Being written in October of 2006, this report focuses on a minimum wage of $5.15 per hour. This reader believes, however, that even with the recent minimum wage increase the article remains valid as the current gross boost for a 40 hour work week amounts to less than $100 monthly. The 2008 increase will up the average minimum wage workers income a little more than $200.00 monthly, and 2009 will raise their monthly income just over $300. When the increases are totally effective, the minimum wage worker will earn about $3300 more per year, for a consistent 40 hour work week, than they do now.
Although many see raising the minimum wage as a first step to instituting living wage laws, this report shows the country to be divided on the best ways to tackle poverty. The Los Angeles area has benefited greatly from instituting a living wage ordinance. Job loss was minimal, benefits were solid for workers covered, there was no decline in the number of firms bidding for governmental contract and the city was not impacted in its ability to retain or attract employers willing to pay decent wages.
On the other hand, Santa Fe, NM found that due to its living wage ordinance, the city has experienced a 16% increase in the unemployment rate and a loss of 540 jobs, affecting the retail and hospitality-leisure sectors of the work force the most severely.
According to Dr. David McPherson, Florida State University economist, when Arizona increased its minimum wage , a correlation became evident between job loss among the most vulnerable employees, and wealthy teens displacing unskilled employees.
As movements are appearing all over the country at city halls and on college campuses in favor of wage increases, critics are making a strong argument for keeping the status quo raising concerns about increased labor costs negatively impacting the economy, (more…)
