Good to see Amazon has $15 an hour min wage starting Nov 1st

[Rolla07]

Originally Posted by doitmyself
In 1975, $8 per hour was equivalent to $38 per hour today. When I graduated high school in the mid 70's, a person could go work in a factory (steel, auto, etc.) and make today's equivalent of $38/hour or more with great benefits and no college. Times have definitely changed.


In the year 2000, I earned 8$ an hour. Today that 8$ is worth 11.71$. Should I feel bad for someone doing an entry level job getting 15$ an hour? Nope. Do like everyone else does and just choose not to make ur first job into your career. No participation medals in life, earn a better salary!

 

[dishdude]

Rough crowd, gheesh.

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted by PimTac
Originally Posted by thooks
I worked for MUCH less as a kid in much worse conditions.

Picking up plastic packages and putting them in boxes isn't exactly skilled labor. These are entry level jobs.

Learn a new/better skill and make more money. It is the American way.


Growing up in the 70's and 80's, I don't recall all this sympathy for unskilled labor.




Yep I agree. I started out at $2.25/hr. If you want more money, get a better job.



I collected bottles off the side of the road as a kid 5cents to 10cents a bottle. That got me around $5-10bucks a week as a 12 year old. I also sold corn for $1 a bakers dozen. I shoveled and sold cow stable manure to buy my class ring in HS. I also drove a school bus in hs i think it was 3.75hr and you had to keep your bus at home. That was gas money for my car. I had a thriving business in middle school selling bubble gum for 5 cents a piece, the box cost me so little from the wholesale house,like 1/2 cent a piece. I was making $20 a week profit in 1976-77 until i got caught/turned into the principal. That was decent money for a kid then.

 

[RazorsEdge]

Originally Posted by dishdude
Rough crowd, gheesh.


Yup so many negative people anymore!

 

[dishdude]

Originally Posted by RazorsEdge
Originally Posted by dishdude
Rough crowd, gheesh.


Yup so many negative people anymore!

We all know the folks pounding their chest in this thread walked barefoot in the snow uphill both ways to school.

 

[02SE]

Originally Posted by dishdude
Originally Posted by RazorsEdge
Originally Posted by dishdude
Rough crowd, gheesh.


Yup so many negative people anymore!

We all know the folks pounding their chest in this thread walked barefoot in the snow uphill both ways to school.

I'm about the same age as you. As a matter of fact, I did walk to and from school. I live fairly close to the Schools I attended. Traffic hasn't changed much. But now cars are lined up around the schools every morning and afternoon, dropping off/picking up kiddies that apparently can't walk anymore.

It's genuinely pathetic.

No wonder so many kids are so entitled and clueless about the world. They've been raised in a naive world of participation trophies, never having to do anything for themselves, and everyone deserves the same outcome, regardless of effort put forward.

Then they get out in the real world, and surprise, surprise, it's not what they have been led to believe by their incompetent parents and teachers.

Life has never been easy. Working a hellacious minimum wage unskilled labor job wasn't fun for me, and it was definitely less than $15/hr when adjusted for inflation. But I had been taught to work hard and maybe if I kept at it and kept improving my knowledge and abilities, I'd have a roof over my head and food to eat. My depression era parents didn't have it nearly as easy. Either as kids or working adults. They taught me the meaning of never giving up, and always having a strong work ethic.

I see a few young people these days that have the right attitude and drive. I see far more that are lazy slugs. I have two nieces that are married to a couple of 25 and 26 year old lazy slugs. They can't put down their cellphones long enough to apply for a job, let alone work at a job. My sister and BIL are supporting them. I ask my sister if they plan to support them for the rest of their lives, she says no, but I don't see an end in sight...

 

[dishdude]

Delete post.

 

[Mr Nice]

A profit sharing plan should be started for those putting in many years with Amazon.

 

[thooks]

Originally Posted by dishdude
Originally Posted by RazorsEdge
Originally Posted by dishdude
Rough crowd, gheesh.


Yup so many negative people anymore!

We all know the folks pounding their chest in this thread walked barefoot in the snow uphill both ways to school.

I grew up pretty poor. I suspect many of you grew up with pretty much everything you wanted, a college education was paid for by your parents, as was a vehicle at 16, along with insurance, fuel, maintenance, spending money and pretty much what all the other Joneses had. Every cable channel, great birthday parties, summer vacations, you name it.

I, like the other poster above, walked roadways and such and picked up 6 oz, 12 oz and 32 oz Coke bottles to take to the grocery store on Saturday when my mother went so I could return them for deposit money. Stupidly, I'd go buy a Matchbox or Hot Wheels car, maybe have enough for a fishing lure, weights or some line. This started about age 7.

By age 9, I was pushing a lawnmower around the neighborhood with a 1-gallon gas can on it and looking for yards to mow. $3 was my price. This was the late 70's, BTW. I carried in groceries for a couple of neighbors and took their trash out, they'd give me 50 cents. I would stop by a small boat dealer in the afternoons and see if I could sweep or clean the bathroom....yes, I was still in elementary school at this time.

