Minimum Wage Cost Me My Job
What happens when politicians decide they are in a better position than business owners to know how much workers should be paid? We don’t have to guess. Cities like Seattle and New York have already done so with their $15/hour minimum wage mandates. Simone Barron, a lifelong restaurant worker, recounts how “helping” her impacted her wallet, her career, and her life.
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Script:
Like the fair-minded Progressive that I was, I thought a $15 minimum wage was an absolute good.
Then, I had a head-on collision with reality.
It’s a funny thing about reality. It just is. You can’t wish it away.
So, here is my cautionary tale.
For over three decades I had a good job working as a server. I have worked in some amazing, award-winning restaurants in Seattle.
I enjoyed the work. Met wonderful people. And I was making really good money.
I wasn’t making much, per hour—that’s true—but in my business, the magic is in tips. On a typical night, I would make on average $25 to $50 an hour.
Believe me, I earned it. I took pride in my work. I wanted every dining experience to be a memorable one for my guests.
I also loved my job for THIS reason: I had flexibility. I could plan my work schedule. That was very important to me because I had a growing son. It was a good life.
Then, in 2015, the Seattle City Council raised the minimum wage from $9.47 to $15 an hour—a 58 percent hike!
Great for the working stiff, right?
Well, hang on, because here comes Mr. Reality.
The business owner, the person who signs the checks, has to find a way to pay for this massive new expense. For Walmart or Microsoft or a large restaurant chain, this might not be a problem. For a local restaurant owner, it’s a nightmare.
Contrary to popular opinion, most restaurants don’t have big profit margins. In fact, most are razor thin.
Seattle restaurant owners, faced with this shock to their bottom line, raised prices, reworked their menus and created new compensation models.
Some did away with tips altogether, substituting a flat service charge as a way of navigating the climbing wage. That change in the tipping model caused a dent in my pocketbook. The rise in the wage did not cover the loss of the tips.
And, of course, they cut back on employee hours and support staff, too.
But for many establishments, none of these cost-saving measures worked. Restaurants, some that had been in business for decades, many family-owned, closed — including the ones I worked for.
Good servers don’t grow on trees. I was able to score an interview at another amazing restaurant.
Then, before I could even confirm the interview, that one closed, too. Same reason. The $15 minimum wage cut their profits down to nothing.
So, let me add this up for you.
I make a lot less money now than I did before Seattle decided to do what was supposedly in my best interest.
I used to be able to pay my bills as they came due.
Now it’s a juggling act.
I used to have enough money to support my son’s extra-curricular activities.
Now I often just say no.
Before the minimum wage increase, I had one job and worked four days a week.
After the wage hike, I had two jobs and worked six.
With my skills and a tipping culture, I used to average 18 to 20 percent or more on any check. Now, instead of tips, I get a flat 14 percent, part of the 20 percent service charge the restaurant owner tacks on the bill. I still pride myself in providing good service, but the incentive to go the extra mile is gone. There is no way to maximize my income.
And what’s Seattle’s answer to my problem? To raise the minimum wage again!
The progressive idea is that you should be able to make a “fair wage”. But if you have no job or are working more for less, how is that fair?
For the complete script, https://www.prageru.com/video/minimum-wage-cost-me-my-job
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i would be all for eliminating the minimum wage, but, i would not allow workers to get means tested public benefits while working. that simply amounts to government subsidized employees. employers don't seem to be complaining about that kind of "redistribution"
Based on what made dad made with the current inflation and cost of living minimum wage should be $25/hr, but seldom does anyone address the ridiculous amounts of inflation, lack of rent caps, and cost of goods(despite manufacturing being cheaper and more efficient).
As it stands, Seattle has an unemployment rate of 3%. Not exactly an unemployment crisis. This is one single person who may be telling the truth. Also, if the minimum wage kept up with productivity and inflation, it would be $24/hr
before you eat capitalist propagnda – remember – internet is a socialist made tool. do not abuse it and spit on it to demonize humans, the world and everything like capitalism loves to do. it sucks. capitalism never worked.
I like this woman's perspective. Wages should be based on your performance and merits. A person with outstanding customer service would get paid more via tips and raises while those who are bad shouldn't get that high of a wage. Those who demand minimum wage should ask themselves, "What did you do to deserve that wage?" Small businesses start off with not much money so you should not force them to pay an unsustainable amount. If you don't like the wage, move to a different company. Instead, these people are entitled pricks who think they deserve everything fair when life doesn't work that way. To receive good compensation, you have to do good work.
So, you went really making minimum wage.
