Why we need a mandatory living wage:

[Baqal]

The EU isn't any different from what you're going trough right now...

It's still better than what's going to happen if we don't join it. Maybe Serbia will eventually go bankrupt like Greece did, but at least it won't be immediate.

[Ryantology]

Don't you guys get that raising the min wage only cause everything to go up in price? Where do you think the money comes from to give the wage increase?

If everything goes up, then the raise you just got is meaningless.

This is the worst thing you can do.

This is so obviously wrong. Any business that reports a profit is a business that can, and absolutely should, afford to pay its workers more. Any business that can't afford to pay a living wage to its employees is a company that doesn't do enough business to deserve a profit. If making a living wage isn't a right, earning a profit sure as fuck isn't, either.

[Tobie]

Another problem with raising minimum wage that I believe no one has mentioned yet is that it can cause people to be fired - You can force employers to pay a minimum, you can't force them to not fire someone - If they reach the conclusion that the new minimum salary is too much, they'll fire people - That's how it works

That's one of the reasons that the welfare state exists. If you are actively searching for jobs (and can prove that) but haven't got one, in the UK we have something called "job-seeker's allowance".

[Diablo]

Another problem with raising minimum wage that I believe no one has mentioned yet is that it can cause people to be fired - You can force employers to pay a minimum, you can't force them to not fire someone - If they reach the conclusion that the new minimum salary is too much, they'll fire people - That's how it works

That's one of the reasons that the welfare state exists. If you are actively searching for jobs (and can prove that) but haven't got one, in the UK we have something called "job-seeker's allowance".

My bold. You can if you have employment protection, as most of Western Europe does.

[Tobie]

That's one of the reasons that the welfare state exists. If you are actively searching for jobs (and can prove that) but haven't got one, in the UK we have something called "job-seeker's allowance".

My bold. You can if you have employment protection, as most of Western Europe does.

Also, they would probably be made redundant in this situation.

[Diablo]

My bold. You can if you have employment protection, as most of Western Europe does.

Also, they would probably be made redundant in this situation.

Well, there's protection if that happened. If someone buys the business they have to protect those jobs, and there's compensation etc.

Then if all businesses have to pay the higher wages then they're on an even footing, and there's no reason to fire people.

[Dystopia]

Also, they would probably be made redundant in this situation.

Well, there's protection if that happened. If someone buys the business they have to protect those jobs, and there's compensation etc.

Then if all businesses have to pay the higher wages then they're on an even footing, and there's no reason to fire people.

You are wrong. Here in Portugal you can fire someone without reason - But if you do so you are obligated by law to pay a compensation in money. Let's say the contract of the fired worker had 2 years left to go - You have to pay those 2 years - But if the employer owns the company, you cannot in any way force him to not fire someone, and if you do he will just find an excuse.

---

Another problem with raising minimum wage that I believe no one has mentioned yet is that it can cause people to be fired - You can force employers to pay a minimum, you can't force them to not fire someone - If they reach the conclusion that the new minimum salary is too much, they'll fire people - That's how it works

That's one of the reasons that the welfare state exists. If you are actively searching for jobs (and can prove that) but haven't got one, in the UK we have something called "job-seeker's allowance".

I dislike the term 'welfare' state, I prefer 'social' state, it sounds better - Welfare sounds like charity to me. That largely depends, here in portugal you have people receiving welfare who refuse to work, it goes both ways and the system always seems corrupted.

[Diablo]

[quote='Diablo' pid='740039' dateline='1409430960']

Well, there's protection if that happened. If someone buys the business they have to protect those jobs, and there's compensation etc.

Then if all businesses have to pay the higher wages then they're on an even footing, and there's no reason to fire people.

You are wrong. Here in Portugal you can fire someone without reason - But if you do so you are obligated by law to pay a compensation in money. Let's say the contract of the fired worker had 2 years left to go - You have to pay those 2 years - But if the employer owns the company, you cannot in any way force him to not fire someone, and if you do he will just find an excuse.

---

That's one of the reasons that the welfare state exists. If you are actively searching for jobs (and can prove that) but haven't got one, in the UK we have something called "job-seeker's allowance".

I dislike the term 'welfare' state, I prefer 'social' state, it sounds better - Welfare sounds like charity to me. That largely depends, here in portugal you have people receiving welfare who refuse to work, it goes both ways and the system always seems corrupted.
[/quote
I don't think what I said was wrong. When I said there's no reason to fire people, I meant there's no rationale to fire anyone, since all businesses have the same problem. Normally if you fire someone with no good reason, like discipline, then they have the choice of compensation or their job back. If he finds an excuse then there will be a tribunal to try the case.

[BlackMason]

I've heard of people holding three jobs, but not four. That's crazy. I'm all for raising the minimum wage to keep up with inflation. You'd think that would be the default.

You do realise that this is the old dog trying to catch it's tail analogy. Raising the minimum wage will in turn raise inflation. This is simple economics 101 cost push inflation.

Many factors will need to be considered. Is the general public happy to pay more for the same quantity of goods and services? Increasing the minimum wage could expand the number of people needing more than one job to maintain their standard of life. Corporations will just pass the additional costs to the consumer.

---

I keep hearing that raising the MW would raise the prices of everything else in an endless cycle of rising prices. That's why my parents are against it, anyway.

Didn't realise you wrote this but it is true.

[Chad32]

All I know is the current system isn't working, and I've been hearing different sides saying opposite things. We should not have a working poor class, that have full time jobs and still need government assistance to make ends meat.