Minimum wage

[Jim Nunziato]

I've been hearing quite a bit lately about getting the "Federal Minimum Wage" raised from $7.25. On February 12, 2014, President Obama signed Executive Order 13658, “Establishing a Minimum Wage for Contractors,” to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 for workers on Federal construction and service contracts. Los Angeles and Seattle (individual cities in sovereign states) are proposing to raise it to $15.00. This is "minimum" wage, folks!

The way I see it, if I have a job that needs to be done, and need to hire someone to do it, I offer the job at whatever wage I'm willing to pay. If someone wants it, they either accept what I'm offering, or attempt to negotiate with me for a better salary. If he can convince me that his qualifications and/or experience would benefit my operation, I might agree to pay him more than my original offer. The point is, whatever we both agree upon, is between me and the prospective employee, and no one else. If he doesn't like what I'm offering, no one is forcing him to take the job. 

We've all heard the supporters of raising minimum wage claim, "It's not possible to support a family on minimum wags!" News flash!!! Minimum wage was never intended to support a family! By design, it's supposed to be an entry level wage, for minimum or low skill work. If I hire you to flip burgers for $7.25 an hour, and you want a raise, you have to convince me how raising your salary will help my business. After all, the only reason the job was created in the first place, was because my business had a need, and you agreed to do it at a certain wage.

If I raise your salary to $10.10 an hour, are my burgers going to taste any better? Are you going to flip more burgers than you're already flipping?  If I see no increase in your productivity, or the burgers are not going to taste any better, why would I increase your salary? News Flash!!! Business owners own businesses to make money, not just to "create jobs."  Creating jobs is great, and everybody benefits from them, but the bottom line is that those jobs are created is so the owner can make a profit and make money.

 If nothing changes in the job you do, the only way I would be able to make up the difference in your increased salary would be to raise prices for my burgers. Raising prices and not giving my customer anything more in exchange, drives customers away. I do not see that as good business.

What's your opinion?