#MinimumWage #WorkEthic #SocialJustice
Have you ever heard the saying “Minimum wage = Minimum effort”? 🤔 I came across this on a Facebook post from an old coworker, and it really got me thinking.
One comment stood out to me – a boomer suggesting that low-skilled workers shouldn’t expect a higher wage and need to do more if they want to earn more. But isn’t that just gaslighting? It feels like saying basic necessities like housing and food are privileges we don’t deserve.
So how can we address this issue and ensure fair wages for all? Here are some possible solutions:
– Implementing a living wage that reflects the cost of living 🏠
– Providing training and education opportunities for career advancement 📚
– Advocating for policies that support workers’ rights and fair pay 💪
What are your thoughts on this topic? Let’s spark a conversation and work towards a more equitable future together! 💬 #FairWages #SocialChange
No effort is more likely
Honestly, the boomer was half-right.
Pay me minimum wage, you’ll get literally the minimum effort I can put in to not get fired. That’s all you can expect. I was once working at just above minimum wage at a dollar store; I was sweeping the floors. My manager walked by and said one of the most-hated phrases one can utter to another: “You should smile!” My response, since I already had a job lined up but it wouldn’t start for another three weeks and so had the freedom of not really caring any more: “For what I’m getting paid you get one or the other. Should I just stand here and smile, or keep sweeping?”
But practically never did just working harder get anyone out of a minimum-wage job, at least in recent history. (Working smarter, networking with co-workers, and exploiting opportunities to expand your skills, on the other hand, that can work.)
My life is full of empty promises and broken dreams
I’m hopin’ things look up, but there ain’t no job openings
I feel discouraged, hungry and malnourished
Livin’ in this house with no furnace unfurnished
And l’m sick of workin’ dead-end jobs with lame pay
And I’m tired of bein’ hired and fired the same day
But fuck it, if you know the rules to the game, play
‘Cause when we die, we know we all goin’ the same way
He’s right.
The people who move up from the lowest wage to raises are those who take on more work. If you only meet the expectations of a minimum wage position, what incentive is there for the company to pay you more?
He’s not gaslighting you. This is just how the world works. You could be an entry level at a Silicon Valley tech company making $175,000 a year and the same applies. Those who do only what is asked will only get paid what is agreed upon. The ones who step up and take on additional responsibility get noticed and, hopefully, compensated in due time.
Sometimes that compensation isn’t monetary. When it’s time for cuts, every manager has a few “untouchables.” The ones doing the bare minimum are not in that category.
This planet sucks
I actually agree with him!
When it comes to working low skill jobs such as a cashier, waiter, or any no experience job I do agree that it’s our position to gain that experience and learn how to develop the necessary skills to grow as a professional. And when you gain enough skills/experience in your workplace then you can worry about a pay increase.
No you’re supposed to take the min-wage job and sit around hoping something better magically falls into your lap. You have no agency over your own career and your hardship is the result of the ruling class