[IamConservative]

Wanna bet?

Wal-Mart and McDonalds both pay an average of over $10/hr.

What kind of jobs pay $5.15/hr? Not trying to be argumentaitve, I just don't see or hear of wages this low.

[spinestein]

[Wal-Mart and McDonalds both pay an average of over $10/hr. What kind of jobs pay $5.15/hr?]



In the 1990s, I lived in a small city of 10,000 people in northern Wisconsin and the WalMart there paid $5.15/hr, McFood paid $5.45/hr and the factory I worked at paid $6.00/hr. It depends on the region of the country what the wage is, but the going wage generally reflects the cost of living. My $6.00/hr allowed me and my wife and daughter to live fairly well (if frugally) because we were paying $250/mo rent for a decent 2 story house with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and full basement and garage in a nice neighborhood and just a few blocks from a beautiful park/beach on Lake Superior. Contrast that with the place I live now in northern Illinois where those same jobs pay $8-12/hr and rent is $800-1200/mo. And there are lots of places in the country that are far more expensive.

This huge discrepancy in income and cost of living for different regions in America is one reason of many that a federally mandated minimum wage is a poor idea.

[Mrs. Ranger]

Wanna bet?
Wal-Mart and McDonalds both pay an average of over $10/hr.

What kind of jobs pay $5.15/hr? Not trying to be argumentaitve, I just don't see or hear of wages this low.

I understand that. :) The "reality" of regional differences comes as quite a shock to many. ;) Come to SW PA, where $9.00/hr is considered "good money". :) While Walmart probably does pay above minimum wage, even here, we ain't talking $10/hr. ;)

[Windsong]

What good is that if its part time??!