I am 67 years old. I started working at age 15 in 1971 for $1.90 / hour , six months later the minimum wage was increased to $2.10. I live in Ohio currently the minimum wage is: $8.80 for non-tipped employees. Ohio's minimum wage will increase to $9.30 per hour in 2022 again for non-tipped employees. The highest amount I have received has been $14.50 per hour. Considering the high cost of living thru out those years anyone else think that something is wrong with how the minimum wage is increased? I have lived from paycheck to paycheck thru out my life. Working overtime as much as I could. But, have never been able to get ahead or, build a savings account for my retirement. I am a single mom with a disabled adult child. Will I be able to live on my very small pension and very small social security check. No. I am continuing to work full time & still living check to check. Everyone dreams about winning the lottery. I can not even afford to play the lottery. I have worked for hospitals in clerical positions that of course are non-profits. When I was 15 years old I realized that was ridiculous. Everything they did was to make a profit & it only became worse as time went on. By the 90's the only people in hospitals that received a cost of living wage as well as yearly performance wage were Doctors and Registered Nurses. The lower paid employees were told that are yearly performance wage included the cost of living wage. Right! We on average received 45 cents per hour increases. The companies (Promedica & Mercy) who own the hospitals continue to build, still maintain their non-profit status and increase their profits but, do not pass it on to their main base of workers. When I worked in the 70's to 80's your wages included health care that your employees paid completely as part of your wages. I would love to know who decided that employees should pay their "fair share of their insurance" and created HMO(s). This has also, contributed to people living paycheck to paycheck and many needing food stamps, etc. I have paid for insurance including dental care thru out my years of employment. I can not afford to go to the doctor or, dentist unless it was an emergency. No wonder I am frustrated, depressed & poor. Also, regarding non-tipped employees: no employee should have to work for less then the minimum wage even with tips. Not fair.
There Isn't A Labor Shortage, There's An Abundance of Bad Companies
I am 67 years old. I started working at age 15 in 1971 for $1.90 / hour , six months later the minimum wage was increased to $2.10. I live in Ohio currently the minimum wage is: $8.80 for non-tipped employees. Ohio's minimum wage will increase to $9.30 per hour in 2022 again for non-tipped employees. The highest amount I have received has been $14.50 per hour. Considering the high cost of living thru out those years anyone else think that something is wrong with how the minimum wage is increased? I have lived from paycheck to paycheck thru out my life. Working overtime as much as I could. But, have never been able to get ahead or, build a savings account for my retirement. I am a single mom with a disabled adult child. Will I be able to live on my very small pension and very small social security check. No. I am continuing to work full time & still living check to check. Everyone dreams about winning the lottery. I can not even afford to play the lottery. I have worked for hospitals in clerical positions that of course are non-profits. When I was 15 years old I realized that was ridiculous. Everything they did was to make a profit & it only became worse as time went on. By the 90's the only people in hospitals that received a cost of living wage as well as yearly performance wage were Doctors and Registered Nurses. The lower paid employees were told that are yearly performance wage included the cost of living wage. Right! We on average received 45 cents per hour increases. The companies (Promedica & Mercy) who own the hospitals continue to build, still maintain their non-profit status and increase their profits but, do not pass it on to their main base of workers. When I worked in the 70's to 80's your wages included health care that your employees paid completely as part of your wages. I would love to know who decided that employees should pay their "fair share of their insurance" and created HMO(s). This has also, contributed to people living paycheck to paycheck and many needing food stamps, etc. I have paid for insurance including dental care thru out my years of employment. I can not afford to go to the doctor or, dentist unless it was an emergency. No wonder I am frustrated, depressed & poor. Also, regarding non-tipped employees: no employee should have to work for less then the minimum wage even with tips. Not fair.