Michigan's minimum wage rises to $7.40 Tuesday

[Union All The Way]

SAY NO wrote:

<quoted text>
You are an idiot. A double degreed, correction guard idiot.
Common sense aren't doled out with degrees. I think you could have 4 degrees and STILL be an idiot.

You resemble a clown making minimum wage.

[David]

That seems like a stereotypical comment. Not everyone who earns minimum wage is a "clown" as you put it.

Union All The Way wrote:

<quoted text>
You resemble a clown making minimum wage.

[Union All The Way]

David wrote:

That seems like a stereotypical comment. Not everyone who earns minimum wage is a "clown" as you put it.
<quoted text>

Was not refering to minimum wage as clown. The person who said the gal with 2 degrees had a b.s. job as a guard. She made her life better and appears he was upset at that. Read back.

[Arctic49519]

$7.40 isn't high enough. No one can live on $7.40 per hour. That's why there are so many people on welfare, because it pays more not to work.
Corporate greed drives wages down, turns a blind eye to illegal alien labor, moves jobs out of the country. It's only the working man who suffers.

[rosco]

Does this mean they will raise the benefits on those "Link Cards" for the lazy? Gots to have mo money without workin ya know?

[Proud Scab]

Arctic49519 wrote:

$7.40 isn't high enough. No one can live on $7.40 per hour. That's why there are so many people on welfare, because it pays more not to work.
Corporate greed drives wages down, turns a blind eye to illegal alien labor, moves jobs out of the country. It's only the working man who suffers.

Yes because the unions have bankrupted profits. That's why people have business, to turn a profit.
Unions have sapped, and drained and drained some more until the business no longer turns it's desired profits. So they look elsewhere.

Business owes no individual the duty to merely 'break even'. Call it corporate greed all you want. Until YOU have the same level of liability that is the cost of doing business, save it.

[SAY NO]

Union All The Way wrote:

<quoted text>
You resemble a clown making minimum wage.

Even if that were true, Wendy would still be an idiot. Branch out to other forums and read her mindless drivel. Like I said, 4 degrees wouldn't help her.

It's nice that she has taken the time to finance one degree and let Michigan Works (Tax payers) finance the other. Now she has a job sucking the government teet. That's brilliant and to be commended, but on the whole, Wendy IS an idiot.

[Denny B]

Wendy wrote:

<quoted text>I have plenty of clues. I started going to college WAY before Electrolux closed for your information. It takes time to work on a College degree. I know, because I have TWO now. I didn't plan on working for Electrolux as long as I did, but the pay was great and so were the benefits, and it helped me pay for my schooling, and then MI Works paid for the rest of it. I understand many people have poured their time and energy into college degrees and are STILL looking for a job, don't talk to me like an idiot, because I am not. Many of the people who went back to College who worked for Electrolux chose jobs in information systems, medical information systems, criminal justice, and so forth. It's actually hard to find a job in any of those careers nowadays. I had always wanted to work in the Corrections Field, and I am VERY proud to call myself an OFFICER, because that is what I am. I DID have an idea going in that this is what I wanted to do for a very long time and make it my lifes work. I still have 20+ years of working to do! Therefore, I will be spending my life working there.

Call it what you want, you are still a "GUARD" like the rest of us.

[bye-bye]

Displaced Worker wrote:

I lost my job because my boss said that the minimum wage increase is forcing his hand. He said he must cut a position to raise the wages of other employees.
He said that just because a new law goes into effect doesn't mean he magically finds more money.
I understand it, but I'm still upset.
I was the last one hired, so I was the first to go. My job responsibilities are going to be divied up and distributed amongst the remaining employee's. He agreed that my performance was second to none and will give me a first class reference, which I REALLY appreciate.
I know it isn't his fault and he doesn't like the fact that he had to let someone go.
Nice time to be losing a job, huh?
Vote Republican~

I call buII$hi+.

[Radicaled]

A heated debate, and rightfully so. I personally have been so fortunate as to have my parents help send me to college (I graduate in a year), but I know a bunch of kids funding their own way, through $8/hr jobs and student loans. I myself am funding maybe a quarter of my stay.

And guess what? There are jobs, lots of jobs, out there for the taking if you have a good education. Now I'm not talking about an English degree-nothing personal, guys-but a solid technical degree with real-world implications. I'm personally going to graduate with an Electrical Engineering degree out of Umich, and I'm expecting 2-3 job offers before I do so, with a salary starting at ~$60k. Which should increase to six figures after 5 years. I'm even just working an internship right now and earning nearly $20/hr.

Now don't get me wrong; I'm not trying to brag. I'm just trying to say that there are good jobs out there. I had the hardest time in the world finding jobs in the past--when I couldn't, I started a small business of my own, mowing lawns, gardening, painting, etc. The world was hard, nasty, sweaty, and inconsistent, but it was better than nothing. It helped me save up a fair bit for college expenses.

