Posted on 01/26/2007 10:55:07 AM PST by celejrm313
DALLAS (Reuters) - Proposed increases in the U.S. minimum wage would likely result in pay raises for around 2 million black workers, according to a study released this week by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies.
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The Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives earlier this month approved legislation to increase the minimum wage over two years to $7.25 per hour from $5.15 per hour -- which would be its first hike in a decade.
But Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked the bill, demanding it also include small business tax relief. The Senate was set to debate the bill again on Friday with passage of a wage hike-tax break measure expected next week. The Senate and House would then have to negotiate a final version.
"Our analysis shows that this increase in the minimum wage would have a significant positive impact on African American families and communities," said Ralph Everett, president and CEO of the Joint Center, a Washington-based think tank.
"African Americans are more likely to live in states that either have no minimum wage or have minimums equal to the federal rate, and so they would certainly benefit from a new law raising the floor," he said.
The report estimates the following numbers based on the proposed staggered increases up to 2009:
2007 - 189,000 black workers benefit when minimum wage rises to $5.85 an hour.
2008 - An additional 419,000 benefit when it goes to $6.55 an hour.
2009 - 753,000 more benefit when it climbs to $7.25 an hour.
"Wages for many low-income workers are just above the current federal minimum wage but below $7.25 and that is why the numbers get larger as you go along," Dr. Margaret Simms, an economist at the Joint Center, told Reuters by phone.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Oh, so whites, asians, and others don't hold minimum wage jobs?
So would a halt to illegal immigration.
No, it only helps unions, and pandering dem-o-wits
Tell that to the black guy who gets a pink slip the day after a minimum wage bill passes.
A not so subtle way of saying Republicans are racist.
but Blacks are special, aren't they?
That's why they have their own Congressional caucus and all, isn't it?
Is there and what is the minimum wage already in Texas?
I read somewhere that the average minimum wage earner is a white kid in the burbs whose parents are upper middle-class.
How would it help blacks when low-wage jobs are cut, because employers cannot afford an artificially-imposed mandatory wage for services that aren't worth $7.25 an hour?
How can higher unemployment be good for blacks or for anyone else?
Now now now... don't let facts get in the middle of a good whine-fest.
That would make it a racist policy. I thought people were against racism?
The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies informs and illuminates the nation's major public policy debates through research, analysis, and information dissemination in order to: improve the socioeconomic status of black Americans and other minorities; expand their effective participation in the political and public policy arenas; and promote communications and relationships across racial and ethnic lines to strengthen the nation's pluralistic society.
No. Do a google search for "labor statistics minimum wage earners" and see the data that liberals don't want you to see.
The majority of minimum wage earners are not heads of household and trying to support a family, sure some are. But most minimum wage earners are part time workers, in the 16-24 age bracket. If this group gets a pay raise they are likely to just blow it on Ipod downloads or dope.
Lets take a look at raising the wage by $1. Does that $1 go into the worker's pocket? No, after you take out FICA/FITW/SITW etc, they will probably see maybe 80 cents.
Does that $1 raise cost the company $1, no after you take into account their part of SS, plus any other benefits etc, it costs the company probably around $1.20
All this is doing is funneling more money into government regulation.
People who will really win out on this are the unions who's hourly rates are based on multiples of the minimum wage. And who do the unions support?
I know there are some people out there that are trying to raise a family on minimum wage, but the majority of minimum wage earners are not heads of household, they are under 21 and living with someone else. Furthermore, minimum wage is entry level, if you're working in that position for more than 6 months, you really need to evaluate yourself.
"You cannot benefit the wage earner at the expense of the wage payer" - unknown, perhaps Ben Franklin
Blacks would be better served by programs that raise them out of entry level jobs into the mainstream work force, but it would, of course, also erode the Democrat's power base.
No, it'll raise wages for about 1.5 million of them, and put the other 500,000 out of work. Some tradeoff.
}:-)4
Has to keeps up wid' da cost o' bling.
wouldn't it help everyone?
And then those 1.5 million will have to pay higher prices. Here in Ohio prices at restaurants jumped as soon as the new state minimum wage went into effect.
no, it would hurt everyone.
except union leaders and the pandering politicians who voted for it.
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