Raising Minimum Wage For Fast Food Workers

The minimum wage debate has been a hot topic over the past year, especially with the Presidential Election. This is a divisive topic that people rarely agree upon. There are essentially two sides you can take when it comes to this argument. Either people are for minimum wage or are against raising, or even having, a minimum wage. Proponents of the minimum wage are typically politicians who are lobbying for the vote of the people who feel that a minimum wage is critical to their wellbeing, and those who sympathize with people who earn “minimum wage”. Minimum wage is destroying America’s free market economy and someone needs to take action and find a better solution to this problem. Without anyone acting on this problem now, it can potentially be worse in the long run. Raising the minimum wage in the United States will do more harm than good to society because of the long-term effects.

Many Americans agree that Congress should raise the federal minimum wage, but do individuals truly know the effects of increasing the minimum wage to $15? Some people only look at the comprehensive view of seeking a higher salary, but the increase can cause many negative, as well as positive, effects. Several economists from across the country have done extensive research over the topic of the minimum wage increase, and many differing opinions have formed. The effects can vary from person to person depending on location and implementations that a business takes. Congress last raised the minimum wage to $7.25 in 2009; consequently, a rise to $15 would implement over a 100% increase in the minimum wage. A percentage this high has never

There is a lot of controversy over whether the minimum wage should be increased to 15$ an hour in all states. Proponents say that current wages in America are not livable because inflation is way higher than the current minimum wage; Minimum wage was 1.60 in 1968, which is equal to 11.60 today. Opponents say that many cannot afford this, will have to close down, make cuts, raise prices and lay off people because they will need to pay them more. Most economists believe that that high of an increase would hurt job growth. I believe that Increasing the minimum wage to fifteen dollars an hour nationwide will do more harm than good. Raising the minimum wage to fifteen dollars an hour nationwide is too big of a jump and would just cause businesses to cut off workers, force small businesses to close and increase inflation.

Everyone agrees that it is time to raise the U.S. Federal Minimum wage, but if we listen to the ‘Fight for 15’ movement and increase it to $15; will that much of an extreme increase hurt more people than it helps? The current U.S. Federal minimum wage is set at $7.25 per hour and was signed into law in 2009 by then President Barrack Obama. An increase to $15 per hour would be more than double the current rate and would have to be implemented in stages or it could have catastrophic consequences for our economy and lower wage workers. The minimum wage is the basis for the wage structure across the states. The population could see a decline in their living standards if the minimum wage

The controversy over what to establish as the official minimum wage in the United States has been debated and argued over for many years. Due to inflation, the gradual increase of pricings due to a saturation of printed currency, the minimum wage for workers has to be increased in order to compensate for the ever-fluctuating value of the U.S. Dollar. Many today are rising to the conclusion that a minimum wage of fifteen dollars an hour is necessary. This motion is designed to keep those who have minimum wage income out of poverty and to increase the amount of money in the consumer’s pocket overall. However, this particular increase in minimum wage will lead to the inevitable downfall of the United States’ economy and be a catastrophe for the working class.

Beside the increase in cost to businesses and customers, other people can potentially be hurt by this policy. By increasing the wage, small businesses will suffer a higher cost that can lead to cutting jobs, stalling new hire or even shutting down. On the other hand, the economic plight of these minimum wage workers should also be considered. Therefore, the $15 plan would produce unpredictable consequences, while not doing anything would doom minimum wage workers to live in in poverty and to consume public resources.

