The States: At Least Michigan is Better Than Indiana

[The Rube]

Re: The States: At Least Michigan is Better Than Indiana

Illinois is now part of the $15/hour minimum wage crowd....

Still not sure if this is a good thing or not... It gives people more cash. But I'm sure there will be layoffs, staff cut backs, and fewer workable hours.

It will be the latter. Lots of these jobs are already being automated. Self-checkout at a grocery store lately? Or use a touch screen order menu at a fast food restaurant?

Personally, I refuse to use self-checkout. Not because of my old-fashioned ways concerning some modern technology, I want to support humans having a job. Might be a crappy job, but it's an honest one.

[aparch]

It will be the latter. Lots of these jobs are already being automated. Self-checkout at a grocery store lately? Or use a touch screen order menu at a fast food restaurant?

I know a manager for a McDonalds franchise very well. Asked if the renovations corporate is making their group of restaurants do for the last year has caused less cashiers/front of the house staff. She said the automated kiosks have had the opposite effect, they have had to *add* staff.

The Wal-Mart up the street from me added self-checkouts just over a year ago. The few times I've gone late in the evening, they also have had more staff available than prior to their remodel.

If a store is cutting staff because of "automation," they were already hurting for cash to begin with.

[The Rube]

Re: The States: At Least Michigan is Better Than Indiana

I know a manager for a McDonalds franchise very well. Asked if the renovations corporate is making their group of restaurants do for the last year has caused less cashiers/front of the house staff. She said the automated kiosks have had the opposite effect, they have had to *add* staff.

The Wal-Mart up the street from me added self-checkouts just over a year ago. The few times I've gone late in the evening, they also have had more staff available than prior to their remodel.

If a store is cutting staff because of "automation," they were already hurting for cash to begin with.

Interesting. Is it because of the staff helping the customers navigate the kiosks? I could see that.

[aparch]

Illinois is now part of the $15/hour minimum wage crowd....

Still not sure if this is a good thing or not... It gives people more cash. But I'm sure there will be layoffs, staff cut backs, and fewer workable hours.

It might also mean the return of true full time employment.

I'm not sure 15 was the right number (might be too high), but there definitely needed to be a bump. Plus, it's not 15 overnight. It's a gradual increase to 15 in 2025.

[The Rube]

Re: The States: At Least Michigan is Better Than Indiana

It might also mean the return of true full time employment.

I'm not sure 15 was the right number (might be too high), but there definitely needed to be a bump. Plus, it's not 15 overnight. It's a gradual increase to 15 in 2025.

Some states are moving a bit quicker. A big question is, other employers are not going to raise their pay relative to min wage. So if one is getting paid, say, $20/hour now, they will probably not get their wages moved up as the min gets moved up.

If I were getting paid $17/hour doing what I do, but I could do MUCH less for $15/hour? And get same benefits in general? I might make that switch. Less stress, etc.

[aparch]

Interesting. Is it because of the staff helping the customers navigate the kiosks? I could see that.

That's partially the reason they added the staff. Also that person makes an extra runner to complete the order and get it to the customers.

For her stores, the renovation required the removal of one register (going from three to two,) but the addition of three digital kiosks in store. So the cashier who "lost a register" now has extra kiosks to assist with, to get orders ready, etc., and they needed to add an extra person at almost each of their stores.

[The Rube]

Re: The States: At Least Michigan is Better Than Indiana

That's partially the reason they added the staff. Also that person makes an extra runner to complete the order and get it to the customers.

For her stores, the renovation required the removal of one register (going from three to two,) but the addition of three digital kiosks in store. So the cashier who "lost a register" now has extra kiosks to assist with, to get orders ready, etc., and they needed to add an extra person at almost each of their stores.

The general populace are officially idiots. I mean, we all knew they were, but wow.

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: The States: At Least Michigan is Better Than Indiana

Interesting. Is it because of the staff helping the customers navigate the kiosks? I could see that.

