Minimum Wage Increase Would Help Sluggish Economy, Say Experts
First Posted: 06/07/11 04:01 PM ET Updated: 08/07/11 06:12 AM ET
WASHINGTON -- A group of economists made the case on Tuesday for raising the federal and state minimum wages across the country as a way to boost the stagnant economy and improve the standard of living among low-wage earners.
Backed by what they described as 15 years' worth of research, a panel at progressive think tank the Center for American Progress (CAP) argued that higher minimum wages flush more money into the economy without cutting into job growth .. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/25/minimum-wage-job-growth_n_853479.html -- the latter a long-held contention of business interests and many conservatives.
Michael Reich, an economics professor and director of the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment at the University of California, Berkeley, said his research has shown that businesses don't suffer from having to dish out slightly higher wages to their lowest-paid employees. In fact, he argued there are benefits to employers.
"The labor market absorbs the minimum wage," said Reich. "Turnover goes way down when there's a minimum-wage increase. Employees -- when they stay longer, they'll be more experienced and more productive. And the employers will have lower turnover costs."
The economists made their argument at a time when the American economy remains stubbornly sluggish. On Friday, the federal government released a disappointing report .. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/03/jobs-report-economy-unemployment_n_870925.html .. showing that the economy hasn't been adding jobs at the pace it needs to for a robust recovery. The unemployment rate has risen to 9.1 percent, and many experts believe it will be several years before it drops to pre-recession levels. Many of the jobs being added also happen to be lower-wage positions.
The current federal minimum wage is $7.25, or about $15,000 a year for a full-time worker. The minimum wage had been stuck at $5.15 for over 10 years until 2007, when a series of increases were put into effect. Seventeen states currently have a minimum wage set higher than the federal standard, and a number of states are considering giving their lowest-paid workers another raise.
The economists arguing for a minimum-wage boost compared it to stimulus action, saying that it pumps money into local economies and can even lead to job growth. Such an increase is like food stamps or unemployment benefits in that the recipients, who tend to be low-wage workers and their family members, usually have to spend the money rather than sock it away.
Heidi Shierholz, an economist at the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute, said it's one way to shift money from corporate profits -- which companies often sit on -- to low-income workers, who can do more immediate spending.
"When you get an increase in the minimum wage, you're getting a wage increase to the people that are low-wage families who depend on these earnings to make ends meet," said Shierholz. "They have no choice but to spend that money in their local economy. That's the stimulus you get."
Still, despite a growing body of research extolling the benefits of higher minimum wages, it can be politically tricky to bring such increases to pass. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, along with myriad restaurant and retail trade groups, generally opposes raising the minimum wage .. http://www.uschamber.com/issues/labor/minimum-wage .. or enacting cost-of-living adjustments, which tie the wage to inflation.
Even though there were a raft of minimum wage raises on the state level a few years ago, some of them have recently been assaulted as small business job killers. This year, Missouri Republicans tried and failed to cap their state's minimum wage .. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/28/missouri-republicans-minimum-wage_n_855117.html . A Florida federal judge ruled in May that a state agency there had been illegally suppressing its own minimum wage .. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/04/judge-florida-stiffed-wor_n_857367.html . And business interests in Maine have been lobbying for the creation of a "training wage" that would let companies pay teenagers less than the state minimum.
Yet public opinion polls consistently show that voters like seeing the minimum wage raised, said Celinda Lake, president of polling firm Lake Research Partners. "When we've done public polls, anywhere from 86 to 67 percent say they support an increase in the minimum wage," Lake said at the CAP event. "A solid majority of voters believe that raising the minimum wage will help the economy."
About 1.8 million of the country's 73 million hourly-wage earners were making the federal minimum during 2010. Another 2.5 million made even less than that, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics .. http://www.bls.gov/cps/minwage2010.htm . These minimum wage earners tend to be younger. Workers under age 25 account for roughly half of those making the minimum wage or less.
According to Shierholz, jacking the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.25 would give a raise to 10 million workers, including many currently earning their state minimum wage. That could ultimately pump as much as $9 billion into the economy, she said. "At a time like this, there is nothing else putting upward pressure on wages."
by Capecod72Follow - Mon Nov 26, 2012 at 04:36 PM PST
Paul Krugman's blog yesterday illustrates why living wages are the culprit not lack of skills .. http://nyti.ms/RaqRIf . The reality is even if people are trained for specific skills for manufacturers, the low wages are not enough to support a person more less a family. Normally, if a job is in high demand with few to supply, wages would increase to fill supposed shortage. But clearly that's not happening. Lots of these jobs are outsourced or being offered at unsustainable wages. Paul Krugman's post links to another great article by Adam Davidson .. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/25/magazine/skills-dont-pay-the-bills.html?hp .. who goes into further detail making the case that it's not a lack of skills. Six million manufacturing jobs have permenantly disappeared since 2000. It is estimated that there are 600,000 vacant manufacturing jobs to date. It takes time, effort, energy & money for a person to get specific training. Employers require these skills yet aren't willing to pay for a qualified employee to provide quality work. Some can earn more with unemployment compensation. Others can earn more as a manager at a fast food chain. Others choose medical or science as their career path, because you can't outsource those jobs. All of this contributes to our ability to compete in the global market. Consequently, it threatens our position in the global economy long term.
Living wages are critical in restoring our economy. When employers don't pay living wages, we, the taxpayers do indirectly. We pay the difference via what I call living aid as the term entitlement is misleading & degrading. People need living aid because employers have refused to raise wages in accordance with the ever increasing cost of living despite CEO's & upper management earning astronomical amounts of income in comparison. Unions have been demonized because they fight to prevent unsustainable wages. So lobbyists & politicians have taken action to slowly eliminate unions over the years. Protecting workers rights is no longer a right, rather a burden. It's this very burden that has poverty on the rise & people needing additional living aid to survive. Ironically, the makers have created the takers in GOP rhetoric. The government has to supplement the difference for more & more people. The makers cry outrage at the amount of money being spent on living aid. They demand spending cuts that will force takers to be self reliant. And this defies all logic unless you believe unicorns are real & money grows on trees.
It's a known fact that when employees feel valued, productivity & efficiency increase which increases the employer's bottom line. Quality work is dependent on quality compensation. Quality compensation decreases the need for government assistance. Spending & debt go down while increased wages directly stimulate the economy. It's simple economics. It's the safest, 100% returns investment we can make. It's a shared sacrifice & contribution to society for the greater good. I realize some states/cities have higher minimum wages already in place to some extent in comparison to others. But are they sustainable wages? Personally, I think $25,000 is a good starting point. I think the Government be it state or federal should encourage & support employers who invest in their employees by giving tax relief and/or subsidies. If employers are not paying living wages, they should not receive government aid, I mean entitlements, I mean tax reliefs & subsidies. It's time for employers to take responsibility and to stop blaming low wage earners they created. It is unrealistic & economically destructive to refuse to pay living wages & expect the government, the taxpayers to carry the labor costs. It is cruel & immoral to then denounce so called entitlements by demanding the government reform those entitlements to be cut. So tell me, who exactly are the takers?
Originally posted to Capecod72 on Mon Nov 26, 2012 at 04:36 PM PST.
Also republished by In Support of Labor and Unions.
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