Written by Michelle Chen “No, Seattle’s $15 Minimum Wage Is Not Hurting Workers” discusses Seattle’s raise in minimum wage, and how the raise is not only benefiting employees but businesses are booming as usual. Currently Seattle is testing the $15 wage experiment and is showing that when wages go up "workers make more money". Seattle made the first wave in the "Fight for 15" campaign beginning their minimum wage raises in 2015. Seattle's gradual wage raises currently depend “on various factors," and have just recently began to hit their goal of $15 an hour. If the raises continue as planned Seattle's average minimum wage will reach $15 by 2021. While the process of having the average minimum wage raise is slow it will eventually reach its

Increasing the Federal Minimum wage to from $7.50 an hour to $15 an hour would be shocking to the US economic system but a proposal of an immediate increase to $10.50 an hour and three years later to $15 an hour has been suggested. (Pollin and Wicks-Lim 717) This would give the economy time to digest the increase in labor costs and

“Fight for $15.” This is what workers and supporters across the country, including Milwaukee, chanted on Thursday, April 14th demanding for an increase in the minimum wage (Baillon). Workers had gotten word of the recent victories in California and New York, thus joining together in Milwaukee for a call to raise the wage to $15. The “Fight for $15” supporters marched from Washington Park Senior Center to the McDonald’s at 35th and Juneau. Dian Palmer, president of SEIU Healthcare WI, said “This tries to lift people out of poverty – and we have to start somewhere” (Baillon). This is only one of the many rallies that had taken place in the last few years, demanding that it is an injustice to have the minimum wage at $7.25 an hour.

The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 saw a 41% increase in the federal minimum wage over a two-year period, in Card and Krueger’s study, the minimum wage increased 19%. An increase to $12 would be a 66% increase, ergo explaining the need for it to gradually imposed. This increase, however, is not enough to be deemed radical enough that we cannot apply these studies to it. If the federal minimum wage to raised $12 over a period of 5 years, it would be an annual increase of 10.6%, a decline from the average of increases since 1961 which was 11.7% a year (It’s Time). Critics who support at $15 minimum wage instead of a $12 rate face a problem here. This rate “constitutes a wage increase of 50% to 100% in most places” (Holzer) and would not be categorized as a modest increase. Significantly, many labor economists, who typically support minimum wage increases, are opposed to a $15 on the basis that it would likely lead to an increase in unemployment (Holzer). Major cities such as Seattle, which has raised their minimum wage to $15 should do so when feasible to further reduce income inequality, however, it is not reasonable to expect places such as Mississippi and West Virginia to be able to afford such a significant

Since the movement launch in 2012 fight for $15 have been impacting millions of underpaid workers. Fight for 15 have raised over $62.5 billion in raises from many states. The movements have been doing so good those local minimum wages have increased from New York to California. From the 61.5 billion two thirds have landmark $15 wages laws. Approximately 19 million workers will benefit nationwide and 2.1 million workers won raises

According to Michelle Chen the increase in minimum wage to fifteen dollars would be beneficial allowing families to be able to purchase more food therefore allowing parents and their children to eat more. While Ed Rensi believes that the increase in minimum wage would cause businesses like McDonald's, whom he used to work for, to invest in self-service computer kiosk in replacement of part-time employees causing many people to be laid off. Since Chen’s idea of a $15 wage has not happened yet, her article is not a trustworthy source.

In the United States alone there are around 3 million people who work in fast food restaurants. They get paid minimum wage. This year in the city of chicago the minimum wage went up to $10 and taxes went up from 9.25% to 10.25% making it one of the most expensive cities in the country. There was a debate rather they should of raised the minimum wage or not because they feared the taxes would increase as well. While the minimum wage is around $7-$10 across the country a new demand to raise the minimum wage to $15 is being talked about. Fast food workers across the country in major cities like New York and LA are protesting to get $15 an hour. Many are upset despite the fact that all they do is push buttons and flip burgers. Fast food employees do not deserve a $15 wage because there are other jobs that require more skills that don’t even get paid $12 an hour.

There are many different opinions as well as arguments about the fight for fifteen group along with how $15 will be good and or bad for our economy. Some arguments are that if the government raises the minimum wage it would cause thousands of job losses and the people who are getting paid minimum wage would be in an even worse situation. Another is that the people who are only getting paid $7.50 would get more money and would be able to live a better life. But this is why the minimum wage should not be increased to 15 dollars an hour.

Opponents to minimum wage raise claim that the minimum wage costs jobs by pricing low-wage workers out of the labor market. However, when we review academic studies that examine the effects of minimum wage increases on