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Seattle mayor unveils plan for $15 minimum wage

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[h=2]Seattle could soon lay claim to the nation's highest minimum wage.[/h]Mayor Ed Murray unveiled on Thursday his proposal for a $15 minimum wage, a plan he said has broad support across the local government, business and labor communities.

Washington already has the nation's highest state-level minimum wage of $9.32. The Seattle proposal would be more than double the current federal minimum wage of $7.25.

Mayor Murray's plan would take effect over several years and apply first to some large businesses starting in 2017, and ultimately to all businesses by 2021

Seattle mayor unveils plan for $15 minimum wage - May. 1, 2014
 
How are they legally allowed to apply it to some businesses before others?

Why not make a seperate minimum wage for people under 18 and people over 18?
 
And when - when! - Seattle's economy continues to grow after the $15/hour MW is in effect, what will the conservatives say then?

I say make it 50 dollars per hour.
 
And when - when! - Seattle's economy continues to grow after the $15/hour MW is in effect, what will the conservatives say then?
The same thing we say everytime the minimum wage was increased: "abolish the minimum wage".
 
And when - when! - Seattle's economy continues to grow after the $15/hour MW is in effect, what will the conservatives say then?

When?

it could be a small business killer.

what's seattle's current average hourly wage?
 
Everybody supports it, including local businesses... that is freaking great.

If it's so great though, why not make it mandatory for all businesses at the same time? Why should the size of the business matter if it's good for everyone?
 
It will make for a nice case study.

-unemployment before and after
-inflation before and after
-business start-ups before and after
-business closures before and after
-etc...

Lots of before and afters available. Let the games begin...
 
And when - when! - Seattle's economy continues to grow after the $15/hour MW is in effect, what will the conservatives say then?

I have no idea and don't care. But I do hope they do it. And soon.

The number of American businesses relocating to Canada is increasing, but we won't be happy until we have them all.

And Vancouver is Seattle's tech industry shadow.

I hope they go for Obama's $22.
 
I say make it 50 dollars per hour.

And that would be every bit as wrong as having no MW at all. It's not an 'all or nothing' idea - it's a matter of finding that "Goldilocks" level of the MW...because paying so little that a person working full time cannot afford to feed, shelter, and clothe himself or herself including a child, then the MW is simply too low.
 
The same thing we say everytime the minimum wage was increased: "abolish the minimum wage".

Do you know what life is like in a nation where there's no (enforceable) minimum wage? You see, every single first-world democracy has a significant minimum wage (except for Germany, where it's pretty much driven by the unions). Australia - which hasn't had a recession in over twenty years - has a minimum wage for adults that equates to $16.81 USD.

Don't you think that after fifty years, if MW were SO bad, that first-world nation economies should have already crumbled? But they haven't.

On the other hand, there's LOTS of nations out there who don't have an effective minimum wage - and they're ALL third-world nations. Maybe you'd like it better that way - I don't know.
 
I have no idea and don't care. But I do hope they do it. And soon.

The number of American businesses relocating to Canada is increasing, but we won't be happy until we have them all.

And Vancouver is Seattle's tech industry shadow.

I hope they go for Obama's $22.

It wouldn't work that way. You've already got a higher minimum wage than we do...but have you taken a look at our respective cities? How many homeless people do you see trolling the streets of Vancouver? Whose streets are cleaner? Which city has a higher standard of living?

Vancouver B.C.

You see, if a higher MW was a job killer, then the jobs would be moving from Vancouver to Seattle.

If we have a higher MW, not only will there be more money for the people to spend, but there will be more tax revenue, too...and that's good for everyone.
 
Do you know what life is like in a nation where there's no (enforceable) minimum wage? You see, every single first-world democracy has a significant minimum wage (except for Germany, where it's pretty much driven by the unions). Australia - which hasn't had a recession in over twenty years - has a minimum wage for adults that equates to $16.81 USD.

Don't you think that after fifty years, if MW were SO bad, that first-world nation economies should have already crumbled? But they haven't.

On the other hand, there's LOTS of nations out there who don't have an effective minimum wage - and they're ALL third-world nations. Maybe you'd like it better that way - I don't know.
I highly doubt a minimum wage has that drastic of an impact, but if it does then we should go ahead and rais it to $20....or don't you care about the working class?
 
It wouldn't work that way. You've already got a higher minimum wage than we do...but have you taken a look at our respective cities? How many homeless people do you see trolling the streets of Vancouver? Whose streets are cleaner? Which city has a higher standard of living?

Vancouver B.C.

You see, if a higher MW was a job killer, then the jobs would be moving from Vancouver to Seattle.

If we have a higher MW, not only will there be more money for the people to spend, but there will be more tax revenue, too...and that's good for everyone.

You also left out higher costs.
You also left out higher qualifications for positions. if you want 15 an hour you better have the qualifications for 15.

you left out the boost in pay for all those not making minimum wage that will demand higher wages in return.
then you left out the increased prices to compensate for that.

you also left out the fact that instead of paying 15 an hour i can install automation in places and eliminate positions.
That or i fire all the people that i need to and just outsource it to someone else.
 
How are they legally allowed to apply it to some businesses before others?

Why not make a seperate minimum wage for people under 18 and people over 18?

In SF, in order to get contracts with the city, you have to offer a "living wage"

Does Seattle have a similar idea?
 
In SF, in order to get contracts with the city, you have to offer a "living wage"

Does Seattle have a similar idea?

Define 'living wage'. I would think a typical high school sophomore on their first job and a single mom with 3 kids would have a different living wage, no?
 
And that would be every bit as wrong as having no MW at all. It's not an 'all or nothing' idea - it's a matter of finding that "Goldilocks" level of the MW...because paying so little that a person working full time cannot afford to feed, shelter, and clothe himself or herself including a child, then the MW is simply too low.
According to 2012 Bureau of Labor statistics 3.6 million people made the federal minimum wage or below.

4.7% of the workforce, if you want to look at it that way.

It's a political stunt. A "tug on the emotional heartstrings" designed to divert attention from the fact that a more robust economy solves our problems much more effectively.
 
This is great news!
 
And when - when! - Seattle's economy continues to grow after the $15/hour MW is in effect, what will the conservatives say then?
Good for Seattle. What is the cost of living? Price of stuff and services? Hmm? My bet is you see companies leave Seattle.
 
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