Individual perceptions

www.aei-ideas.org/2014/10/the-fallacy-of...ng-the-minimum-wage/

www.nytimes.com/2014/10/28/business/inte...0141027&nl=afternoon

What a concept,SHARING profits with the employees (via higher wages).....what struck me as profound
was the LAST LINE in the link.

Ahh! The soothing lies of the socialist rulers.

HEARTLESS wrote: Ahh! The soothing lies of the socialist rulers.

Nope.

Here's a thought....my brother who owns a lucrative business in Fairbanks, Alaska (over TWO decades now),has a motto he imparts to his employees..."if I do well in this business, then YOU will do well." He
pays his employees MORE than a fair wage, treats them with respect and in return THEY are loyal and work their asses off. WHAT a concept......being treated FAIRLY and with respect.

homeagain wrote: Here's a thought....my brother who owns a lucrative business in Fairbanks, Alaska (over TWO decades now),has a motto he imparts to his employees..."if I do well in this business, then YOU will do well." He
pays his employees MORE than a fair wage, treats them with respect and in return THEY are loyal and work their asses off. WHAT a concept......being treated FAIRLY and with respect.

That's what a lot of smart businesses do without being forced by the government. This kind of business owner gets rewarded with employees who are more loyal and work harder. If the government mandated those higher wages (without understanding the owner's bottom line and business model), the dynamic between owner and employees changes. When I had my own business, one of the few perks was the freedom I had to run it and compensate my employees as I wanted. Employees don't have to risk capital on a boss they may not like but employers have that risk every time they hire somebody new. It should be the employer's decision to offer a certain wage as he/she feels will benefit the business, and therefore GOOD employees, the most.

Rick wrote: That's what a lot of smart businesses do without being forced by the government. This kind of business owner gets rewarded with employees who are more loyal and work harder. If the government mandated those higher wages (without understanding the owner's bottom line and business model), the dynamic between owner and employees changes. When I had my own business, one of the few perks was the freedom I had to run it and compensate my employees as I wanted. Employees don't have to risk capital on a boss they may not like but employers have that risk every time they hire somebody new. It should be the employer's decision to offer a certain wage as he/she feels will benefit the business, and therefore GOOD employees, the most.

I don't speak for homeagain, but I think that's the message trying to be sent. The issue is with regard to the fact not all businesses are that fair minded when it comes to their employees and their employee's wages. If they were, I don't believe we'd be having this conversation.

homeagain wrote: www.nytimes.com/2014/10/28/business/inte...0141027&nl=afternoon

What a concept,SHARING profits with the employees (via higher wages).....what struck me as profound
was the LAST LINE in the link.

Why is it that fast-food, and even waitressing, jobs are regarded as "temporary" or "stepping stones" and not ones that people could aspire to for a longer career? Someone always has to work them, why should it always be "someone who should be moving on to something better?" I know people at my first job working in a popular, inexpensive sit-down restaurant who planned on being there the rest of their working career - they didn't want to do anything else.

What a paradigm shift if those jobs could actually sustain folks who aren't suited to go to college, or even vocational school, to actually earn a living. I mean, if they are gainfully employed, and happy working there, why shouldn't they be able to make enough to support a family rather than forcing themselves to go become an electrician or hairdresser because that's supposedly "better"? It's still good, honest work, not welfare. Stop being so judgmental about the type of work and pay them decent wages where they don't have to also get food stamp assistance, or live paycheck to paycheck. Maybe then businesses wouldn't have to deal with so much turnover and could be more stable? I don't disagree that more of that burden should fall on the business owners themselves to reward long-term employees and pay them more for the benefit they get in return of having experienced employees, rather than constantly hiring cheap temporary labor, but I see this as a societal attitude shift that needs to take place as well.

Did you hear about the protests of that company that tried to fire its owner/CEO for being too nice to his employees? Everyone, from shoppers to managers to delivery truck drivers, went on strike demanding he get his job/company back and the board of directors finally caved after several weeks. That protest hurt those workers, and the shoppers who had to go elsewhere that cost more, but they stood up for what was right.

July 2014: www.facebook.com/RBReich/posts/832749640070967

August 2014: www.csmonitor.com/Business/Robert-Reich/...ism-for-all-not-some

Market Basket protests a victory for capitalism for all, not some

Market Basket CEO Arthur T. Demoulas worked to keep prices low and pay his employees more. No wonder that when the board moved to oust him in favor of someone who would increase profitability for shareholders, managers, employees, and customers of Market Basket were outraged.
By Robert Reich, robertreich.org August 11, 2014

Wholly lost, at least thus far, is this part of the article homeagain provided:

The higher wages and the higher menu prices help explain why there are 16 McDonald’s per million inhabitants in Denmark, but 45 McDonald’s per million in the United States, Mr. Jurajda said.

So much for the meme that a higher minimum wage will have no noticeable effect on the number of people employed, eh?

Think I related this story previously, but it IS worth telling again. We lived in Conyers, Ga. for awhile
(couple of years)....had a fav restaurant that we continued to frequent BECAUSE of the wait person they
employed and they had a LIGHTER and healthier menu available.

The wait person was the ULTIMATE in a server. Knew us by name (along with many others) and knew
what and how we liked our dinner/lunch. Would continually make "rounds" of her stations and stop for a
moment to chat with each of her patrons...this was NOT a high end dining establishment,but just a comfortable atmosphere to dine at.

She was such an adroit employee, I asked her about her "chosen career" and this is what she said...I can make OVER $50,000 a year in tips just pretending to be "on stage" as a actor portraying a waitress. I"m GOOD at what I do and it makes me content.