Kansas Republicans once again refuse to raise minimum wage above $2.65

[proud2BlibKansan]

Effort to raise minimum wage falters in Kansas House

TOPEKA | For Democrats the state’s $2.65 minimum wage is an embarrassment, the lowest in the nation.

That’s what Rep. Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, called it when an effort was made today in the Kansas House to raise the state rate to $5.85 per hour_ the federal minimum wage.

Democrats make the effort about every year and each time the Republican majority defeats it. The last time it was raised was in 1988.

Rep. Stan Frownfelter, a Kansas City, Kan., Democrat, led the debate on the House floor in support of the increase.

“This is a matter of respect for honest work and the people who do it,” he told the House.

But Republicans said the labor market and not the state should be setting wages.

Rep. Lance Kinzer, an Olathe Republican, said most minimum-wage jobs are entry level positions that most workers don’t stay in forever.

more . . .

http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/10584#comment-16284

[The Gunslinger]

1. Hell $5.85 per hour is a freaking joke

$2.65?? What is it 1937??

[bryant69]

2. Look they don't believe in evolution there, and, by gum, they are men of their words!

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[babylonsister]

3. $2.65?? That is appalling. How can anyone live on that? nt

[SoCalDem]

17. These are the wages offered to hairdressers & waitresses

Why?...
because they routinely get tips..and the tips are supposed to be the majority of their wages.. It's a subsidy to resaturant/salon owners...nothing more..

they might as well set the wage at $0, and make it all tips only..

The only reason to pay them ANYTHING,is so that the owner can have something in HIS control from which to deduct for taxes ..:grr:

[Traction311]

52. In NJ, I know one restaurant that pays it's servers $2.13/hr

Is that illegal?

[SoCalDem]

66. Probably not, because some places call these workers

"contractors"..or "commission/tips only" workers..
there are ways to get around paying for them..:grr:

[Traction311]

68. Unfortunatly, I checked and it is legal :(

The minimum wage for tips workers (servers, bartenders, etc.) is $2.13 an hour in NJ, which is also the federal wage for those workers. In NY, it's $4.60. NJ Dems really should push to raise this.

[proud2BlibKansan]

19. It would be rather difficult I would think

[atreides1]

4. And yet

A majority group of idiots in Kansas keep electing these Republican to represent them.

[fascisthunter]

5. Jesus... their wages are equivalent to Third World Standards

WAKE THE FUCK UP Kansans! The right wing is playing you for suckers!

[Lars39]

11. In their eyes it would just be wasted effort....

They intend that wages for the rest of the country drop to that level. :(

[fascisthunter]

13. good luck with that, cuz it will never happen (nt)

[Lars39]

15. Didn't say it would, but that they would like for it to happen.

[fascisthunter]

29. That Wasn't Directed to you

just want to clarify

[Lars39]

49. ok

:hi:

[Hand]

6. WTF??????

Does this mean that a state can pre-empt the federal minimum wage? :wtf:

[madokie]

7. $2.65 an hour, amazing that

no wonder the wind around here blows so hard from the south;-). After paying taxes, eating lunch and buying gas to get to the job what would be left. Next to nothing.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

8. Federal overides state minimum

They don't need to raise the state minimum unless they want to make it MORE than $5.85 which they obviously don't. State usually raise their minimums when they think the federal is too low and then their state rate prevails.

[Quantess]

40. So I wonder why they'd refuse to raise it to match the Federal level....

They just want to make a statement?

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

51. I imagine that there is some arcane language that matches

something else or some other figure to the state minimum wage. I have no idea what that might be. Maybe some class of state worker is paid twice the state minimum or something. It meets the federal guideline but keeps it within some boundary they control.

I made that answer up, but it's the only scenario I can imagine where a state would want to maintain a figure as embarassing as that.

Otherwise you just make yourself look like a moronic, head-in-the-sand, reality denying, worker hating state.

Someone with actual knowledge on a state level needs to check in

[Pharlo]

67. Is there any correleation between

State minumum wage and Federal Assistance levels for anything?

[FreeStateDemocrat]

9. Cheaper than slavery since they don't have to feed, cloth, and shelter workers.

[LiberalEsto]

10. Most Kansas citizens should be entry-level citizens

and not stay in that state forever.

These rethugs are an astonishingly primitive pack of assholes. It's no wonder they don't believe in evolution -- they have not yet evolved.

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. And some of us are lifelong residents

[Blue_Tires]

12. solution: pay the repubs that amount....

[bluestateguy]

14. If they had there way there would be no minimum wage

At least Dick Armey is honest enough to admit it.

[rurallib]

16. $106/week for 40 hours

$5500/ year.
I swear given a chance the GOP would bring slavery back tomorrow.

