We're last! We're last!

[FreeRights]

I agree that there should be a minimum wage, and it should be set at a cost that's reasonable. It's important to remember that not all wages are determined by your value to the company - I would argue that most of not almost all are set by a departmental budget. You could be the best employee in the company but a department will only have so much payroll budget space.

I do think that the minimum wage should increase with inflation to a point. I think $10.25 is fair.

The difficulty is that there are lots of people living and depending on the minimum wage, and not all are at fault. With the prices of post secondary education, it's not always an option for everybody.

[flamingfingers]

I agree that there should be a minimum wage, and it should be set at a cost that's reasonable. It's important to remember that not all wages are determined by your value to the company - I would argue that most of not almost all are set by a departmental budget. You could be the best employee in the company but a department will only have so much payroll budget space.

I do think that the minimum wage should increase with inflation to a point. I think $10.25 is fair.

The difficulty is that there are lots of people living and depending on the minimum wage, and not all are at fault. With the prices of post secondary education, it's not always an option for everybody.

Well, for openers, WHO is is going to set a 'cost that is reasonable'??? Your '$10.25 is lower,much lower than the next lowest province in Canada.

However, this thread is about the ChristyLiberal promise to raise the minimum wage to a level commensurate with the other provinces and territories in Canada. Although the 'promise' seemed to be made in good faith, she failed to make any correction to her promise, thus keeping the BC minimum wage the lowest in Canada, despite her claim of having the 'fastest growing economy in Canada'.

In view of this claim, I don't see that having the lowest minimum wage in Canada is a bragging point for the ChristyLiberals.

[FreeRights]

I'm certainly not defending Clark's government, nor am I definitively stating what the minimum wage should be. There are others out there more qualified than I to determine that, and a direct comparison to other province's rates shouldn't be the end of it. Cost of living should also be taken into account, which I'm sure it is, and I imagine that BC has one of the highest cost of living rates in Canada. I know Vancouver, where I live, is one of the most expensive in the world .

[twobits]

^^The rest of Canada can be taken as a 'guideline'.

Also:
Opponents of a higher minimum wage often claim it’s an issue that’s largely confined to young people on their way to higher-paying jobs. According to a government analysis obtained via another freedom-of-information request, in 2013 there were 120,400 British Columbians earning the minimum wage. Of those, 47 percent, or 56,100, were aged 25 or older.

Well if by age 25 (and not in school) they were not smart enough to realize they had do do something about their earning potential, then they deserve the minimum wage. There are copious means of advancing oneself. Student loans and grants, EI sponcership, Apprenticeship programs and even day care covered if one needs little ones looked after. All it takes is some initiative and the desire to better oneself. And the last thing this economy and country needs is people like yourself, lobbying on behalf of these under achievers for higher pay without any effort on their part.
I feel for what dirtybiker said. He watches the min wage get boosted by gov't mandate while his higher wage that reflects his knowledge does not see an increase. What is wrong with this picture is the Gov't is giving a raise to the lowest skilled and the business can no longer afford to reward the already employed more skilled employee. Dirtybiker is feeling why the hell he even bothered gaining any experience or skill sets when he will eventually end up making the same as the newbie on the job because the Gov't has mandated his salary increases go to the starting employee.

[Donald G]

Almost all well run retail sales places can identify what percentage of gross sales they can afford to pay out for wages and benefits. They can either afford to pay Jim, Jane and Jack $10.00 per hour each or Jim and Jane $15.00 per hour each. Retail businesses are a matter of percentages.

If they exceed that percentage by very much they either don't make money or they lose money. If they go broke Jim, Jane and Jack become unemployed.

[Partmanpartfish]

If you can provide more than $10.45 in value to your employer, then you should get more than $10.45. If not, then I'll have fries with that, thank you very much. It's pretty simple.

Yes, yes. Employers always pay their employees a fair wage. And the oil companies always pass on their 80% crude oil cost savings at the pump.

[Donald G]

IMO this string reflects the never ending differences of opinion between employers and employees and the measures taken by both to try to obtain or retain their share of the Canadian financial pie. Unfortunately neither seem to have a realistic view or appreciation of what the other keeps saying, or in some cases keeps repeating.

