Raising Minimum Wage Essay

Labor Unions: Aging Dinosaur or Sleeping Giant? The Labor Movement and Unionism Background and Brief History Higher wages! Shorter workdays! Better working conditions! These famous words echoed throughout the United States beginning in “1790 with the skilled craftsmen” (Dessler, 1997, p. 544). For the last two-hundred years, workers of all trades have been fighting for their rights and “seeking methods of improving their living standards, working conditions, and job security” (Boone, 1996,p.287). As time went by, these individuals came to the conclusion that if they work together collectively, they would grow stronger to get responses to their demands. This inspired into what we know today as labor unions. “A labor union

While researching this paper I came across a very interesting article. In the November 2000 issue of Reason magazine, Michael McMenamin leads with the following paragraph:

A Union is a group of workers who wanted something better from their company or facility, they are called strikers. Unions benefit workers in many ways, they help get workers' rights. Unions  are formed because their working conditions are irritable. They all needed and wanted a change; Labor Unions were created to help the workers with work-related difficulties such as low pay, unsafe or unsanitary working conditions, long hours, and other situations. .

The topic of raising minimum wage seems to attract a multitude of controversy. On one side, experts agree that raising a family on one minimum wage salary is almost impossible for someone who puts in fairly large work hours. Nonetheless, business owners agree that increasing these salaries will result in significantly less jobs, as well as force them to increase the prices on their consumer products. Federally, minimum wage workers earn $7.25 an hour, totaling up to $15,080 annually, with approximately six hours of working time per day. However, the price varies with state, with places like Massachusetts and Washington paying $11 to workers hourly.

People working in the lowest tier jobs are wanting to be paid more than the minimum age which is currently $7.25. The minimum wage should not be raised at all due to the fact that these jobs are EASY. Yeah sometimes they can suck and not be any fun at all but it’s not hard. Jobs at fast food restaurants are meant for teenagers and old people. If you’re a middle-aged person it’s time to grow up and find a different job and stop trying to get paid more for a simple job that a 14 year old could do. People are protesting it to get it raised to almost $15 which is absolutely crazy and irrational. It’s a low paying job for a reason. It’s not meant to be made a career. An example of a job that pays minimum wage and

The protesters are arguing that the wages that they are earning cannot allow them to pursue a higher goal and improve their lifestyles. This is affecting Americans today by taking away some of the workers’ children’s chance of aiming for a better life. Most families that are living on minimum wage cannot afford to send their child or in some cases children to college because they do not earn enough. These students are the future of our country, yet they cannot hindered because of financial problems. In fact, the article states that “lower wages are negatively affecting the nation’s economic growth.”

This type of Union is comprised of workers from many crafts. The Craft Union helps the Union members by bargaining and negotiating on their behalf with the employers on labor contracts which include benefits, wages, working conditions, procedures for termination, or complaints. Trade Unions historically are politically conservative when compared to other Unions. “US trade unions have been the most "successful" labor movement in the world. Unions won for their members benefits such as pensions, health care, and paid vacations that working people in other industrial countries were able to win only through political as well as industrial action. US trade unionists also enjoy the highest wage premium in any country--that is, the difference in pay and benefits between organized and unorganized workers in the same sector,” (Bernard, 1998, para. 9)

If everyone starts contributing to fight for $15 we can make sure that these hard working individuals are not hungry or living on the street. Even if people we don’t want to join fight for $15 we can donate to the cause. Donations are what help this movement start friendly protest and help workers get $15 hourly wage. To conclude this movement I think everyone should help every worker and business to have the basic needs to support each others in this

People who work for minimum wage or near minimum wage seem to be people who work for restaurant/food service industries. This information was found in- Desilver, Drew. "5 Facts about Minimum Wage." Pew Research Center. N.p., 23 July 2015. Web. 7 Dec. 2015. Almost two-thirds of workers earning minimum wage or less work in the food service. If minimum wage is raised to $15 an hour it is believed that many worker would lose their jobs, especially young workers. This is because when the money is raised the companies don’t have enough money to pay their workers so they start to lay people off. young workers are usually the first to go."A $15-hour Minimum Wage Could Harm America's Poorest Workers." The Brookings Institution. N.p., 30 July 2015.

In addition, an expanding conversation about how to end working poverty through decent jobs points out that is to not only important to make minimum wage, but an adequate living wage. For instance, the Raise The Minimum Wage Campain noted, “The minimum wage should be set 10% above the poverty line, using the Low Income Measure”. Unionization employees that get paid above minimum wage feel more comfortable and satisfied with their job, which indicates that they are less likely to resign from their duties. With skilled workers in greater demand, their job opportunities and their

Have you ever thought if you were a worker and you think you should get paid more an hour? Well the fast food workers at Mcdonalds get paid (their minimum wage is $7.25 an hour). And some people think it should really be $15 an hour because they really do work hard like making sure everything is clean to have a space to work with, practice their skills to get their food ready fast and so they can enjoy, and lastly knowing how to welcome their customers. Like so, “A first wave of fast food strikes began in November 2012 in several New York city restaurants”. They are protesting to this cause because “That for many would boost their hourly pay to $15 from the current federal minimum $7.25”. (Article ½)

All in all the Fight for 15 is a very powerful movement with a very clear goal and many many people supporting it. The fight gains new ground on a regular basis with the support of famous and important people and regular protests making it on the news. The fight is still sizzling towards it’s goals and will likely leave a positive legacy in the eyes of minimum wage workers all over the globe regardless if it succeeds or

“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.

Being a part of a working union comes with a lot of benefits, for example, most workers that belong to a union have a better set wage than those who do not. Also, “Some 93% of unionized workers were entitled to medical benefits compared to 69% of their nonunion peers” (The pros of Joining a Labor Union). Union workers are not easily fired, they have a lot

In 1892 Federal Government adopt an 8 hour workday and other wages standard for employee. In 1903 Congress create the U.S. Department of Commerce and Labor. In 1933 Congress passes the National Industrial Recovery Act covering private sector wage hour (Congressional Digest). “On Saturday, June 25, 1938, to avoid pocket vetoes 9 days after Congress had adjourned, President