[Dan]

70. never happen

Slavery is more expensive than the free market... ;)

[RB TexLa]

20. Anyone have data on how many in Kansas get paid the lower min wage?

I'm hoping there isn't any industry that would meet the criteria. I'm assuming maybe agriculture.

Even if it's more symbolic to raise it, it's still appalling.

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. I know that many restaurant workers earn even less than this

Some as low as $1.25.

[RB TexLa]

24. That's a tip wage situation

[Freddie Stubbs]

22. None are paid that legally

The federal minimum wage overrides the minimum wages of states with lower minimum wages.

[proud2BlibKansan]

23. You gotta wonder why the repus refuse to raise it then

This comes up every year and every year they refuse to raise it above 2.65.

[Freddie Stubbs]

28. You also have to wonder why the Democrats are only trying to raise it to the federal level

It would appear that both sides are simply engaging in a phony fight in an attempt to play to their respective bases.

[Kingofalldems]

33. It would appear you are again attacking Democrats

for something the repubs are responsible for. Why are you here?

[Runcible Spoon]

45. he has a viable point and he's free to be critical of unfair policy..

no matter WHICH side of the aisle from which it originated. Fact of the matter is, the federal minimum wage is nowhere NEAR the minimum living wages anywhere in the country; that is an embarassment more for Democrats than for Repukes because dems have often claimed this issue as a pet cause.

[Freddie Stubbs]

69. Can you come up with a rational reason why KS Democrats are only trying to raise the state minimum

wage to the save level as the federal one?

[RB TexLa]

25. I wasn't sure if it was a straight override or if there was a way to

claim no interstate commerce. A very difficult claim to make.

[NutmegYankee]

47. No. Tip wages do pay less.

You can make "waiters pay" at that rate, and tips makes up the rest of your pay. Sometimes it works out well, but if you have a slow day, or a slow week...

[atommom]

32. Unfortunately, there are some that meet the criteria.

The Working Families e-Activist Group estimates there are about 26,000.

The Fair Labor Standards Act applies to "employees who are engaged in interstate commerce or in the production of goods for commerce, or who are employed by an enterprise engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce",<6> unless the employer can claim an exemption from coverage. Generally, an employer who does at least $500,000 of business or gross sales in a year satisfies the commerce requirements of the FLSA, and therefore that employer's workers will be subject to the FLSA's protections if none of the other exemptions apply. Several exemptions exist that relieve an employer from having to meet the statutory minimum wage, overtime, and record-keeping requirements. The largest exceptions applies to the so-called "white collar" exemptions applicable to professional, administrative and executive employees. Exemptions are narrowly construed; an employer must prove that the employees fit "plainly and unmistakenly" within the exemptions terms.

The FLSA applies to "any individual employed by an employer" but not to independent contractors or volunteers because they are not considered "employees" under the FLSA.<7> Still, an employer cannot simply exempt workers from the FLSA by calling them independent contractors, and many employers have illegally misclassified their workers as independent contractors. Some employers similarly mislabel employees as volunteers. Courts will look at the "economic reality" of the relationship between the putative employer and the worker to determine whether the worker is, in fact, an independent contractor. Courts use a similar test to determine whether a worker was concurrently employed by more than one person or entity; commonly referred to as "joint employers." For example, a farmworker may be considered jointly employed by a labor contractor who is in charge of recruitment, transporation, payroll, and keeping track of hours, and a grower who generally monitors the quality of the work performed, determines where to place workers, controls the volume of work available, has quality control requirements, and has the power to fire, discipline, or provide work instructions to workers.

Assuming an employee is not exempt from overtime, there are many instances in which overtime is not paid properly, including when an employee works for more than 40 hours in a week (time and a half), or when an employee is not paid for travel time between job sites, activities before and after their shift starts, or activities to prepare for work that are central to work activities.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Labor_Standards_Act

[OwnedByFerrets]

26. I know it wont happen, but their congressional wages

should be lowered to $2.65. If its enough for its inhabitants, it should be enough for its state so-called leaders.

[Neecy]

27. amazing....

How any Kansan can vote Republican is beyond belief.

[proud2BlibKansan]

30. I don't get it either

They do some really stupid things.

[usaftmo]

36. Exactly.

Currently reading the book "What's the matter with Kansas". I was stationed in Kansas from 1997-2000, and it's a very scary place.

:scared:

[proud2BlibKansan]

39. I am a lifelong resident

and it is a wonderful place to live. We just have some insane republicans here, as do many states. But I can sure think of scarier places to live than Kansas.

[usaftmo]

55. Hopefully Liberals can start to make progress

in Kansas; unfortunately from what I've experienced it won't happen in my lifetime. Bob Dole is God, creationism is the rule of the day, no buying booze on Sundays (ok several states are guilty of that), and Tiahrt makes me sick.

I must admit my experiences are limited to the Wichita area; BTK was in the area and I didn't even know it! I've heard that Wichita has created a "riverwalk". I've been to San Antonio; that's a riverwalk...Wichita does shame to the word.