The machines also break frequently, and the software they run on has to be coded and maintained. Corporate presumably contracts that work, but both of those are jobs that should definitely pay better than $15/hr already.

[The Rube]

Re: The States: At Least Michigan is Better Than Indiana

The machines also break frequently, and the software they run on has to be coded and maintained. Both of which are jobs that should definitely pay better than $15/hr already.

Yes, I would agree with that. Coding and such? Much more than min wage/15 per hour.

Handing over an incorrect order at a fast food joint? Not worth $15/hour.

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: The States: At Least Michigan is Better Than Indiana

Not worth $15/hour.

Cost of living/inflation says otherwise.

[The Rube]

Re: The States: At Least Michigan is Better Than Indiana

Cost of living/inflation says otherwise.

Those crappy jobs are for entry level, to either get you promoted higher within that company, or to get experience for a better job. Make no mistake, they are honest jobs, and I don't look down on them whatsoever (I worked many). However, it's not meant to be a job to make your living off of, and requires little skill. Those are facts.

[aparch]

Some states are moving a bit quicker. A big question is, other employers are not going to raise their pay relative to min wage. So if one is getting paid, say, $20/hour now, they will probably not get their wages moved up as the min gets moved up.

If I were getting paid $17/hour doing what I do, but I could do MUCH less for $15/hour? And get same benefits in general? I might make that switch. Less stress, etc.

Oh, absolutely there are going to be issues like that. But, for the Chicagoland region, the pay bump has already been in effect. Chicago proper is already $12/hr (and going to $13/hr July 1st) and Cook County (where Chicago is inside of) has a minimum wage of $11/hr.

So, a business working in the city limits of Chicago has six years to get to $15/hr. (~2.67% pay increases each year for six years, 3% is usually standard).

Cook County employers have 6% yearly pay increases to give to meet the new goal.

Rural Illinois is going to get hit "the worst," with this law; but it will also be an improvement for those folks living conditions. This might also cause some flight from the suburbs as people would be willing to live a little further out of the suburbs and drive in to work because of the pay bump.


Like I said, I dont know if 15 is right, but I think Cook County and Chicago are closest to where the state should have been anyway.

[The Rube]

Re: The States: At Least Michigan is Better Than Indiana

Oh, absolutely there are going to be issues like that. But, for the Chicagoland region, the pay bump has already been in effect. Chicago proper is already $12/hr (and going to $13/hr July 1st) and Cook County (where Chicago is inside of) has a minimum wage of $11/hr.

So, a business working in the city limits of Chicago has six years to get to $15/hr. (~2.67% pay increases each year for six years, 3% is usually standard).

Cook County employers have 6% yearly pay increases to give to meet the new goal.

Rural Illinois is going to get hit "the worst," with this law; but it will also be an improvement for those folks living conditions. This might also cause some flight from the suburbs as people would be willing to live a little further out of the suburbs and drive in to work because of the pay bump.


Like I said, I dont know if 15 is right, but I think Cook County and Chicago are closest to where the state should have been anyway.

FTR, I'm in a good position due to retirement and benefits. I'm not in "danger" of switching, but if I were a newbie...I'd give it some thought (some stuff I have been grandfathered in; 17+ years with same company).

[Deutsche Gopher Fan]

Re: The States: At Least Michigan is Better Than Indiana

Whoa. When did sloth from the goonies get elected to office??

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn...rnd/index.html

[unofan]

Some states are moving a bit quicker. A big question is, other employers are not going to raise their pay relative to min wage. So if one is getting paid, say, $20/hour now, they will probably not get their wages moved up as the min gets moved up.

If I were getting paid $17/hour doing what I do, but I could do MUCH less for $15/hour? And get same benefits in general? I might make that switch. Less stress, etc.

This is an argument every time the minimum wage is raised. The aggregate effects on inflation and unemployment are minimal. Yes, you'll be able to find anecdotes of random people affected, but overall things like the price of oil matter more.

And for the record, if minimum wage had merely kept up with inflation since the 60s, it'd be at $12/hr already.