Marc Stier lauds House Bill 257 as it has finally passed the Pennsylvania House. The bill, which calls for minimum wage increases to 6.25/hour by this July, and to 7.15/hour by July, 2007, passed easily, enjoying bi-partisan support. The question now is when it will be taken up by the PA Senate. There was a concession on a training wage provision, which would allow workers under 20 to be paid as little as 5.15/hour for up to 60 days.
The Governor's office applauded the vote, citing increased worker productivity and higher cost of living as mitigating factors in the need for higher wage benchmarks. They also noted that 19 states already have minimum wages that exceed the federal minimum.
Meanwhile, the PA Chamber of Business and Industry decried the measure, claiming "the impact of an increased minimum wage would fall particularly hard on small businesses" which the Chamber characterizes as "critical stepping stones into the labor force for many workers."
Studies have been mixed as to the overall effect of higher minimum wages on the overall job situation. Proponents of the increase have recently pointed to the higher wages/lack of job loss data from surrounding states to bolster arguments for a wage hike.
living wage
We still a ways to go until we get a living wage which *really* makes a difference to people's lives across the board. I was recently told that in 1968, the minimum wage was $7.44 in 2005 dollars. We've regressed to well before 1968 wage work in pure dollar terms.
A very good read is this NYT Magazine article from 1/2006 on living wage and a study of Santa Fe which now has a $9.50/hr minimum wage.
minium wage in pa
worried about the little business's with a minium wage in pa, hey what about the little people who have to work for peanuts... i have to work, and minium wage being a stepping stone, bull, and lots of bull is that..... there is no work in pa to begin with, so stepping stone, biggest joke of the day... hey dont forget we have to pay $3.00 a gal to even go to work to make the peanuts.. come on get real, bet you all up in your fancy offics making these silly decisions arent working for $5.15 an hour.. please post for all to read, each of you who are..
Good point
especially as it pertains to gas prices and the general cost of living -- not luxury items, but utilitarian items like transportation cost, etc. Of course, the higher gas prices raise the price of everything else, yet the most common argument against minimum wage increases is "oh no, it'll raise prices." The problem is prices will rise with or without an increase in minimum wage, and if the wages don't rise also, fewer people can afford even basic purchases -- inevitably, that will lead to a slower economy if enough people drop below a certain level of real-dollar earnings.
Incidentally, I just realized that since I have to drive about 20 miles each way for work five days a week, that's about 20 dollars a week just going to and from work -- only covers gas, not maintenance or insurance or car payments. Imagine if I drove something that didn't fetch 30 miles to the gallon...
lets look at it this way
geezz lets look at it this way pa. i work 40 hours a week for min.wage , and i live 15 miles away from work thats 30 miles a day i drive .. ok.. now at the prices of gas and the wages i make ... that equals 12 hours a week i have to work so i can pay my federal and taxes taxes for the privilge to work here.. and 7 hours a week for just gas to get back and fourth from work only and geezzz that only leaves me 21 hours a week to pay rent buy food and pay for the other things that are needed... and to top it all off be a single parent ... lets see what you think about that ... and no i do not beleive in walfare i have never draw it and never will