Quote:
Originally Posted by PepsiFree
No, you guys are right, it’s not only realistic, but in fact most businesses rely on marketing professionals, delivery drivers, food supply chain workers, cleaners, maintenance workers, etc all making significantly less than $15/hr.
I’m actually not sure what’s less realistic:
- that a business is going to rely on 10ish direct staff and 6-10 contract/indirect workers making near minimum wage to survive
Or
- that almost small businesses actually carry a staff of 10 and contract out things like cleaning, general maintenance, and advertising
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Why is $15 this magical number that is the right number everywhere?
It's easy for someone living in Calgary to say its abhorrent that people are making less than $15/hour. But I'd argue there are lots of places in the US that someone making $10/hour is living significantly better than someone making $15/hour in Calgary.
You can't just ignore the vast economic disparity across the country and say that the same min wage makes sense across the board. Because, there are going to be areas that will see stores and restaurants close at a $15 min wage, and in those areas, there aren't likely going to be any business or industry to pick up those employees. Most of the country is living in places where $15 min wage doesn't even change anything, so it's not going to help the working poor in expensive cities where $15 isn't a living wage.