Another puzzlement. The pols who vote NO on increasing the minimum wage have constituents who will be harmed by that. Dumb right?

I went to the site. They would only let me read it if I turn off ad block, or subscribe.

:):):)

A lot of sites are starting to do that...it is annoying. 

Very. Almost all of the newspapers...including ours.

Sorry about that. I turned mine off to read it is why I recommended it. :)

Thank you for your reply Shuhak. I see it differently. The obscenely wealthy are far better off now after the chokehold reign of FOOTOO DESPITE the pandemic. They always are. Congress had no problem with a bazillion dollar tax cut for the wealthy. But giving we the people a living wage? That's horse of a different color. I have always worked for others. I have benefitted by the kindness of strangers as it were. Appreciating my work my work ethic my output my attitude gave me a good life despite not having a college degree. Junior college was it for me. I was always an excellent employee because I worked for ME! Doing less than my best was never an option and I was rewarded for that. Of course not paying people what they're worth is what all greedy money hungry SOB's and republicans do if they can get away with it. More for them. Different strokes. Now if I were obscenely wealthy I'd be all for more for me and none for "the little people". I am now and was and always will be part of the "little people". I guess you don't share that with me. Thank you for your reply and Happy Sunday to thee and thine! :)

I was one of the little people too.  (I've probably told you this before) One year when our CEO only got a $3 million bonus instead of his usual $5 million (on top of his $8 million salary), he took it out on the stores.  Labor was cut to the bare minimum, ordering moratoriums were put in place (only a set amount of merchandise would be ordered, with no back stock), and all store supplies were limited to 1 unit per week and had to be okayed by upper management first (to see if it was "essential").  On top of this, all stores were to be at "grand opening" status at all hours of their operation.  That meant shelves were to look full and everything to be sparkling clean.  This was to ensure he got his full bonus amount  the following year.
 
You and I understand what it's like in the trenches.  We worked hard.  We gave an honest day’s work for what we hoped was an honest day’s pay.  I don’t know about you, but I put in a lot of “free time” as well.

I’ve worked for many corporations (chain stores).  I watched as the upper folk got 7-8 figure salaries for playing golf and going to luncheons, while their employees (who did a majority of the work) could barely afford to feed their families.  I saw them take 40+ weeks of vacation per year (mostly overseas), while working their senior managers 18+ hours per day (they did that as a form of “punishment”).  I saw them with their 2+ houses, while their employees had to live in their cars.   Corporations are always squeezing out smaller and mom-pop type stores, as they have the ability.  Just look at Amazon.  The wealthy will never surrender a penny without finding out some way of getting it back.

I have read of OUTSTANDING companies to work for though Shuhak. Sadly I don't remember any of the names of them but I think there are a few in Silicon Valley. They value their employees and provide on-site perks like lunchrooms and exercise equipment. They know that turnover is very expensive and keeping good people is essential to growth. But of course there are VERY FEW of them. Why that is I don't know. Any company is only as good as the people who work there. It isn't management that does the work. Sure on occasion management makes a BIG decision but otherwise they are not the worker bees. Keeping good people happy and making them feel valued isn't that hard to do. Everybody wins. Problem is you know that old saw? Promoting people to the level of their incompetence? I believe it's called "The Peter Principle". You find that everywhere. It's curiously queer and peculiar but it is what it is. Thank you for your thoughtful reply. So GOOD people DESERVE earning a good wage. We agree on that! Good! :) This post was edited by RosieG at March 8, 2021 4:04 PM MST

A happy employee is a productive employee.  Psychologists tell us this.  Innumerable studies have shown this.  We can even see examples that it's true.  There’s not one company that doesn’t want to make money.  Yet very few care about that which makes them that money – their employees.  Employees don’t really care about having exercise rooms or massage chairs at work.  Nor do they really care about having a break room the size of the Sistine chapel, complete with a never ending feast of pheasant under glass and caviar.  Sure, these things are nice and all, but the number one thing every employee wants from their employer is to feel appreciated; as if they matter.  They don’t want to feel like some juice box that gets squeezed dry and tossed in the trash.  They want to feel like they are a real person, not just a number or nameless cog.  Some companies spend billions of dollars in an effort to make the work environment more “comfortable” for their employees.  Yet, making a person feel appreciated doesn’t cost a thing.  Having mottos like, “we care for our employees” is nice, but they’re meaningless words unless everyone (especially management) takes them seriously.

Thank you for your thoughtful exposition of the point I was trying to make. Cafeterias and exercise rooms would make me feel appreciated. An extension of consideration and an expansion of ways to show the appreciation. Also timely raises and bonuses of course. And an occasional ATTA GIRL never hurts. But I realize people are not all the same. Happy Tuesday to you Shuhak! :) I once worked at a company that did have a cafeteria. The food was not free but it was good and very reasonable. You didn't have to brown bag it. Employees met and chatted and interacted "away from work" as it were. I really liked that. There was also a women's lounge with a couple of sofas and chairs where you could stretch out. That was also very nice! :)

Automatic yearly increases? To match inllation? What a good idea. Now $9.45/hour is not $15/hour but it's better than the current minimum wage of $7.25. I guess the rich will always be greedy bas**rds and try to cheapskate their way through life so they will have more and more and more. Human nature right? Sigh. The rich oive off the backs of the "little people". They suck the life out of them then discard them on a whim. Double sigh. The way of the world sad to say. Thank you for your reply Liv and Happy Sunday to thee and thine! :) Not ALL of them. Just MOST of them. There are some employers who are fair and good and just.

You what I've heard and never experienced? "Raise the minimum wage and people will get laid off!" For me that is a bunch of crap! It is a boogie man fear tactic to keep the "little people" in line. The threat? You want a raise? You could lose your job. Bull! But some fall for it hook line and sinker and promulgate it. Dumbheads! Thank you for your reply R and Happy Tuesday to thee and thine! :)

Not if their client base has more spending power, small business will sell more. Smaller profit per unit sale, but LOTS more sales. Basic economics. Tax cuts for the uber wealthy help nobody.

If it is a blanket increase it does not put more money the base customers pocket because of inflation.