You can thank Bernie for that.

Amazon's starting pay varies by location — $10 an hour at a warehouse in Austin, Texas, for example, and $13.50 an hour in Robbinsville, New Jersey. For 2017, the median Amazon employee earned just under $28,500, according to company filings. Bezos earned $1.7 million.

He's not all bad. He would have been a horrible President though.

Hey Brick, if $15 an hour is great, why not $16 to really help them out. Everyone, regardless of skill, should be able to afford a car, so $20. But they need a house, so $30 makes more sense. And vacations are necessary, so $40.

Why is $15 the right number? Why not more? Amazon has a Trillion dollar market cap. Bezos is one of the wealthiest guys in the world. Why stop at $15?

It should be more fair—to each according to their needs, from each according to their means.

Best part of the article:



Only $1.7 million! Of course, when you include stock performance, Bezos's net worth is up $95 billion this year.

large corporations like amazon are going to $15 per hour hoping it becomes the law. The large corporations can take on that new cost much easier than small businesses which will allow them to either buy them up or let them go out of business thus allowing more corporate rule in our marketplace. exactly how bernie planned it out.

Hey Brick, if $15 an hour is great, why not $16 to really help them out. Everyone, regardless of skill, should be able to afford a car, so $20. But they need a house, so $30 makes more sense. And vacations are necessary, so $40.

Why is $15 the right number? Why not more? Amazon has a Trillion dollar market cap. Bezos is one of the wealthiest guys in the world. Why stop at $15?

It should be more fair—to each according to their needs, from each according to their means.

Yup. This is a pretty transparent, cynical move by Amazon. Not surprising though.

This does deserve an answer though. I'll give two.

1) The minimum wage has not kept pace with inflation, and it certainly hasn't kept pace with productivity or economic output.
2) I believe as a society it should be a priority that any person who works a full time job should make enough money to feed, clothe, and shelter themselves. I would compare it to how we let companies do a lot to the environment but we do set limits for the good of society on how much damage they can do. We don't live in a country with unrestricted capitalism.

So, $15/hr(with the idea we would adjust it going forward) gets us either to where we need to satisfy those things or a lot closer to satisfying those things.

1. How do you know the original minimum wage was set correctly?

2. Correct. When I was 16 bagging groceries at Jewel, I deserved to make more. I was full time during the summers. That is your criteria.

I believe the attempt was to try and accomplish the second point but for whatever reason that was chosen and it should at least keep up with inflation if not coming closer to productivity gains.
Sure. Anyone who is working full time for minimum wage isn't doing it for the enjoyment of it. They may be saving for college, or helping their family, or they may just be a hard worker who wants to make money early on. Let them make a decent wage 3 months out of the year too.

I'm perfectly OK with companies raising wages as market forces dictate and right now it's a competitive job market so good move by Amazon. Isn't it nice how wages are going up on their own without government interference?

That is precisely how it is supposed to work.

Wow. Ok, so an 18 year old working at Starbucks should make at least $15 per hour? And the Jewel bagger? And your landscaper? Gutter cleaner? Maid?

Holy inflation!

There would be some inflation but that is mostly because minimum wage should have been matching inflation already.

You aren't going to convince me I am wrong by stating that the people that provide me a service are going to be able to feed, clothe, and shelter themselves with the wage they get. I would be happy with that.

Does Amazon turn a profit? Or will their profit come when they are the only retail business left?

You proved my point. At best, you are a socialist. At worst, a communist.

I don't think so. I just think that capitalism needs relatively minor controls like I mentioned with the environmental example.

I am actually an environmentalist. So I’m on board with not letting manufacturers dump toxic waste in rivers. But, we all use their products.

But you are not a free market capitalist. You seem to want a great deal of control over wages, benefits, healthcare, etc.

Who you crappin?

Why shouldn't they pollute the environment as much as they want?

Ignorrant comment. No one wants to pollute. But some is necessary, like if you want steel or plastic on your car.
I understand any wage floor is not a true "free market". What should the minimum wage be?

It makes most of the excuses look stupid on why we can't have it be raised.