Some positive news from Arizona.....

[gimmethesimplelife]

As of January 1st, 2015, minimum wage increases to $8.05/hour in Arizona, with tipped employees - think servers here - having a minimum wage of $5.05/hour. This amazes me as I can remember years ago when I worked my first job as a dishwasher at Marie Calendar's I made the minimum - at the time $3.35/hour. Minumum has more than doubled since then.....I can remember when I took a job at Designer Depot in 1984 (a subsidiary of KMart specializing in off price clothing - think Ross) I made $3.65/hour, thirty cents above minimum and I thought that was good money as the time - it sure stretched a lot further than thirty cents above minimum does today.

One thing I can say about the $5.05/hour tipped wage effective 01/01/2015 is that it makes servers picky as to where they will work geographically. Now that serving is worth more than $2.13/hour in this state, I'd have a hard time going somewhere else that does not meet or exceed $5.05/hour doing this work. Good thing the entire west coast of the US is over $8/hour plus tips for this work! Rob

[Seven]

Minimum wage is good.
But still I think 5.05$ is quite low. Tips should be an extra, but not something that is necessary because the normal wage is so low.

[awakenedsoul]

I think you deserve, and will attract much more than that, Rob. I'm glad you're happy with the increase, though.

[Yossarian]

Not everyone in table service is making minimum wage. I took a client to dinner last week. The tip was $90 for about 1.5 hours of work. Maybe he has to share that but we weren't his only table. You need to find a job where they are selling wine :+1:

[pinkytoe]

I recently read a book called Hand to Mouth: Living in Bootstrap America which chronicles the author's daily life and struggles as a minimum wage service worker. It is a rough life and she is full of anger at "rich people" who don't even have a clue about their daily trials. It opened my eyes a bit about some of the common misconceptions we have about some low wage workers - that they are lazy or unmotivated or make bad choices.

[Teacher Terry]

The key to making $ as a server is to work nites in a fancy restaurant. My son did this for awhile & made great $ without having to work 40 hours per week. Good luck Rob!

[Packy]

Well, Okay. I think that they all should unionize; form the "Fast Food, Delicatesson, PizzaMaker & Delivery Driver, Bistro, &School Lunch Workers Union." After the vigorous organizing drives(which will make the early UMW, UAW, & Teamsters look like pansies, by comparison), workers will demand, and get, a contract that provides a starting wage of $37.23/hr, for new hires! Oh, yeah. Of course skilled workers(Wait Staff, Cooks, Salad Makers) will be paid much, much more. Much more. They will also be entitled to Cadillac Health Care, Cadilllac Penson plans, Cadilllac Layoff benefits. 30 Days Yearly Paid Vacation(any unused accrues indefinitely w/interest), Double time for Holidays. Keep in mind that it's very hard to "offshore" those jobs. How do you like that?

[Yossarian]

I recently read a book called Hand to Mouth: Living in Bootstrap America which chronicles the author's daily life and struggles as a minimum wage service worker. It is a rough life and she is full of anger at "rich people" who don't even have a clue about their daily trials. It opened my eyes a bit about some of the common misconceptions we have about some low wage workers - that they are lazy or unmotivated or make bad choices.


What did that one add to the disucssion? We've been through Nickel and Dimed and also Scratch Beginings. Anything new?

[iris lilies]

What did that one add to the disucssion? We've been through Nickel and Dimed and also Scratch Beginings. Anything new?

I don't think so, but this kind of thing gets recycled every few years and I will say that Linda Tirado, the author, has a voice that's different from the other authors. She is one angry woman. She would say its because she is tired.

The author relates a long list of issues and situations that cause her to be poor. Many of them are legitimately tough problems, even if they are not necessarily her own problems. There is, apparently, some accusation of her relating situations as her own when they were not. But its doesn't really matter unless you read it as a biography.

Also, the author's anger and impatience, in other words her own behavior, likely contributed to some of her problems.

[Packy]

I have encountered some very angry lirrrains. Not very many, but some. It prolly was due to being way underpaid.

[pinkytoe]

[QUOTE]Anything new?[/QUOTE
I just have a personal interest in what motivates people to do what they do. Why do some "succeed" and others chase their tails? I also gosh darnit have this nasty trait called empathy.
I haven't read Scratch Beginnings but this current one has a very angry feel to it and maybe rightfully so.

[Aqua Blue]

I found it sad/interesting in undercover boss that the bosses were always amazed at the workers. That they were ethical, hard working and often had family/health/extenuating circumstances that added to the pressure of working. All the bosses seemed surprised. there are so many class perceptions that it is pathetic.

[Yossarian]

Why do some "succeed" and others chase their tails?...I haven't read Scratch Beginnings

Scratch Beginnings goes to that point. Worth checking out.


I also gosh darnit have this nasty trait called empathy.

Not sure what your point is. Seemed to be a fair question for those of us who had enough empathy to read the first two.

[Yossarian]

I found it sad/interesting in undercover boss that the bosses were always amazed at the workers. That they were ethical, hard working and often had family/health/extenuating circumstances that added to the pressure of working. All the bosses seemed surprised. there are so many class perceptions that it is pathetic.

Surely you understand that TV editing manipulates the content in "reality" TV.

[Lainey]

I found it sad/interesting in undercover boss that the bosses were always amazed at the workers. That they were ethical, hard working and often had family/health/extenuating circumstances that added to the pressure of working. All the bosses seemed surprised. there are so many class perceptions that it is pathetic.

I've noticed this same thing. But I love the show if only for the wake-up call it seems to bring to these out of touch bosses.

[pinkytoe]

Not sure what your point is.
Reading about it isn't quite the same as living it.