What do you think of the minimum wages in your city and any opinion to that?
@wildlittlefan (4680)
Hong Kong
April 20, 2011 6:23am CST
Our government is enforcing the minimum wages on May and everything will be changed after the 1st of May. Some will be happier since they will get more money for their salary, but some boss will feel headache since they have to pay more to their employees.The big company will have no problems with tthis new policy if they are so rich already.But the small business will have big problem since thay either have to fire some people to reduce the cost of the salary or they will cut down the working hours of the employees in order to survive.Well, what o you think of this policy and what happen to your city whe it first begin in your city or country?Share with us.
3 responses
@RobtheRock (2433)
• United States
20 Apr 11
I think the minimum wage is too small. I agree that by having minimum wage, the company has to fire or cut down the hours of its employees. But even without minimum wage, the employee still has to be fired or have their hours cut down. So for some employees, it doesn't matter. If I am an employee earning minimum wage, I still do not make enough money to pay the rent, utilities, buy food and clothes, and enjoy myself once in a blue moon. I have to be lucky enough to have another job too. So with or without minimum wage, I have to live day to day. Some bills don't get paid and I live the best I can. With or without minimum wage, if there is no business at my job, then I don't get much work. So I'll take the minimum wage even though it's not enough money to survive on.
@wildlittlefan (4680)
• Hong Kong
21 Apr 11
Yes, Rob. You are right.we have to live the best that we can whatever the pay is.Life is just not easy to certain extend and we can change most of the situation or people around us, but we can change our own attitude towards life though.I think the tough part is to overcome all those negative emotion that will really torture us when it just comes to our mind.I hope that we can always live with a wage above average and not experience pressure from finance all the times. May God help us anyway.Have a good day.
@RobtheRock (2433)
• United States
21 Apr 11
Great wisdom Wildlittlefan. I agree 100% when you say, "I think the tough part is to overcome all those negative emotion that will really torture us when it just comes to our mind." I let negative emotion mess with my health and that is not good. 
I have to think positive again, even if I'm swimming in negative and hopelessness. I have to let God lead me. I have to start thinking positively again. 
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
20 Apr 11
In my home country the minimum wage is five pounds and ninety three pence per hour for a worker over 21 years old. The workers under this age get paid four pounds and ninety two pence per hour if they are aged between 18 and 20 years old. It is only three pounds and sixty four pence per hour for those aged between 16 and 18 years old. I think that these hourly rates are quite low and many people work part time. So they end up getting around one hundred and twenty five pounds per week. In the business world the workers usually are paid an annual salary and get a share of it monthly. Tax and National Insurance must be paid out of the worker's earnings. I live in an area where a salary could be only twenty thousand pounds per year. So a house could be six times a person's earnings. Food and drink prices plus fuel charges have got higher. Since the wages and salaries haven't gone up by much in most cases. The unemployment rate is high and lots of people have lost their job through redundancy.
@wildlittlefan (4680)
• Hong Kong
21 Apr 11
Oops....the wages or under certain ages would be different?It sounds quite interesting anyway.Well, I don't know abut other countries, but in my city it certainly becomesa new era for the labor forces anyway. Think about this figure : Last month , you were stilling eraning $5020, but after the minimum wages policy, this month, you will earn $8020 per month. Will you feel happy about this. Well, the workers are really happy with such an increase of their salary. The Employer?They will definiately feel unhappy since they have to pay more and earn less money . Thta's why if the small busines can't keep up with this policy, they can only fire some people with all kinds of dirty reasons or cut down the working hours of their employees or they have to close up their business as a result of the new policy. I think the big company will have less problem when compare with the small business.We rae living in a world that alwyas talking about money. The fact is that only the rich gets richer and the poor becomes poorer, that's why th government needs to deal with the unbalanced situation of the society by enforcing such a law to the city or to the nation as a whole. Ithere wise, there are just so many people who has been paid badly and live in a poor situation at all times.