Hopefully you've come across some other Liberals in Kansas. That's great, but the sheeple greatly outnumber Liberals.

[proud2BlibKansan]

57. You can buy booze on Sundays now

Things are looking up :)

[usaftmo]

58. Buy booze on Sundays? Party!

:party:

[Wednesdays]

48. I don't live that far from Kansas

And to a lot of people around this region, it's just a given that anything "liberal" is treated as radioactive. If you're a Democrat, you're Murika's enemy...end of discussion.

Now, not everyone is like that, but there are more than enough to swing these states to "red". And the local media is a huge factor, too.

[usaftmo]

54. Anywhere that puts Bob Dole on par

with God worries me. Creationism rules the day, can't buy booze on Sundays (other states do that to)...I left Kansas in July of 2000 and have happily never returned.

[Thothmes]

53. If I remember, a big part of the state is also dry (no booze)

[asdjrocky]

31. 2.65? You're kidding.

I had no idea. My gawd, what's the matter with Kansas? This is the 21st century.

[kevinbgoode]

34. Well, I guess we can assume that the "market" which pays

those wages, also puts a cap on rents at $106 per month, subsidizes utility rates and food.

Yeah...I can just see Republicans advocating that...hahaha. That party goes ballistic at the very thought of spending any American tax money on Americans who live in America. :-)

[marmar]

35. That's not really the minimum wage, is it? TELL ME that's a typo?

If not, :wtf:

[JerseygirlCT]

37. You couldn't even find a babysitter for twice that - maybe 3 times.

A babysitter - meaning a kid, a young teen.

That's really disgusting. Why even bother with a minimum wage when it's so minimum it doesn't even matter?

[Clear Blue Sky]

38. Unbelieveable...

[PetraPooh]

41. With this being the case, what BS are Kansans being fed to keep

electing Republicans to be the majority of their legislature?

[Wednesdays]

56. Just watch Fox News for 15 minutes

then just imagine all the local media being like that...local TV news, the newspapers, AM radio, everything.
If you can imagine that, then you get an idea of what it's like out in the prairie states.

[PetraPooh]

59. And I thought Texas and Idaho were bad. Are Kansans so gullible as to believe it, I guess so.

[Neecy]

60. an example....

This morning on our local FOX station in Kansas City the goon in the anchor chair introduced the subject of the passport controversy by saying, "...and Osama...OOPS! Obama" and then he smirked into the camera. Really unprofessional and about par for the course. It's a KCMO station but it broadcasts into eastern Kansas.

[Breeze54]

42. $2.65 ?!? WTF? When will the voters wise up?!

:wtf:

That's ridiculous!! Holy crapola!

That's is unbelievable and I'll bet the churches tell the voters "it's gawd's way". :puke:

[slackmaster]

43. $2.65 is 30 cents per hour more than I made on my first job

In 1973.

[proud2BlibKansan]

44. $1.65

in 1970.

[Toasterlad]

46. Man. Kansas Is Fucked Up.

[RichardRay]

50. Wyoming raised to the Federal Minimum last year.

And I thought we were the land of the Neanderthal on that topic. Thanks, Kansas, at least I don't feel so bad about our legislature any more.

[Withywindle]

61. $2.65?

Jesus, I guess my state (IL) needs to build a fence to keep the Kansans from coming over our borders to work for cheap so they can live in SROs and send money orders home to their families.


Atrocious.

[alittlelark]

62. "What's The Matter With Kansas?"

This post seems to explain much of what's WRONG.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

63. The only good thing that's come out of Kansas that I know of.

Samuel Ramey, of Colby, Kansas, world-famous operatic bass-baritone. Attended Wichita State and Kansas State Universities.

http://www.samuelramey.com/

Ramey is the most recorded bass in history, with dozens of recordings to his credit. These range from nearly all of his operatic roles to solo recordings of arias and song, and even some musical theater. He has appeared on the TV series Live from Lincoln Center and in TV and video recordings of many of his roles.

[KatyaR]

71. Melissa Etheridge, too . . .

yay to Sam Ramey, though--he's awesome!

[backscatter712]

64. Even Colorado finally got it together.

Back in 2006, voters approved a measure to raise its minimum wage to $6.85/hr, with an annual adjustment for inflation.

This year, it just kicked up to $7.02.

Granted, I won't be totally happy until we have a minimum wage that's equivalent to a living wage, and that's roughly $11.00/hr, but we at least got a little closer.

[Oeditpus Rex]

65. $2.65 was Kollyforniya's minimum wage on April 1, 1978

It's now $8.



If I were a Kansan, I'd never admit it.

[BlooInBloo]

72. (shrug) People deserve what they vote for....

... as long as they keep voting based largely upon scary brown people (muslim, mexican, black, something else), fuck em.