Min. Wage
 

Hurt or help ?

There's lots of talk about raising it............ Your thoughts ?

Going to $10 an hour would cost me about $800 a week. Ouch.

But if all min. wage workers went up would it not give give our clients more to spend in our stores ? Or because of the current economy do you think they would just save it ?

Re: Min. Wage
 

This should be a very interesting topic. I used to be all the way to the side that thought a minimum wage increase would destroy the small business person. I took the view that free enterprise should dictate wages, not government. I have moved a bit off of that, I do not believe that we should just go to $30 an hour like some would say. I do think that the idea of moving up minimum wage deserves very serious thought.

The existence of a stronger middle class would help a lot of small businesses and that strong middle class is just not there like it used to be. More money in peoples pocket does very little to hurt small business, there are problems no doubt but there is an upside too.

Re: Min. Wage
 

Raising the minimum wage does nothing to build the middle class. This year it's 10$ an hour but next year it's 20$ an hour. The government should NEVER be able to dictate what a business has to pay for something, LABOR!

Remember, last year it was health care this year it's LABOR! Next, year it will be your RENT! That's how socialism works.

Where will it end.

Re: Min. Wage
 

It is going to 11 an hour were I am in june. I don't think it is such a bad thing as a person making only 11 an hour at 40 hours a week is just above the poverty rate here.

Re: Min. Wage
 

I wonder if a 9.99 a month salon could absorb the higher wage. If not , that would be good.
If I was able to make now what I made in the 90's, I would say go for it.

Re: Min. Wage
 

A theory, and I am not saying that I am buying into the theory all the way, is that there are people now who cannot even afford the 9.99 a month so if you raise the minimum wage there would be more people who would afford the 9.99 a month. Also, some of the 9.99 a month people would upgrade more so everything increases. That is part of the theory of why minimum wage would not hurt so much.

We can say that the politicians are insulated from real world business experience but people in the business world are lining up in favor of the theory also. My belief is that this is one of those ideas whose time has come and there is nothing much you can do to stop it. Good or bad, and there will be both, I think the prudent thing to do is prepare for it. It is sort of like a tornado, you might not like it but that doesn't really factor into the decision about whether or not it comes to visit.

Re: Min. Wage
 

How can any of you even think for one second that our government could possible be right or have the right motives?
Really folks? I cant even believe this is up for debate. The higher the minimum wage the higher unemployment
specially for the young. If you all think its such a great idea then give all your employees a raise now!

Let the marketplace work! Keep the government out of the marketplace!

Re: Min. Wage
 

I find it ironic that you support this but fought tooth and nail the 10% tan tax. In fact, most on here still blame a measly 10% tax for the failure of thousands of salons across the country but support a 40% increase in labor cost which is our largest expense.

So, lets see I spent $70,000 in labor last year. What will my increase be thanks to all you liberals with my money:

$70k X %40=$98,000 increase of $28,000 (this is if you pay minimum wage)
$70k X %20=$84,000 increase of $14,000 (this is if you pay $8.25ish)

The only way to recoup this money is to raise prices. No way to charge a tax and blame it on the government. Wonder how many salons will close after this 20 to 40% increase is operating cost?

Re: Min. Wage
 

min. wage increase is in no way like the Feds coming and grabbing the money

Re: Min. Wage
 

Not sure what you mean? Are you saying my numbers are wrong? Your cost to operate will not go up substantially more than the 10% tan tax that supposedly put so many out of business?

And you are wrong in that the Feds are turn your business into their well fare system.

Lastly, how are you going to make for the difference? Will you raise your prices, cut positions, or not take a salary yourself?