I think the point that I’m trying to make is that the wages that an employer is willing to pay have to meet a threshold where the people who are willing to work for that wage, will work in lieu of collecting government benefits or even be able to afford the day to day costs on that wage.
Now, I understand that in the past, minimum wage jobs mainly went to part-time, low skilled, or teenagers in school. I know, worked those jobs when I was a teenager.
What’s different now is that minimun wage has crept up the career ladder. Jobs that used to pay good, no longer do. Jobs that used to pay good, now get outsourced, or insourced with foreign nationals on work visas. Productive workers are displaced by cheap workers from foreign countries.
Of course - no law or government involvement is required to impose that minimum.
or even be able to afford the day to day costs on that wage.
Again, that may be necessary to the employee, but in no sense is it a minimum. A "minimum wage" law doesn't prevent an employer from leaving a job unfilled - and another worker unemployed and making the true minimum wage of zero.