We have an ever widening gap between
the rich and poor in this state and in this country. Jobs are
disappearing because major corporations are trying their hardest to
make more of a profit by sending jobs to other countries where they
can get away with paying workers the least amount of money. Jobs are
also changing and becoming more and more technical as our technology
improves. Minimum wage stays the same for the jobs that are left and
it is far from a living wage.
Currently minimum wage in Texas is
$7.25 an hour. If you work a 40 hour a week job that is $290 a week
before taxes. Poverty level for a family of four in the state of
Texas is a household that makes less than $20,000 a year. Let us do
some math to see how this works out...
There are 52 weeks in a year, 52 times
$290 equals $15,080. Now, lets double that and go off of a two person
income and that comes to $30,160. This is before taxes, this is
before anything that could come up as it will in a family. One of the
parents has to stay home part time because they cannot afford
childcare. So that cuts the $15,080 in half and now brings the total
to $7,540 lets add those together once again. 15,080 plus 7,540
equals $22,620. Hey look they are still just above the poverty level
right? They will be fine! Ohh crap the game of life continues as the
dice rolls again and it appears little Susan has a tummy ache!! Ohh
no!! But, wait doesn't your job have health insurance? Nope....Now
one of the parents must stay home with Susan while the other tries to
work more hours to try and pay for medical bills that keep piling up.
Anyway, I think you get the idea. I could go on about all the various
possibilities that could occur in our fictional family, but they are
endless! Needless to say the current minimum wage is a joke and the
poverty level should be a little higher than 20,000 for a family of
four.
When our government sets these minimum
wages do you think they consider life as a factor? Or do they just
look at the numbers? My guess is it is a lot of numbers and most of
the people who make these choices probably make $20,000 in a month
and are so removed from this world of minimum wage they have no idea
how hard it is survive on so little.
My solution to this problem. Screw
them! Let us take back our labor! But, how do we do that? We have to
come together as a community. “Like talk to people and stuff? But I
am watching American Idol!” We have to get out of hum drum lives
and start to make real change and the first step is to support local
businesses, small businesses that actually do have the community in
mind. After that we can really start to take back our labor. Start a
coop! All it takes is a group of dedicated people to come together
with like ideals and commit to it!
There are a few already in Austin!
There are many different coop models to choose from!
Check out these:
You might be asking but how will this
make me rich? Well, it never will but it will make your life easier
and you will be making a living wage. Coops are run by the employees
that work there. They vote, come to consensus on the wage they will
all make, usually a living wage, which in most, if not all, cases are
way above the current minimum wage. Coops can function for profit but
that profit is then divided up however the workers see fit, shared
among the workers, sometimes it is put back into the business. It is
a process that we have lost. Workers working for themselves? Weird
concept right?
Taking back our labor from major
corporations is just one of many ways we an start to improve our
lives and we can do it for ourselves and not have to wait for big
corporations, who do not really care about us, to come along and
offer us that magical job that will make all of our money problems
disappear. We can make these jobs ourselves and by doing this we can
start to provide for our own communities and stop worrying about
being laid off.
I recently read up on Melanie's blog called "Take our LABOR BACK!" which is about Texas' minimum wage is too low, major corporations are moving to other countries to make a quicker buck, and of course the poverty level set at $20,000 for a family of four which she argues should be higher. I completely agree with all of these points needing a higher minimum wage seeing as how our growth of population has increased majorly within the last few years, along with the fact that we are losing jobs due to major corporations sending jobs across seas and even the statement of the poverty level needing to be higher with a family of four.
ReplyDeleteMy argument is this; Texas at $7.25 minimum wage is in fact that same as the federal minimum wage which is actually the same minimum wage for twenty-two (22) other states. Which leaves eight-teen (18) states above the federal minimum wage which leaves five (5) under the federal wage and five (5) not having a minimum wage laws at all. Now along with this Texas actually ranks under the federal cost of living in four (4) categories:
Cost of living: Texas / United States
Overall 88 100
Food 90 100
Utilities 95 100
Miscellaneous 95 100
Melanie's first argument is that Texas government does not take into consideration of "life" and issues that stir things up such as little Susan getting a tummy ache. My response to this is that the Government simply cannot take variables into consideration when looking at a larger scale, because if they took into consideration all the "what ifs" that could possibly happen in a year, the list would be endless. With that being said IF they did take into consideration bills that could possibly never stack up, and raised the minimum wage in Texas, then they would in fact have to change all other twenty-two (22) states that have the same minimum wage due to having to take into consideration the same living situations and "what ifs". My last food for thought is out of all the job creations in the U.S. statistics have shown that Texas created 40% of those job increases in the U.S. alone! Then why is the economy still short handed on jobs you ask? Going back to my previous statement above; our population growth is growing at a rapid pace, after all, we all live here for a reason don't we? My statement simply argues that people are moving to Texas for a reason. I do agree that the state needs to adapt to the growth quickly and create even more jobs, but the statement at hand is that we do not create many jobs at all which in fact isn't true since we've created 40% of the jobs in the USA.
I do however agree with Melanie's way to solve the issue at hand and how to create more jobs. Entrepreneurs are definitely the way to go so that we can supply and back up local organizations, because when a consumer buys locally, the money gets put back into the economy. Along with that her statement was jobs are becoming more technical, which is very true. I would argue on top of entrepreneurship, going back to school is a must in order to fill these positions properly.
All in all I agree there's an issue at hand with Texas' economy, but fact of the matter is, we aren't doing so bad when looking at other minimum wages, and our cost of living.
Now a’days, everyone is concerned with unemployment levels, and it is as if one cannot turn on the television without hearing the unemployment percentage being thrown around on the news, but after reading Melanie’s Blog http://shakeupthesystem.blogspot.com/ on minimum wage, I have to agree with her that it is a real issue. People don’t normally consider this an issue, because these days if you have a job, you are considered to be ahead of the game. The way she breaks down the numbers of the average income of a family dancing around the minimum wage mark, inspired an empathy that I don’t share too often.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Melanie’s audience consisted of those in their 20’s who make minimum wage and have become accustomed to the amount of money they bring home each week. It is when people get comfortable that advancements in situations begin to deteriorate. Look at the way roads were invented. People were tired of walking all over the place and couldn’t stand it anymore, thus through their uncomforts, humans have created endless networks and solutions to transportation problems. She couldn’t be more correct when she says, “We have to get out of hum-drum lives”. Repeat with me everybody, “COMFORT KILLS CHANGE”
The only thing that I might argue with in this article, was that the financial breakdown was for a family with a daughter and both parents on minimum wage. Personally, and I know it happens, but if a man and woman are married and thinking of having children, they should take their financial status into consideration. I’ve been in a relationship for 4 years, but I won’t be having any children until I’m off minimum wage.
All in all it is a well written article, expressing a concern that we don’t normally hear about. What particularly earned Ms. Melanie points with me is that she pointed out solutions in her argument. I am so sick of hearing people complain without doing anything about it.