By Joe Fletcher / Addicting Info
The internet is a mighty tool. Occasionally, you come across a person’s perspective on an issue that is so spot on you just have to share it. A paramedic from Arlington, Texas who earns $15/hr. shared his views on New York’s decision to make the minimum wage for fast food workers $15/hr. and it is most certainly spot on.
Originally posted to Facebook, Jens Rushing wrote a response to all of those complaining about the raise that fast food workers will be receiving. The post eventually made its way to Imgur. Here is what Rushing said:
The next time someone starts complaining about people who work so-called “low-skill” jobs demanding a $15/hr wage, show them this. Why would anyone else complain about getting a raise? There are over 15 million people working between $7.25/hr. and 10.88/hr. according to the Brookings Institute. Only around 12 percent of those people are teenagers, despite claims that minimum wage jobs are mostly worked by teenagers. Those people would benefit greatly from a raise in wages. However, so would an additional 20 million workers who make as much as 150 percent of the minimum wage. This is because of the ripple effect that raising the minimum wage has on wages of people who earn 150 percent or less than the minimum wage. Therefore, if you are near the minimum wage, chances are you are going to see a raise as more people organize and demand an honest day’s wage for an honest day’s work.
Featured Image Credit: By Sallicio (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
This article (Paramedic Who Makes $15/hr Shuts Down Every Argument Against Fast Food Workers Who Earn The Same) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author and AddictingInfo.org