NH Sponsor Of Minimum Wage Restriction Law: Young People Are ‘Not Worth The Minimum’

[chuam]

This year, newly-elected Republicans in the New Hampshire legislature pushed a bill to restrict the state’s minimum wage law to the lowest federally mandated amount. The bill, backed by GOP leadership, was vetoed by Gov. John Lynch (D-NH), but still passed by an override vote in both chambers. New Hampshire will continue to have the federal minimum wage, which is $7.25 per hour, a $15,000 salary for a full-time worker.

State Rep. Carol McGuire (R-NH), the sponsor of the law, still believes the federal minimum wage is too high. In a statement to reporters, she said she would like to repeal all minimum wage laws and have corporations pay workers whatever rate they desire. She also said the $7.25 minimum is overly generous to young people who are “not worth the minimum“:

“It’s very discriminatory, particularly for young people. They’re not worth the minimum,” she said. She believes there are young people who would get a job if they could be paid $5 an hour instead of the minimum.

McGuire’s accusation that “young people” are “not worth the minimum” is a slap in the face to youth around the country who work minimum jobs to support their families, save for college, or are forced to survive without the privileges of inherited wealth or their parents’ income.

Moreover, McGuire’s drive for the lowest possible wages further depresses economic recovery. Economists agree that increasing the minimum wage is a direct stimulus for the stagnant economy that improves the standard of living among low-wage earners. Moreover, even the current minimum wage is historically low when adjusted for inflation — in the ’60s, the rate was over $9.00 an hour in 2006 dollars.


http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/08/22/301300/minimum-wage-nh/

[ocean_314]

Wonder why you pay so much for a hamburger at a restaurant??? Its because of the minimum wage.

Jobs that used to be entry level jobs for teenagers, fast food summer work command such a high wage and payroll taxes that many of these jobs have been eliminated

Technology is cheaper than paying a teenager the high minimum wage and all those payroll taxes.

Teenagers get no work experence, then they wonder why is so hard to get a job after high school or college.

[DPS]

Wonder why you pay so much for a hamburger at a restaurant??? Its because of the minimum wage.



55 cents for a cheeseburger on Wed and Sun, $1 for a double any day, McDonalds pays minimum wage

Small chili, baked potato or chicken nuggets 99 cents, hamburger 89 cents, Wendys pays minimum wage

[J707]

Wonder why you pay so much for a hamburger at a restaurant??? Its because of the minimum wage.

Jobs that used to be entry level jobs for teenagers, fast food summer work command such a high wage and payroll taxes that many of these jobs have been eliminated

Technology is cheaper than paying a teenager the high minimum wage and all those payroll taxes.

Teenagers get no work experence, then they wonder why is so hard to get a job after high school or college.

Are we talking about the same America? Fast food is cheap as dirt and fast food establishments aka places of employment have proliferated across the country.

[jackpine savage]

You need to realize that Ocean knows very little about a lot of things

[chuam]

Once again ocean is spouting off with no basis in reality.

[yeskaa]

this reminds me of a show i was listening to. they were talking about with all the older generation unemployed. Businesses would rather hire older people because there more reliable. they wake early. get to work on time dont come in hung over etc.

dont think there was any research to back it up. and they weren't talking about minimum wage jobs either. just saying it falls in line with this sentiment that young people are less desirable

[LunkerBuster]

this reminds me of a show i was listening to. they were talking about with all the older generation unemployed. Businesses would rather hire older people because there more reliable. they wake early. get to work on time dont come in hung over etc.

dont think there was any research to back it up. and they weren't talking about minimum wage jobs either. just saying it falls in line with this sentiment that young people are less desirable

this is defenately not true in all feilds...in most professional fields, employers would rather hire younger and less experienced people for many reasons.
the most common one is that they feel the older and more experienced professionals are going to leave the job for a better one or will try to it "their way" rather than listen to the boss. A younger employee can be more easily molded, etc...also a person with twenty years experience can command a hire salary.

my mother was an E Vp of burger king and victoria's secret and got laid off in 2006, she has not been able to get any job other than temp consulting jobs. This is a person who graduated top of her class from Wharton with her MBA....not a slouch.

the job market is so volitile that most companies are scared to get burned and no that the trade off doesn't merit hiring more experienced people...its a shame

[Marcus]

Economists agree that increasing the minimum wage is a direct stimulus for the stagnant economy that improves the standard of living among low-wage earners.

"Economists agree"...RED FLAG.

There are plenty of good arguments for why a min wage is bad. You should get off that mind numbing progressive website and do some research if you're that interested in it.

[ocean_314]

this is defenately not true in all feilds...in most professional fields, employers would rather hire younger and less experienced people for many reasons.
the most common one is that they feel the older and more experienced professionals are going to leave the job for a better one or will try to it "their way" rather than listen to the boss. A younger employee can be more easily molded, etc...also a person with twenty years experience can command a hire salary.

my mother was an E Vp of burger king and victoria's secret and got laid off in 2006, she has not been able to get any job other than temp consulting jobs. This is a person who graduated top of her class from Wharton with her MBA....not a slouch.

the job market is so volitile that most companies are scared to get burned and no that the trade off doesn't merit hiring more experienced people...its a shame

In retail like wal mart they want older people. In professional positions they want younger highly skilled people they can groom. This makes them just the employee that the company wants.

[ocean_314]

55 cents for a cheeseburger on Wed and Sun, $1 for a double any day, McDonalds pays minimum wage

Small chili, baked potato or chicken nuggets 99 cents, hamburger 89 cents, Wendys pays minimum wage

And how many teenagers are working at McDonalds??? Have you seen how technology has eliminated many jobs there?

McDonalds also loses money on those cheeseburgers and doubles. That is called a loss leader. Because of their size they get such low prices on the soft drinks and fries. By selling you fries and a coke with that double they make up for the money lost on the double.

Only the largest of fast food chains can afford to do this.

[J707]

And how many teenagers are working at McDonalds??? Have you seen how technology has eliminated many jobs there?

McDonalds also loses money on those cheeseburgers and doubles. That is called a loss leader. Because of their size they get such low prices on the soft drinks and fries. By selling you fries and a coke with that double they make up for the money lost on the double.

Only the largest of fast food chains can afford to do this.

In and Out sells their hamburgers and cheeseburgers for about two dollars- about as cheap as anything you can get at Taco Bell. Their prep area is always packed with employees (almost always teenagers and young adults) hauling ass and their employees are all paid very well- certainly above minimum wage.

Technology has not eliminated jobs in the fast food industry. If you think it has you might care to say which jobs and due to what particular technological advance. I think it's pretty clear that fast food restaurants have only grown in number- and so have the employment opportunities they offer.

[ocean_314]

In and Out sells their hamburgers and cheeseburgers for about two dollars- about as cheap as anything you can get at Taco Bell. Their prep area is always packed with employees (almost always teenagers and young adults) hauling ass and their employees are all paid very well- certainly above minimum wage.

Technology has not eliminated jobs in the fast food industry. If you think it has you might care to say which jobs and due to what particular technological advance. I think it's pretty clear that fast food restaurants have only grown in number- and so have the employment opportunities they offer.

Once again that is a very high volume business, with a very simple menu. But thier prices are double that of Mcdonalds.

The mom and pops are the resturants and retail business that get screwed by the mimmium wage.