I even have a good buddy who I'm in class with, who shocked me one day when he was talking to his wife on the phone. I thought he was the same age; turns out he's 26 and going for another round in college. He got some nonsense LSA degree, realized after a year or two that there wasn't a market for those, and hopped straight back into school for an engineering degree. Yeah, it's expensive, but he's making it work with scholarships, internships, and loans.

I guess my point is this: if you see a need in the economy, and put yourself in a position to fill it, you can do very well for yourself. If you can find a job, create one. If you can scheme a way to fund college, go for a technical degree like engineering, an MD program, etc. There are a lot of jobs out there right now. You just have to be willing to work real hard to get a decent degree.

[Atreides]

Scott wrote:

<quoted text>What's fair about forcing employers to pay people more for not doing more?What's fair about employers now on top of paying increased wages,now have to pay more for unemployment insurance,workmans comp insurance,more social insecurity,federal,state, and local taxes?Employers cost did not just go up a few cents per hour,it went up dollars per hour.Whoever thinks this increase is great,go out and start your own business and you will soon be singing a different tune once you see how the government screws small business owners.

Several things are fair about this wage incease. First, it was passed by legeslatures who listen to the public. The time to discuss and debate the issue was when it was a bill. Those opposing the bill lost the debate when they lost the vote. Second, what is fair about this is that many were forced OFF welfare rolls into jobs that could not pay for minimum family NEEDS. That was a govt. decision back then that should have been supported by a minimum wage increase BACK THEN. This increase has been a long time waiting. In that light, it's over due. Finally, it is my opinion that all business owners - and I do mean all not just a select few - owe the communities that they serve to provide wages such that the workers there could afford to live in those communities.

IF we simply allow the race to the bottom for our wages, then what we will all have is third world incomes here in America. Is that really the kind of community we want to live in? Not me. And I'm sure most of us here would not want to live in that sort of community either.

[Atreides]

michael g wrote:

People who are paid minimum wage EARN minimum wage. If you EARN more, you can go to your employer and demand more, and you'll get it. If you're waiting for minimum wage to go up to get a raise, you're one step above welfare.

Like the barista at Starbuck fired for asking for more than minimum wage? Not all corporations play nice when it comes to money. One person alone against a corporation will be rolled over. A GROUP of people is much harder to ignore.

[CRZack]

Union All The Way wrote:

<quoted text>
Earn it or steal it like a fat cat CEO. Slash the hourly workers pay and jack up mine. Very sad. You must not be up to date on the economy...

I worked at Herman Miller through Adecco temps in the ToolRoom. The Finance Persons salary was published in GR Press at 1.3 million dollars per year. Thats $42,000 every two weeks in a paycheck. That same person comes to the tool room and gives grief to the skilled trades people saying "you need to be more efficient!" or lose your jobs. I was making $14 an hour, the other full time guys get around $25/hr. Firing her would make sense! But no! They hire more execs and abuse more temps. UNION ALL THE WAY!!! I don't care what people say anymore! Managment abuses people left and right. They hire confidential employees to break any unionizing efforts. People need to quit backstabbing each other and unionize!

[michael g]

Union All The Way wrote:

<quoted text>
Earn it or steal it like a fat cat CEO. Slash the hourly workers pay and jack up mine. Very sad. You must not be up to date on the economy...

You crack me up. I'M not up to date on the economy. LOL You have the same knee jerk reaction to every comment. "Fat cat CEO".

Where I work we hire a couple of high school/college kids every summer. If they know how to actually work, they make $11-$12 an hour, not bad for a summer job. Unfortunately there are many more people who want to halfass it at work, and let the government or the union vote them a raise.

You want to talk about out of touch with the economy, look at the industries that are struggling the most....automotive, heavily unionized....airlines, heavily unionized.....even our useless run down public school systems, heavily unionized.

Unions work just as well as communism always has.

[Atreides]

michael g wrote:

<quoted text>
You crack me up. I'M not up to date on the economy. LOL You have the same knee jerk reaction to every comment. "Fat cat CEO".
Where I work we hire a couple of high school/college kids every summer. If they know how to actually work, they make $11-$12 an hour, not bad for a summer job. Unfortunately there are many more people who want to halfass it at work, and let the government or the union vote them a raise.
You want to talk about out of touch with the economy, look at the industries that are struggling the most....automotive, heavily unionized....airlines, heavily unionized.....even our useless run down public school systems, heavily unionized.
Unions work just as well as communism always has.

If you have health insurance, then thank the unions. They fought for health insurance benefits for line workers. Because of industry pressure, health insurance has been a standard for employment expectations for decades.

If you have workers compensation, then thank a union. Unions demanded through hard negociations that if injured on the job, that they would have some long term income protection for their families.

If you have has safe work conditions, then thank a union. Unions demanded and got changes made in equipment and work shop organization that made the work site one of the safest in the world for industry workers.

