Is the minimum wage too high?

Re: Minimum Wage

Ah now, the ESRI themselves did not say that.

Some speakers at the FFS conference said it may be necessary to think about the growth rate of the min wage.

It seems they may be suggesting slower growth of the min wage in the future.

Personally, I'd have a lower rate for 18-20 year olds, similiar to the UK.

See min wage data here:

[broken link removed]
 
Re: Minimum Wage

I'm not sure what I think about this. By EU standards it's high and it does have a knock on effect but...
 
Re: Minimum Wage

I suppose it really depends on what it is compared to dole payments along with rent allowance (which are both quite highish compared to the UK) so in that context I don't think the minimum wage is too high at all.
 
Last edited:
Re: Minimum Wage

As a small company employer I find the minimium wage resticts my room to expand. As I wouuld need two employees and a van to expand in the smallest way thus I have remained myself and one employee as the risk of expansion is too high. I am in the service industry dealing directly with the public. If I expand my costs to my customers increase and many of my more aged customers could not pay for my services. It also directly increases my employer liability insurance as this is based on wages paid.
 
Re: Minimum Wage

Could you pay your mortgage or rent, plus pay all your utility bills, car loans, car tax, hospital and medicine charges, raise kids, buy food etc if you were on less than the minimum wage in this expensive country???. I couldn't neither would I suspect could anybody else.
 
Re: Minimum Wage

Do you think that increasing prices are the cause of increasing wages or the result of them?
 
Re: Minimum Wage

I don't know, however, prices are increasing all the time, doctors fees, food, bus and train fares the list goes on. Maybe the high cost of oil is to blame either way its very difficult for any person to have to work for the minimum wage in some ways there would be better off on the dole at least they guaranteed their 200 something euro a week plus maybe get their rent paid and have a medical card.
 
Re: Minimum Wage

yoganmahew said:
Do you think that increasing prices are the cause of increasing wages or the result of them?
Click to expand...

I reckon it's both... a "chicken and egg scenario".
The minimum wage of a factory worker needs to increase because of rising fuel/food/family costs... causing maufacturing costs to increase... causing an increase in goods/food/etc...
 
Re: Minimum Wage


I guess if you were on the minimum wage, you wouldn't be able to afford car loans and car tax, wouldn't have to pay hospital and medicine charges, and you'd probably have to find somwehere cheaper to live. In other words, you'd have to curb your lifestlye to match your income.

Having said that, it would be interesting to know if it is actually possible to live on the minimum wage here without actually starving or being thrown out onto the streets.
 
Re: Minimum Wage

ang1170 said:
Having said that, it would be interesting to know if it is actually possible to live on the minimum wage here without actually starving or being thrown out onto the streets.
Click to expand...

Have you seen the RTE TV show "Des Bishop's Work Experience"?

This gives a good insight to working on the minimum wage in Waterford, Tralee, Dublin and Droghedalk, in an Abrakebabra, Watersport Centre, Hotel and SuperQuinn, respectively.
 
Re: Minimum Wage

Gautama said:
Have you seen the RTE TV show "Des Bishop's Work Experience"?

This gives a good insight to working on the minimum wage in Waterford, Droghedalk,

wow! another new town. what are house prices like in this town?
Click to expand...
 
Re: Minimum Wage

 

I love the way things get generalised here so often, it does make me smile. If you climb down from your ivory tower you may find that the minimum wage covers quite a range of people.
 
The minimum wage is too high if it brings you into the tax net. I don't see the point in taxing persons on the lowest possible wage. Taxing minimum wage earners places a burden on the employer as they bear the full cost of any government imposed increases in the pay rate. The government can make noises about inceasing the minimum wage every year or so and pat themselves on the back but if they modified the tax bands to take the lowest earners out of the tax net then the cost of the resultant relative increase in take home pay for low earners would fall on the government and not on the employer. This would lower costs for the employer and hopefully stimulate growth.
 


Eouch! What a shocking generalisation!
 
The lowest earners pay no/ bugger all tax.
If you are on the minimum wage and don't have enough money then do some overtime or get a second job. The idea that people should be paid more because their outgoings are too high is ridiculous.
The Des bishop programme was a load of rubbish as it ignored that fact that only 3% of our population are on the minimum wage and most of them live with their mother.
 
The Des bishop programme was a load of rubbish as it ignored that fact that only 3% of our population are on the minimum wage and most of them live with their mother.
Click to expand...

If its only 3% then whats the problem, at least they are actually working. i don't think cushty lifestyle goes hand in hand with minimum wage, often the minimum wage is all that stands between fair play and exploitation.
 
Purple said:
Is the minimum wage too high?
Click to expand...

It is compared to most countries in the world, but it is our public sector which really makes us the laughing stock of the world. Remember what the German ambassador said a few months ago ? Our consultants earning over 200,000 a year are a good example....how much would they be paid by the german taxpayer ?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register