tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18947592.post113417666921698579..comments2023-11-06T00:01:30.085+13:00Comments on New Zeal: Shame on You Sue Bradford, Minimum Wage Laws are CruelTrevor Loudonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17040453691836232676noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18947592.post-1137101703717526432006-01-13T10:35:00.000+13:002006-01-13T10:35:00.000+13:00A minimum wage helps guarantee a living wage for a...A minimum wage helps guarantee a living wage for anyone who is a full time worker, without the need for government “top-up” benefits.<BR/><BR/>The argument that having a minimum wage causes unemployment is very weak. In recent times, people on the minimum wage tend to be working in jobs where the labour demand is fixed. For example, at a fast food restaurant there would be a person on each till, several people cooking and someone cleaning. Adding more labour to capital won’t increase profit levels in this situation. Each position needs to be filled in order to have a fully functioning enterprise. Chances are that if the minimum wage was raised slightly, it would still be profitable for the firm to employ people in each of these positions. The minimum wage would have to be very high before it starts to have a significant effect on unemployment.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18947592.post-1134422767763097242005-12-13T10:26:00.000+13:002005-12-13T10:26:00.000+13:00T'will give a great boost to the robotics industry...T'will give a great boost to the robotics industry. I once heard an executive (long ago, far away) describe supermarket shelf-stackers thus: 'you could put trained monkeys on the supply carts and get less mistakes'. <BR/><BR/>So an unintended consequence of SB's effort will be to shift the cost comparison between humans of the skill-challenged variety, and non-human operators. And that will have a knock-on effect on union membership. <BR/><BR/>Hmmm - have we a win-win here?Waymadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12783882239117153768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18947592.post-1134273231821204642005-12-11T16:53:00.000+13:002005-12-11T16:53:00.000+13:00Actually, my previous post was a piss-take of the ...Actually, my previous post was a piss-take of the lefties that can't comprehend basic economics.<BR/><BR/>(It is impossible for everyone to earn more than the average) <BR/><BR/>I think you have interpreted it as meaning we all have to lift our game, which is quite correct!<BR/><BR/>I believe someone (unknown) actually used that line in election speech!Oswald Bastablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11828229103486326473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18947592.post-1134271727467031642005-12-11T16:28:00.000+13:002005-12-11T16:28:00.000+13:00I agree Oswald, the only way to achieve a general ...I agree Oswald, the only way to achieve a general lift in wage rates is through production efficiency. That is achieved by letting the free market work. Hong Kong once had low wages. They're a lot better now. Same with China, Ireland and a host of other countries who've freed up their economiesTrevor Loudonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17040453691836232676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18947592.post-1134248071091019842005-12-11T09:54:00.000+13:002005-12-11T09:54:00.000+13:00Here is some just published research;www.ncpa.org/...Here is some just published research;<BR/><BR/>www.ncpa.org/newdpd/dpdarticle.php?article_id=2630<BR/><BR/>How the $8-50 citywide minimum wage affected the Santa Fe labor marketLindsay Mitchellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04437693272797130833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18947592.post-1134247282831739982005-12-11T09:41:00.000+13:002005-12-11T09:41:00.000+13:00We must strive to have everybody earning more than...We must strive to have everybody earning more than the average wage!<BR/><BR/>;-)Oswald Bastablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11828229103486326473noreply@blogger.com