Cashier at Walmart:
$11.50/hr, $920 for 80 hrs
Server at Olive Garden:
@$24/hr in tips, @$1392 for 58 hrs
Pretty obvious
Plenty of US companies are already forced to pay higher starting wages and provide benefits in countries with stronger labor protections. McDonalds workers in Denmark for example start at $22 an hour and get 6 weeks of paid vacation. This is the reality all over Europe and Australia. If they couldn’t afford to pay the higher wages, they wouldn’t operate in these countries, it’s really that simple. It doesn’t inflate prices out of control, and it doesn’t increase the rate of automation. Capitalists are already automating jobs away anyway and will do it no matter what because it’s profitable. There is plenty of money at these firms, it’s just all going to the executives. There is no reason why they can’t pay a living wage in the US. You’re all being lied to and tricked into supporting policy that is against your own interests.
It really sucks to hear raising the minimum wage hurt people in restaurant service jobs. I'm glad people are talking about it. It did however really help childcare workers in centers who don't recieve tips make ends meet.
Being paid cost that person a job.
How does higher wages lead to less profits for a business?????
"15 minimum wage is bad because Seattle made a decision that disproportionally effected restaurant workers." One view point from one person who was affected doesn't mean that 15 dollar minimum wage is bad for everyone everywhere. As they said in their own video "For walmart or microsoft or a large restaurant chain this might not be a problem". It's not a problem for big companies.
If it is now good with inequality for people's incomes as this page thinks, why do you now say that the best thing for employees to get a good income is not to raise wages?
You only deserve gulag.
True.
No one should be working their entire lives on minimum wage jobs.
Always upskill, so you can get jobs that pay mucher higher hourly wages.
democrats: this country sucks
also democrats: i dont want to leave
democrats: I dont like Venezuela and cuba
also democrats: I want socialism
democrats: I want minimum wage of $15
also democrats: I want to head out of california and moving to texas
democrats: I want sleepy joe
also democrats: he's too left
democrats: i want equality for all gender and race!
also democrats (to islam woman): uuuuuuuuuuuuuuh who are you?
also also democrats: excuse me young man, why are you manspreading?
democrats: I WANT EQUALITY FOR ALL WORKERS!!!
also democrats: Everyone, there is millions of jobs losses because businesses are closing and they are wanting less workers
also also democrats: I think its good because its just a few job loss, and after all, "equality for all workers" right? businesses should treat their workers right and don't worry, its just a few people that loss their jobs.
also also also democrats: I want a $25 minimum wage or just make federal minimum wage $15
Florida will be seeing this in 2026. As I speak, the new minimum wage is $10 and will raise a dollar every year. I was in the 40% who voted no…BECAUSE of this video.
-B
I find it hilarious that so many people buy into this Koch Brothers funded propaganda
Take away profit, and there's no reason to stay in business
Ah Seattle. A shithole then, a shithole now, a shithole always.👎🏽💩
Democrats should just legislate that you can’t be laid off and the restaurant owner has to live off air and water.
You really can't lump McDonald's into the "big" category the same as Wal-Mart…there are almost as many franchises as there are corporate-owned restaurants.
Left-wing populism and socialism is destroying our economies and societies. Our rather, the majority of ignorant people who swallow anything and everything and aren't very cultured nor productive.
It’s just a matter of time before there is some law prohibiting business owners from raising prices and laying off employees to counter-balance minimum wage increases. Remember, the left’s goal is to “level the playing field” and have employees make almost the same as the owner, and then they want owners to just accept the extra wage expenses. Pretty soon all the fight for 15 lawmakers are gonna be tired of their min wage increases being undermined by the owner.
I'd genuinely like to know what argument progressive politicians use to justify a minimum wage increase. I don't live in America but find the argument against minimum wage so compelling, I can't understand why politicians are still pushing for it? Please share if you know. Thx!
Why didn’t you just take on another job, Karen?
Why don’t you have a better training instead of relying on handouts?
She still doesn't get it, giving pass to Mc Donald's as being able to find the extra funds to pay $15 an hour without laying people off. She confirms this by turning around in the very next few sentences stating that most restaurants profit margins are paper thin. Well, that includes the big chains to. The only business that had lower profit margins than restaurants (big and small) back in the 1990's~2010 timeframe was the IT industry (computer equipment). Their profit margin was, and to some degree still is around 2%. Restaurants aren't much higher even today. She have recently woken up, but she's not wide awake yet.
She is right! In our India increasing minimum wage is an Corpratized act to destroy small scale businesses! and the way to monopolism
At that time, McD installed kiosks in every restaurant in the U.S. They cut the hours down to compensate the $15 an hour.
The disslikes is Bernie and his supporters.
In our country we dont even have a minimum wage.
What a bunch of capitalist boloney