Australia's Minimum Wage is $15.96/hr - $606.40/wk - 5.3% unemployment

[JaneyVee]

Higher minimum wage would not only stimulate the economy but also lower the rate of public assistance, which is basically subsidizing corporate profits.

http://www.fairwork.gov.au/pay/national-minimum-wage/pages/default.aspx

[pampango]

1. Thanks for posting, JaneyVee.

Australia has stronger unions and more trade than the US as well, if I am not mistaken.

[Mnemosyne]

2. If it makes sense, the R's will not allow it here. Thanks Janey! nt

[indepat]

3. With a corporatist government, subsidizing corporate profit manifests itself in

an amazing array of forms and all take precedence over promoting the general welfare, 'cause promoting corporate welfare is the antithesis of promoting the general welfare. .

[dreamnightwind]

7. Well said

Corporate profits are soaring. Wages are flat. There is a huge labor pool fighting for crumbs.

[malaise]

4. All Australians have to vote

by law - it makes a difference

[Puzzledtraveller]

5. I'm a public employee who doesn't make $15.96/hr

I wish I did, but when it's municipal and state governments as well as private businesses giving us the shaft what cane we do?

[dreamnightwind]

6. Wouldn't the Fed min wage apply to them?

Wouldn't the Federal minimum wage apply to muni and state government jobs? I actually don't know, I assumed that it does.

Those local governments are broke, which of course brings up another issue: if we raise the minimum wage, for local government jobs that pay the minimum (hopefully there aren't many that do) those governments would need more revenue to offset the pay raise.

I fully support raising the minimum wage, in case that isn't clear, just wondered about the impact on local governments since you brought it up.

[Puzzledtraveller]

8. Well, we have had a freeze on cost o fliving pay increases for close to 5 years

in my state. However, the salaries are generally low across the board compared with other states for the same job descriptions. It used to be that cost of living made a difference there but not so much now so I have to wonder what effect a minimum wage increase of that magtitude would have on my states budget and outlook on pay. It might actually result in an extended freeze and furloughs. I had furloughs last fiscal year and they are talking about maybe doing them again next fiscal year. We had a break on this last one but the governor, a democrat, has not ruled out more to come.

[dreamnightwind]

9. It's definitely a good idea to look at how local governments would be impacted

I wouldn't think that many government jobs pay minimum wage. Could be wrong about that. Adjusting the bottom of the wage scale would probably impact more than just minimum wage jobs. I'm not sure, but would they adjust up other wages to keep them making more than any of their employees who do make minimum wage?

I think I get what you're saying about local governments being broke and poorly positioned to support wage increases. I'm in California and though I'm not up to date with the latest on furloughs and COLA freezes, I know we've been implementing them over the last few years to keep state and local governments solvent. It sucks for a lot of people, they aren't even making it at their agreed upon salary, and then it gets reduced by mandatory furloughs, plus they lose money to inflation w/o the COLA.

Perhaps the federal government could kick funds down to the states and municipalities to offset some or all of the cost of a minimum wage increase? Don't know how feasible that is.

I really like Obama making the point in the SOTU that families working full-time jobs shouldn't be living in poverty. And I like the idea of a living wage. Also I support a national maximum wage, why not cap salaries at the level of pay the POTUS gets? Who should make more than the president? That's pretty radical, makes sense to me though. edited because I think I am confusing wage with salary here. Maximum salary? Maybe with limitations on other compensation, too, such as stock and bonuses?