$15 minimum wage?

[Ocean1]

Why do we have a class of employee where the government defines what they're worth?

Why would an employer continue to hire someone that might just have been worth $13/hr on a good day but at $15/hr will cost the company 16 dollars a day?

There's only one way anyone's worth $15/hr. They earn it.

[blue rider]

Fordism is "the eponymous manufacturing system designed to spew out standardized, low-cost goods and afford its workers decent enough wages to buy them"

Somewhere we are not doing it right these times. They had better ideas at the beginning of the twenties century. At least the Ford guy understood that if his staff ain't buying he is/will be out of business quickly.

I once had this job in a bakery/chocolate store, none of the shop staff had any idea of how the cakes/chocolates tasted, they could not afford them on the minimum wage. selling stuff without knowledge....

But seriously how anyone can live on minimum wage in a city like Auckland as an adult - even a single one without any family depending on them, and pay rent and eat is beyond me, unless they go flatting till they get married and eat ramen? And they are supposed to safe for retirement?

I count myself lucky to not only have a job, but one that pays a living wage.

[scumdog]

Several responses spring to mind.

1. Labour was in power for 9 years - surely they should have done this over 3 years ago, not announce it as a unfunded election bribe. Sick of their moaning already!

.

Yep, NINE years to get stuf sorted and didn't.

And now have the gall to bitch their arses off because National hasn't done it and the cheek to say "We will do when we get into power"...sheesh!

[jaffamont]

Problem is not the minimum wage, problem is that it is such a relevant figure. If you look at our Australian cousins the minimum wage figure is pretty much irrelevant (do a poll on the street and most aussies would not know the figure), there's plenty of work therefore employers feel obliged to look after the decent workers, and workers feel valued hence they are more likely to be a productive and positive asset to the company. Unfortunately the NZ model seems to be evolving the other way where the whole thing is a big game of tit for tat.. I pay fuck all cause they do fuck all. Pay me fuck all and i'll do fuck all. And then we all go off to our corner and tell our respective teams what a bunch of wankers the other ones are. Something needs to change.

[blue rider]

I pay fuck all cause they do fuck all. Pay me fuck all and i'll do fuck all. And then we all go off to our corner and tell our respective teams what a bunch of wankers the other ones are. Something needs to change.

this...is where the country is at the moment, to much tit for tat, but no real ideas

[Mully]

Jobs are not scarce, what is scarce is the nouse to get in and do...some 'job lookers' are just to choosey.
Thats why unemployment is where it is...some just dont want to be employed.

"You Must spread some rep, etc"

Dead right. I've never had a problem getting a job. Even if it was for $8/hour doing shit job in a warehouse. And I was on monthly pay too.

You do what you gotta do. If I'd had to, I would have gone around picking up cans to recycle to pay rent.

Too many people think they're better than the jobs that are out there.

[/rant]

[Pussy]

How do the poor buggers buy smokes and booze on $13.00/hour??

[Mully]

How do the poor buggers buy smokes and booze on $13.00/hour??

http://www.workingforfamilies.govt.nz/

[JimO]

Sorry thought you made a post earlier but it was someone else

no problermo

[DrunkenMistake]

That could be a bad mistake, hell letting you have all that money would be similar to letting a five year old loose in a candy shop and telling them they can eat what they, and as much as they want.

Besides Kemet would have to put up with you more often and that could get nasty

haha yah, my old man works there too, hes on the actual wharf not the sheds, the only problem with the wharf is its 7am to 3pm, 3pm to 11pm or 11pm to 7am and you find out which shift your doing at 3pm the day before, so you ring at 3, and find out your working at 11 that night.
Noooo Sir, not for me, If I didnt have a misses and all it wouldnt worry me so much, maybe a in a couple of years when I get my shit together and have a house and all.

[jaffaonajappa]

Wondering what NZ's attitude was to this topic say - 60 years ago. 1950's era.
Did we champion increasing the gap between rich and poor? - Did the Unions get involved and ensure some form of equality? ok, historians out there can point out that we started going broke after some failed socail experiment or other - but if the great Dollar is your number #1 priority - move to Sydney or the mines in WA. Live that lifestyle. Or if you prefer NZ, with kiwis still retaining some old school kiwi attitdues - think twice before wanting to keep the poor, poor.

[Woodman]

And those who say you should be trying to move into a better job if your on minimum, and that minimum should not be sustainable...

Thats a load of bollocks, the minimum-wagers are required so you can get your fast food and everything else so cheap that you love. You cant have everybody earning above minimum wage!

Yes of course there is always going to be people on minimum wage, the difference is that some will do something about it and change jobs or work their way up, and all power to them, but unfortunately there are some who channel that energy into moaning about their plight (whilst smoking expensive ciggys) and finding new ways to skive off. They deserve minimum wage.

Heres an idea, why not have it so that the minimum wage is set as a percentage of the basic politicians hourly rate/salary.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Lets take the easy way out... just put up minimum wage... lets not tackle the cost of living and try and lower that, thats way too hard ...


another put the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, instead of building the fence at the top of the cliff...

[Howie]

Heres an idea, why not have it so that the minimum wage is set as a percentage of the basic politicians hourly rate/salary.

So what percentage of the basic NZ Member of parliments salary would you think of as fair?? How many hours a year do MP's work for there Salary?

Do you know what the basic slary for a MP is before expenses etc?

actually not a bad idea woodman, as MP's salaries have tended to rise a lot faster than the average wage in NZ in recent years, it could actually help us catch up with Australia.

[jaffaonajappa]

So what percentage of the basic NZ Member of parliments salary would you think of as fair?? How many hours a year do MP's work for there Salary?

Do you know what the basic slary for a MP is before expenses etc?

actually not a bad idea woodman, as MP's salaries have tended to rise a lot faster than the average wage in NZ in recent years, it could actually help us catch up with Australia.

Ok...math time?

If an MP gets $150,000.00 per year, divide by the number of hours the MP works for the money.

Define "work"?
Otherwise its 150,000.00 divided by a big fat Zero? For the majority of them.