[dirtybiker]

under achievers for higher pay without any effort on their part.
watches the min wage get boosted by gov't mandate while his higher wage that reflects his knowledge does not see an increase. the Gov't is giving a raise to the lowest skilled and the business can no longer afford to reward the already employed more skilled employee.

twobits: Thanks for seeing it and putting it into words better than I.
I dissected your post for the meat.

[GordonH]

Personally, I like the minimum being the lowest in Canada. It's good incentive for kids to stay in school and maybe go on to get a trade or technical diploma that there are actually jobs for. It also discourages students from burdening themselves with tens of thousands in student loans spent on getting a University Arts degree when they just end up flipping burgers anyway.

Exactly, pick a career that has a future and not the easy classes either. i.e any trades, engineer, doctor etc…. etc

here one commercial diver (off shore oil platforms), get to travel

[bob vernon]

Hear, hear! And as a further incentive, the income tax rules should be changed. The poorest members of society should pay the highest rates and the wealthiest should pay the least. It would be a perfect fit for the free enterprise system. This would encourage people to earn more and become more successful. Leftists who want to help those at the bottom of the ladder have gotten it wrong forever. Greed is good and should be encouraged.

And this so-called Christian belief that we are all our brother's keeper is just socialism. We should help ourselves individually and nobody else. The Bible needs revision, just like the income tax laws. We should embrace capitalism and lower the minimum wage and tax the bejabbers out of the poor.

[The Green Barbarian]

Leftists who want to help those at the bottom of the ladder have gotten it wrong forever. .

Leftists want to help those at the bottom of the ladder? Where? When?

[flamingfingers]

^^It's obvious from the posts on this thread that for sure the righties are totally against helping those at the bottom of the ladder. They sure don't mind Christy lying about her lousy $0.20 per hour lift to min wage, and keeping BC at the very bottom of the list - even behind the Maritime provinces!!

It's also remarkable that the people who brag about their 'skills and experience' complain that their wages have been stagnant for a long time and soon will again be at 'minimum wages'. If their skillset and experience has 'added value' to their employer, one would expect this to be rewarded by a raise from time to time. Or have they become complacent and slackassed so their employer will hire a 'wet-behind-the ears' person at min wage and go to the expense and effort to train them, seeking to replace the slackass who has 20 years of 'experience'?

The $0.20 lift to min wage costs an employer a whole $1.60 per day - an 'experienced employee' would be grossly insulted by this kind of a 'raise'. Min wage workers are happy to accept even that paltry gain...

[Donald G]

by flamingfingers » Yesterday, 5:32 pm

Well, apply the same logic - has your value to your employer gone up over the years past the $XX.xx you made years ago? Why have your wages remained stagnant? Haven't you asked for a raise commensurate with the value you have added to your employer's business because of your experience?

Don't try to blame increases of the min wage for your lack of a wage increase

I take it that you are insisting that regardless of the employers ability or inability to pay more no employee should have to work for minimum wage ?? That type of thinking has cause far more than one company to go bankrupt, So then, instead of a number of employees making minimum wage you have unemployed employees making nothing ??

[maple leaf]

If your experience in a workplace have become greater than what the employers is willing to offer to pay you ,then it is up to you to something about that if you want more ,negotiate, or move on ,or stay the same and be happy you have the job.But saying you are getting paid only the same as an entry level employee without your experience is not that persons fault,for wanting to be paid a living wage.How does it work in the province that has the highest min wage?

Also a smart employer will realize the benefits of an experienced employee and in most cases ,experience and long time service comes with perks and privileges .I worked for the same company for 30 years. My employer couldn't pay more than they did ,but while the min wage new guy would be cleaning up the mess in the warehouse I would be down at Costco ,or Home depot purchasing things for the next project the new min wage worker would be doing.I would be camping and fishing through the summer while the new guy was shovelling snow in January,unless he made enough to fly to Mexico.Hard times came around he was laid off and I was carried through.But I don't begrudge him from earning almost as much as I did while he worked there.

[dirtybiker]

I see it so much more clearly now, the err in my ways and thinking.
Shame on me for choosing a career well over 30 yrs ago that would
Flatline through Government interference and public perception.

Choose your path wisely Grasshopper, it may end before you've reached
your destination!

-db