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Should Minimum Wage Be Abolished Essay

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While I will concede that automation and robotics are slowly but surely eliminating many low wage unskilled jobs, I still believe we have a responsibility as a society to pay those workers doing the jobs that remain, at a “living wage.” The last time the Federal Minimum wage was increased was July of 2009; it went from $6.55 to $7.25 an hour. That is eight and one-half years ago. According to an online inflation calculator $7.25 in 2009 is equal to $8.38 today. Of course, inflation is only one aspect of the deterioration of living wage standards. The cost of housing has sky-rocketed across the country. Many other factors play into what is actually required to live on, let alone raise a family. Furthermore, at a time of record corporate profits and all-time high CEO …show more content…

State hourly minimums range from $7.50 in New Mexico to $11.50 in D.C., according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. Together, these states include about 61% of the nation’s working-age (16 and over) population, according to our analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. Among the cities that have enacted even higher local minimums are San Francisco ($15 by 2018), Seattle ($15 by 2021), Chicago ($13 by 2019) and San Diego ($11.50 by 2017), according to the National Employment Law Project. And in 12 states, the minimum wage rises automatically each year based on a cost-of-living formula. (pewresearch) In conclusion, I do think we need a national minimum wage increase. The number of $15 an hour may be a little higher than needed. However, given how long it takes minimum wage increases to get passed by Congress, $15 an hour should be enough to keep up with future inflation, for a few years. Sure, some fast food prices and other products may rise in price, and some people might lose jobs but, at these wages those aren’t jobs worth having

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