Does anybody else think the workforce wages are unfair????

Question

There are huge corporations like Wal-Mart and McDonald's that make billions of dollars, and they barely pay their employees a little bit above minimum wage, if that. I just don't think it's fair that the workers bust their butt to try to make a living, when in actuality all they're doing is busting their butt to make someone else rich and they're doing all the work for the rich to get richer.

Not only that, but then the taxpayers end up having to pick up the tab when it comes to healthcare and food expenses because the workers are entitled to public programs to help them financially, when the employers should be paying them fairly.

Wouldn't you think the government would come up with a new law that would force the better pay? Just like with minimum wage, it's X amount of dollars per hour if you employ under 30 employees, and a little higher wage if you employ more people. I just think it's unfair to get paid so little when the employer makes plenty of money; what do you think?

Answer 1

They need to raise the minnimum wage. But, if they do that the cost of living will go up...so you can't win either way

Answer 2

I can't say I agree with you. These companies are big because they provide a service at a low cost. Since people like services that are at a low cost, they tend to do business with low-cost service providers, and hence those companies become larger. If they started paying their people more than they're worth, then they would no longer be able to sell things at such affordable prices. So let's say each low-level employee gets a $2/hr pay raise... but as a result, the price of goods goes up, so now every extra dollar that person makes is going towards higher cost of goods. And now the landlord has to spend more on appliances and repairs and lumber and tools, so rent goes up, and so on and so forth. So in reality it wouldn't quite work the way you envision it.

Also, and I hate to put it this way, but that's what those positions are worth. If you have a certain marketable skill, you can utilize that to find a job or provide some service that earns you more money... but if all you can do is flip burgers or stock shelves or run a cash register, then unfortunately you have to accept whatever the going rate for unskilled labor is.

And I don't think the size of the company should factor into it. Larger companies have larger costs to incur, so it's not like those billions of dollars are sitting in someone's vault as bars of gold. Minimum wage is minimum wage, and beyond that, fair is fair. If you can advertise a position for $8/hr and people line up outside, then the price is right.

Answer 3

If minimum wage had been adjusted properly to keep up with inflation for the last 50 years, Federal Minimum Wage would be about $16/hr (or more). Companies like Walmart are like the devil to me... they purposely pay low wages for bottom-of-the-barrel employees that don't know any better and force most of them to work part-time so they don't have to give them benefits. Yet everyone still shops there (except me).

The goverment is run by equally greedy people right now, so good luck getting them to help. I'm not one to preech about being democrat or republican, but I think the main thing that will make the difference is the way people vote. Most people vote for the things that will provide the most direct benefit to THEM and not to the majority of the country. And the people that need the most help are uneducated non-voters. If that is ever going to change, someone needs to vote with their best interest in mind, and not just for themselves.

Answer 4

I think that most of the work force thinks their wages are unfair. There'd be far less to say that they found their jobs paid fairly. But no, I don't think that the answer is to be found in new laws. I think the answer is that it's never going to be truly fair. As others have said, it's about supply & demand.

Personally, I'll just be happy if they bring my field into the competitive rate of the rest of the rather large city I live in. Even the lower scale of mid-range would be a nice change....and luckily, that is in negotiations at this very moment.

Answer 5

I don't know. The cost of living isn't the same in every part of the country, so how would the pay be determined?
Also, increased wages mean increased cost of living.

The government doesn't do a fabulous job with finances themselves. I don't know that they would be the best choice for the job of Big Brother. ; )

Answer 6

Completely unfair. Julian hit her with the ball by accident right? [When I say completely unfair, I mean for Marissa, for the others, I think they deserve more than just 1/3 days..] If it was an accident, Marissa should leave Cody, that guys obviously got a temper..

Answer 7

I agree. I insist that you start a large restaurant and discount store chain and pay each employee at least $100,000.00 a year plus benefits.

...oh...but what do you do if a particular employee only produces $7.50 an hour worth of labor. Hmmmmm....

Isn't capitalist economics a wonderful thing!?

Answer 8

Yes they are unfair (should be less!)
They are the ones who came up with the Idea.
What if they out-source to a foreign country? then all the moaning gits would be out of a job so people should be grateful.

Answer 9

If you don't agree with what they are willing to pay you then don't work there.

People really believe they are worth more than they really are....Sometimes you have to start at the bottom and work your way up.....That way you value the lessons learned......If it is just handed to you - You don't value it as much.....Hard work for a little amount is good for you....if you are willing to learn.