If you have have a forty hour work week, then thank a union. Prior to unions, 60-80 hour weeks were common.

To those people who believe themselves to be 'self made independent' success stories, I'd suggest that they look beyond their own skills (as excellent as those may be) and get a larger econmic picture on what laid the foundations for their economic success story. They will likely find that they are standing on union shoulders.

[Union All The Way]

michael g wrote:

<quoted text>
You crack me up. I'M not up to date on the economy. LOL You have the same knee jerk reaction to every comment. "Fat cat CEO".
Where I work we hire a couple of high school/college kids every summer. If they know how to actually work, they make $11-$12 an hour, not bad for a summer job. Unfortunately there are many more people who want to halfass it at work, and let the government or the union vote them a raise.
You want to talk about out of touch with the economy, look at the industries that are struggling the most....automotive, heavily unionized....airlines, heavily unionized.....even our useless run down public school systems, heavily unionized.
Unions work just as well as communism always has.

As I stated you are out of touch to blame " the Unions" for the economy faltering. The
"Union" gives up money and management takea it. Jobs go overseas because americans are "paid" too much...hello.. any car gone down in price???

[Union All The Way]

Atreides wrote:

<quoted text>
If you have health insurance, then thank the unions. They fought for health insurance benefits for line workers. Because of industry pressure, health insurance has been a standard for employment expectations for decades.
If you have workers compensation, then thank a union. Unions demanded through hard negociations that if injured on the job, that they would have some long term income protection for their families.
If you have has safe work conditions, then thank a union. Unions demanded and got changes made in equipment and work shop organization that made the work site one of the safest in the world for industry workers.
If you have have a forty hour work week, then thank a union. Prior to unions, 60-80 hour weeks were common.
To those people who believe themselves to be 'self made independent' success stories, I'd suggest that they look beyond their own skills (as excellent as those may be) and get a larger econmic picture on what laid the foundations for their economic success story. They will likely find that they are standing on union shoulders.

Well said..

[Union All The Way]

CRZack wrote:

<quoted text>
I worked at Herman Miller through Adecco temps in the ToolRoom. The Finance Persons salary was published in GR Press at 1.3 million dollars per year. Thats $42,000 every two weeks in a paycheck. That same person comes to the tool room and gives grief to the skilled trades people saying "you need to be more efficient!" or lose your jobs. I was making $14 an hour, the other full time guys get around $25/hr. Firing her would make sense! But no! They hire more execs and abuse more temps. UNION ALL THE WAY!!! I don't care what people say anymore! Managment abuses people left and right. They hire confidential employees to break any unionizing efforts. People need to quit backstabbing each other and unionize!

And another bright side to see...even union people get "screwed".

[Big Jim]

Batch 37 Pain is Good wrote:

There should be no minimum wage. Let the free market determine what a job value is. If an employer pays to low then they will have a hard time getting and keeping employees.

Yes, right after we boot all of the illegals out. Then we will see what you think of your "law of supply and demand."

[Seenitbefore]

Radicaled wrote:

A heated debate, and rightfully so. I personally have been so fortunate as to have my parents help send me to college (I graduate in a year), but I know a bunch of kids funding their own way, through $8/hr jobs and student loans. I myself am funding maybe a quarter of my stay.
And guess what? There are jobs, lots of jobs, out there for the taking if you have a good education. Now I'm not talking about an English degree-nothing personal, guys-but a solid technical degree with real-world implications. I'm personally going to graduate with an Electrical Engineering degree out of Umich, and I'm expecting 2-3 job offers before I do so, with a salary starting at ~$60k. Which should increase to six figures after 5 years. I'm even just working an internship right now and earning nearly $20/hr.
Now don't get me wrong; I'm not trying to brag. I'm just trying to say that there are good jobs out there. I had the hardest time in the world finding jobs in the past--when I couldn't, I started a small business of my own, mowing lawns, gardening, painting, etc. The world was hard, nasty, sweaty, and inconsistent, but it was better than nothing. It helped me save up a fair bit for college expenses.
I even have a good buddy who I'm in class with, who shocked me one day when he was talking to his wife on the phone. I thought he was the same age; turns out he's 26 and going for another round in college. He got some nonsense LSA degree, realized after a year or two that there wasn't a market for those, and hopped straight back into school for an engineering degree. Yeah, it's expensive, but he's making it work with scholarships, internships, and loans.
I guess my point is this: if you see a need in the economy, and put yourself in a position to fill it, you can do very well for yourself. If you can find a job, create one. If you can scheme a way to fund college, go for a technical degree like engineering, an MD program, etc. There are a lot of jobs out there right now. You just have to be willing to work real hard to get a decent degree.

You are right Radicaled. Here's a prediction for you to keep in mind. When we have gotten to the point that everyone in this country has a degree under their name?... that/those degrees will be as worthless as (only) a high school diploma is now. And the income(s) that go with them. Do well by your children. They will need it more than you can possibly imagine right now.