In my early teens, I was still mowing, raking in the fall and I'd try to work at some farmer's market stands. When I was 15, I had a steady job for a couple of farmers tending their stands at the farmer's market...saved that money so I could go have an extensive eye exam and get a pair of gas perm contacts. I was tired of wearing glasses. I paid the entire bill, it was about $400 back then for all of that. My mother simply didn't have the money for it. She always made $70-100 more than the max for any government assistance...but still struggled to raise two boys, but she did it.

I've had a W2 job every day of my life since I was 17. Before that, it was all those other "jobs"....doing all sorts of 'side jobs' for money. At most points in high school, I was working two jobs, played on the high school baseball team and still went to school all day. During college, I went to school basically M-F 7:45-3:00, then worked full-time (40 hours a week) in a grocery store from 4-10 M-F and 10 hours on Saturday. After that, I have worked side jobs doing electrical / plumbing work at nights/weekends and other side work.

If I have wanted/needed more money, I've always sacrificed and WORKED for it. I don't need a union or the government pleading my case for me. Never have. I can't figure out why others do.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted by thooks
If I have wanted/needed more money, I've always sacrificed and WORKED for it. I don't need a union or the government pleading my case for me. Never have. I can't figure out why others do.


You do realize that in the past there were places known as the poor house and that there's a reason for child labor laws right?

And of course in some other countries like China, their average wage is something like $1-$2/hour. There's a reason that you wouldn't do work for that kind of money in the US. Those laws set a floor for wages that other people are willing to pay and others are willing to work for. Why would you work for $2/hour if the minimum is $7.25 or more?

 

[thooks]

Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by thooks
If I have wanted/needed more money, I've always sacrificed and WORKED for it. I don't need a union or the government pleading my case for me. Never have. I can't figure out why others do.


You do realize that in the past there were places known as the poor house and that there's a reason for child labor laws right?


I didn't see those in the 70's and 80's, don't see that now. Child labor laws in the US? Hahahaha....what? 125 years or more ago?

If many of you had a clue how hard it is today to get someone to show up to work to do manual labor you'd change your tune.

And if you think all these businesses that are joyfully advertising these internal minimum wages aren't gleefully passing along that cost to you, the consumer, you're dead wrong.


BTW, most of you jumping up and down celebrating these $15 / hour minimums are the same people that expect dirt cheap pricing on everything and think that by getting 5-quart jugs of M1 for $5 after 14 rebates, Exxon is still screwing you....

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted by thooks
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by thooks
If I have wanted/needed more money, I've always sacrificed and WORKED for it. I don't need a union or the government pleading my case for me. Never have. I can't figure out why others do.


You do realize that in the past there were places known as the poor house and that there's a reason for child labor laws right?


I didn't see those in the 70's and 80's, don't see that now. Child labor laws in the US? Hahahaha....what? 125 years or more ago?

If many of you had a clue how hard it is today to get someone to show up to work to do manual labor you'd change your tune.

And if you think all these businesses that are joyfully advertising these internal minimum wages aren't gleefully passing along that cost to you, the consumer, you're dead wrong.


BTW, most of you jumping up and down celebrating these $15 / hour minimums are the same people that expect dirt cheap pricing on everything and think that by getting 5-quart jugs of M1 for $5 after 14 rebates, Exxon is still screwing you....


I don't think you understood the point I was making. You're making one of those short term what have you done for me lately type comments. I'm sorta making the point about standing on the shoulders of giants. You wouldn't be where you are now if it wasn't for what happened in the past.

I'm also not sure what your point is regarding the costs being passed to the consumer, that's somewhat of a given, either profits come down or prices are increased to compensate. That's the nature of capitalism.

 

[PimTac]

Originally Posted by thooks
Originally Posted by dishdude
Originally Posted by RazorsEdge
Originally Posted by dishdude
Rough crowd, gheesh.


Yup so many negative people anymore!

We all know the folks pounding their chest in this thread walked barefoot in the snow uphill both ways to school.

I grew up pretty poor. I suspect many of you grew up with pretty much everything you wanted, a college education was paid for by your parents, as was a vehicle at 16, along with insurance, fuel, maintenance, spending money and pretty much what all the other Joneses had. Every cable channel, great birthday parties, summer vacations, you name it.

I, like the other poster above, walked roadways and such and picked up 6 oz, 12 oz and 32 oz Coke bottles to take to the grocery store on Saturday when my mother went so I could return them for deposit money. Stupidly, I'd go buy a Matchbox or Hot Wheels car, maybe have enough for a fishing lure, weights or some line. This started about age 7.

By age 9, I was pushing a lawnmower around the neighborhood with a 1-gallon gas can on it and looking for yards to mow. $3 was my price. This was the late 70's, BTW. I carried in groceries for a couple of neighbors and took their trash out, they'd give me 50 cents. I would stop by a small boat dealer in the afternoons and see if I could sweep or clean the bathroom....yes, I was still in elementary school at this time.

