Mar
19
Blog post #8-Class 15
March 19, 2015 | Leave a Comment
Increasing the minimum wage is not an easy feat, it is a debate on a debate on a debate. Increasing the minimum wage is not a black and white issue. There are many ups and downs, and simply so much cnsideration that goes into the consequences of increasing minimum wage.
In the Crain’s article, Hawkins has proved that with franchises such as Wal-Mart and McDonald’s, it is difficult to keep constant prices for customers if they choose to increase minimum wage for workers. The cost would be simply too high and owners would be forced to increase prices in order to have a profit. Kathryn Wylde, president of the Partnership for New York City says, “The unfortunate reality is that there are no quick fixes, and some of the proposals will simply make the problem worse, benefiting a few at the expense of many others.”
The Guardian’s article, made me realize how difficult it was to be working in the service industry. I never worked as a waitress or worked behind the counter at a restaurant before so I wouldn’t know firsthand about it. However, when I go to restaurants, I do try my best to pay the highest I can if I do get good service. I can not imagine living solely off tips and I would be frustrated when I wouldn’t get an extra dollar or two. Running back and forth between tables and memorizing orders is difficult as it is. I believe that they should be given at least minimum wage since the article says that the employer relies on the customers’ tips to pay for the employee.
After reading the Forbes’ article, I am not sure what to think anymore. Most of the myths I believed in are presented in the article and are proven otherwise. Families that have to survive on minimum wage are struggling while the “rich get richer and the poor get poorer.” I hear so much about homeless people living on the streets are there our of their own accord. I hear stories like when people act as beggars and use children who aren’t even theirs, to try to gain sympathy through people to get spare change. These people often drug these children so that they are sleeping and thus making people feel more pity.
It is terrible that people like these pose that they are living in poverty in order to get money. When people do these things, I do not know who is actually living in poverty and who is not. I feel sympathetic for those who are actually carrying everything they own on their backs. I am disappointed that there are people in this world that are willing to pretend to be poor in order to gain sympathy from people in order to get money.
