Minimum wage questions?

Question

I'm doing a research project on minimum wage and need you to answer some of my interview questions.

1. What is your title and place of employment?

2. The minimum wage has recently been raised. Many argue that raising the minimum wage to where it is today will have a positive impact on the general society and economy. While there are many others that argue that raising the minimum wage to where it is today will have a negative impact. And there are also others who believe raising the minimum wage is pointless (due to the cause and effect). Where do you fall in all of this?

3. What are your thoughts on the cost of living in connections with the minimum wage?

4. What are your thoughts on the success of our economy in connections with raising the minimum wage?

5. Should there be a free market that determines minimum wage?

6. Any additional thoughts?

Thanks!

Answer 1

1. I am retired, and except when I was first working and in school, made more than minimum wage.

2. Federal minimum wage has NOT been raised for many years. Some states have raised theirs recently, including PA where I live. Even before the increase in PA, most typically minimum wage jobs like retail and fast food were paying over the old minimum, and in many areas over the new minimum, so I'm not sure it made much of a change for very many people. Minimum in PA went as of 1/1/07 from $5.15 to $6.25, and will go to $7.15 on 7/1/07.

For people trying to live on minimum wage, while $7.15 is much more than $5.15, would still be difficult. For the large number of minimum wage workers who are kids earning spending money - should help IPOD and CD sales. And some students should need to take less out in student loans.

3. Some costs might go up a little - fast food for example, where wages weren't already above minimum, since so much of their costs are labor. Overall I don't think it will make a lot of difference.

4. The success of the economy won't change much, I don't think. Someone on minimum wage isn't buying a lot of extra items anyway.

5. I'm all for a free market.

These are just one person's opinions, of course.

Good luck with your project.