In my early teens, I was still mowing, raking in the fall and I'd try to work at some farmer's market stands. When I was 15, I had a steady job for a couple of farmers tending their stands at the farmer's market...saved that money so I could go have an extensive eye exam and get a pair of gas perm contacts. I was tired of wearing glasses. I paid the entire bill, it was about $400 back then for all of that. My mother simply didn't have the money for it. She always made $70-100 more than the max for any government assistance...but still struggled to raise two boys, but she did it.

I've had a W2 job every day of my life since I was 17. Before that, it was all those other "jobs"....doing all sorts of 'side jobs' for money. At most points in high school, I was working two jobs, played on the high school baseball team and still went to school all day. During college, I went to school basically M-F 7:45-3:00, then worked full-time (40 hours a week) in a grocery store from 4-10 M-F and 10 hours on Saturday. After that, I have worked side jobs doing electrical / plumbing work at nights/weekends and other side work.

If I have wanted/needed more money, I've always sacrificed and WORKED for it. I don't need a union or the government pleading my case for me. Never have. I can't figure out why others do.



I didn't consider my family poor but money was tight. I also started work early in my teens. Back then jobs like bag boys at the local grocery store were common.

These jobs not only made us some money but they taught the importance of a work ethic. Showing up on time and doing the job well. Summer jobs were plentiful as well.

Today's idea of sheltering kids and not exposing them to these life lessons is making them into timid turtles. As a manager back in my work days I had to reprimand young employees for being late or not showing at all. The blank stares I got back told the story. They don't understand.

 

[tmorris1]

I just read a story that most of these employees may be making less with the higher hourly wage because they are eliminating monthly bonuses and reducing some benefits.

 

[Pew]

I like how people are saying Amazon is evil when it was started by a guy in a garage selling books. He saw a need, made a [censored] good decision, and all of a sudden is evil. I'm all for better pay but I also wasn't raised to expect much compensation for boxing stuff.

 

[javacontour]

Originally Posted by eljefino
Originally Posted by tmorris1
I think they start around $17 in my area, but I heard it is a terrible company to work for. Not very flexible and working conditions and hours are bad.


Henry Ford wasn't a saint for paying $5/day. It was brutally hard and boring work.


And he was creating customers.

How much of that $15/hour will AMZN get back from employees who can afford to buy more?

How many competitors will be forced to match those wages in the labor market who cannot afford to and go away?

How may employees will be automated out of work or replaced by better skilled workers? You can bet people not tempted to work there for $9/hour might be tempted to go for $15. If someone is on the bubble for getting fired at $9/hour, less incentive to keep them around at $15.

I think it's a calculated move to first benefit Amazon and to let them look good doing it.

 

[javacontour]

Originally Posted by DONWATERS
It is important to see how this affects other industries. I work in health care. A CNA, nurse assistant at a nursing home or hospital gets $11 starting an hour. For back breaking work, verbal and sometimes physical abuse and basically changing urine and feces filled diapers all day. They have to go to school and do annual inservice to keep the CNA certificate. Also have to have a clean background check.

You can walk into the Amazon 2 miles from me and get $15 per hour. Only a fool would be a CNA now. And it was real hard to find them before this.



This is an example of what I was thinking of. Attracting others to work at Amazon...

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted by tmorris1
I just read a story that most of these employees may be making less with the higher hourly wage because they are eliminating monthly bonuses and reducing some benefits.


Yeah, in that case, they should go back and ask for a real raise and tell them that it's really a pay cut with the current structure. Or vote with their feet and find another place.

 

[exranger06]

Originally Posted by thooks
If many of you had a clue how hard it is today to get someone to show up to work to do manual labor you'd change your tune.

Maybe if people got paid more for those manual labor jobs, they'd be more likely to show up.

Originally Posted by thooks
And if you think all these businesses that are joyfully advertising these internal minimum wages aren't gleefully passing along that cost to you, the consumer, you're dead wrong.

The cost has already been passed onto you, even if they keep wages low, in the form of the taxes you pay. These workers are getting paid so little, they qualify for welfare and other public assistance. Which is paid for by taxpayers like you and me. At least if they raise wages, you can CHOOSE to support these workers by choosing to shop at the business or not. Right now, you ARE supporting them whether you want to or not!

Yes, lets keep giving more tax breaks to huge corporations and the top 1%, so they can continue to pay their workers unlivable wages. Don't worry, the middle-class people who are just trying to make ends meet will help keep the workers from starving.

 

[Pew]

Originally Posted by exranger06

The cost has already been passed onto you, even if they keep wages low, in the form of the taxes you pay. These workers are getting paid so little, they qualify for welfare and other public assistance. Which is paid for by taxpayers like you and me. At least if they raise wages, you can CHOOSE to support these workers by choosing to shop at the business or not. Right now, you ARE supporting them whether you want to or not!

Yes, lets keep giving more tax breaks to huge corporations and the top 1%, so they can continue to pay their workers unlivable wages. Don't worry, the middle-class people who are just trying to make ends meet will help keep the workers from starving.


Except in this case with Amazon, $15/hour working 40 hour days means you'll have be the sole provider of a 5-person household.

Also, the issue becomes why do I have to pay to help somebody that made the wrong choices and how do we filter those from the people/family that just happened to run into some bad luck? But then that's probably a whole 'nother topic.