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Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Putting the minimum back into wage



Now when you compare the tax cuts have put $1000 extra per week into the pockets of the 700 millionaires NZ has, 25 cents is less than chump change, it's dump change. Seeing as this Government bleat about 'catching up with Australia' all the time, why can't we catch up with their minimum wage, which is $15 per hour, surely one way to keep NZers here would be to match the Australian minimum wage and in terms of economic impact, minimum wage gets spent directly into the community where its earned, unlike all this money handed over to the rich who tend to hoard it like dragons.

Oh and don't tell me we can't afford it, this Government is borrowing $120 million per week for your tax cuts, if we can do that we can pay the 300 000 NZers working on the minimum wage a decent hourly amount to offset the rising cost of living. The poor didn't crash the global economy, no bloke in West Auckland working for $12.75 per hour was speculating on the Wall St stock exchange, yet they are forced to bear the brunt of an economic recession they had no hand in making and the Government's response is, 'here's 25 cents while we borrow almost half a billion per month for tax cuts that benefit the rich, don't go spending it all at once'.

3 Comments:

At 8/2/11 10:39 am, Blogger sdm said...

The problem is that there are so many businesses that are just hanging on by a thread. I am starting to agree with you bomber that the economy is going to get worse before it gets better. There are companies where even the smallest increase in costs could send them under.

Agree with you totally that it isnt the poorest workers fault. But with businesses on the brink, does increasing costs help?

 
At 8/2/11 5:18 pm, Blogger fatty said...

"Agree with you totally that it isnt the poorest workers fault. But with businesses on the brink, does increasing costs help?"

You would have a valid point there if we didn't just give massive tax cuts to the rich.

Either you didn't read the first sentence of the post or you are trying to twist the argument.
Its also a shame you consider employees as a cost rather than an asset...this tired neo-lib view is based on greed and a lack of empathy.

In my book if any boss pays minimum wage they are a greedy cunt, if you can't pay someone $15 p/h then do the world a favour and close your business.

EVERY job I have worked has been under the strain of excessive management that suck up resources and provide little in return...its as if they consider the general population to need babysitting.

Management is the cost, not minimum wage earners.

 
At 8/2/11 8:45 pm, Blogger AAMC said...

I don't know fatty, I hear what you're saying, but in light of sdm's consistent mantra I think it's pretty big step for him to make that concession.

 

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