{"id":519,"date":"2014-05-02T12:23:00","date_gmt":"2014-05-02T12:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/janetheactuary\/2014\/05\/another-minimum-wage-guinea-pig-and-the-bls-data.html"},"modified":"2014-05-02T12:23:00","modified_gmt":"2014-05-02T12:23:00","slug":"another-minimum-wage-guinea-pig-and-the-bls-data","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/janetheactuary\/2014\/05\/another-minimum-wage-guinea-pig-and-the-bls-data.html","title":{"rendered":"Another minimum wage guinea pig, and the bls data"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Now Seattle is proposing a $15 minimum wage<\/a>. \u00a0It\u2019s planned to be phased-in over a number of years but let\u2019s assume that they\u2019re not taking heaving interim inflation for granted (and the phase-in is complete, it\u2019s slated to rise with inflation). \u00a0If Seattle is every bit as machine-run as Chicago, this means it\u2019ll be rubber-stamped by the city council \u2014 whether this is a city in which the city council actually has some independence, I don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n

But here\u2019s a fun exercise: \u00a0look at the BLS data<\/a>. \u00a0They show wages by occupation, and, in this version<\/a>, show wages for Seattle specifically.<\/p>\n

What do Seattleans earn?<\/p>\n

Forest and conservation workers earn the least: \u00a0$9.14 an hour, at median.
Fast food workers: \u00a0$9.46
Gaming dealers: \u00a0$10.05
Lifeguards and ski patrol: \u00a0$10.56
Barbers, $10.59
Hotel and motel clerks: \u00a0$11.13
Childcare workers: \u00a0$11.15
Crossing guards: \u00a0$11.67
Bakers: \u00a0$12.08
Vet assistants: \u00a0$13.05
Security guards: \u00a0$13.59
Pharmacy aides: \u00a0$14.10
Janitors: \u00a0$14.10
Orderlies: \u00a0$14.35
General office clerks: \u00a0$14.75<\/p>\n

Tire repairers and changers: \u00a0$15.27
Hairdressers: \u00a0$15.86
Forest and conservation technicians: \u00a0$16.07
Phlebotomists: \u00a0$16.83
Court reporters: \u00a0$17.76
Carpet installers: \u00a0$18.01<\/p>\n

I could keep going, but you get the point. \u00a0A high minimum wage is a very blunt tool. \u00a0Imagine that all these below-$15 occupations are all moved up to the $15 mark. \u00a0What would the consequences be moderately-skilled workers earning the same wage as fast food workers? \u00a0Yes, to a certain degree, these jobs may be more desirable in terms of the work itself, the working conditions, and so on, so that, even at the same pay rate, people may prefer to be a hotel clerk than a McDonald\u2019s worker. \u00a0But would you really spend money on training in order to qualify for a job which pays no better than the unskilled job down the street? <\/p>\n

Which means that these jobs would inevitably have to raise their pay \u2014 they simply can\u2019t pay at the same level as an unskilled job. \u00a0And the same would hold true for these jobs that are only somewhat above the minimum wage. \u00a0I don\u2019t know what the difference between a \u201cforest and conservation worker\u201d and \u201cforest and conservation technician\u201d is, but I\u2019m going to guess that the latter has had some specialized training and a couple promotions \u2014 would the lure of a $1.07 raise be enough? \u00a0Of course not.<\/p>\n

Raising the minimum wage to a level so high that it disrupts the wage levels for moderately-skilled occupations is not just an inefficient way to fight poverty but would be extremely disruptive for an economy. <\/p>\n

But, hey, if it sounds good and gets the votes, who cares about the actual real-world consequences, right?<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Now Seattle is proposing a $15 minimum wage. \u00a0It\u2019s planned to be phased-in over a number of years but let\u2019s assume that they\u2019re not taking heaving interim inflation for granted (and the phase-in is complete, it\u2019s slated to rise with inflation). \u00a0If Seattle is every bit as machine-run as Chicago, this means it\u2019ll be rubber-stamped […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2209,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-519","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nAnother minimum wage guinea pig, and the bls data<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Now Seattle is proposing a $15 minimum wage.  It's planned to be phased-in over a number of years but let's assume that they're not taking heaving\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, 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