Raise Up Washington, an organized labor front group, appears to have gathered enough signatures to put Initiative 1433 on the ballot this fall. I-1433 would raise the statewide minimum wage to $13.50 per hour and require employers to provide up to seven days of paid sick leave per year.
According to reports, the union-funded group managed to submit more than 360,000 signatures. With a requirement of 250,000 valid signatures, the number submitted essentially guarantees the initiative will make it onto the November ballot.
Democrat State Sen. Dean Takko recently called I-1433 a “social experiment.” Takko is right. I-1433 is an experiment that would impact the livelihoods of working families across Washington State.
Small businesses across the state have responded to I-1433 by expressing concern over how many employees they could afford to retain. Simply put, it’s a job-killing measure.
Raising the minimum wage to unprecedented levels is a social experiment, but not the kind small businesses — or working families — can afford to be part of.
Simply put, it’s a job-killing measure.
Simply put, how many jobs were lost when Seatac’s minimum wage went to $15/hour?
Ask the employers doing business at SeaTac and they will tell you that some jobs were lost. But, as usual, you are asking the wrong question. Ask this question: what was the affect on labor with the higher minimum wage? That answer is far more important than how many jobs were lost.
Ask the employers doing business at SeaTac and they will tell you that some jobs were lost.
You sound pretty confident about that. How about you give some examples?
Ask this question: what was the affect on labor with the higher minimum wage?
Go back and read harder. I asked this very question, for examples of jobs lost. I asked this because Shift stated flatly that I-1433 is a “job killer.” Neither Shift nor you has yet shown the loss of even one single job as the result of any minimum-wage law, so I asked for examples. Please do give some, or concede Shift’s point is groundless.
A better question is how the total compensation has changed including tips for tip dependent people like airport parking shuttle drivers. I used to generously tip them and now tip frugally, if at all, since airport parking rates went up significantly as soon as the minimum wage went to $15. They don’t need my tips as much now. Late last night, I tipped the driver $1 only because, even after helping someone else with their bag without getting tipped, he still cheerfully helped us with one of our bags, and even took it to our car and wanted to place it in the vehicle for us. Before the minimum wage increase, this level of service would have earned a $5 tip. I’ve gone from always tipping a $10 an hour shuttle driver to usually not tipping a $15 driver at all.
I realize others who don’t receive tips got a wage increase (unless their hours were cut back), but my point is the people I interact with receive way fewer tips from me today, solely because of the increase. my hunch is many others who know about the $15 wage are doing the same thing.
On the other hand, I always tip Uber drivers $5, regardless of how short the trip is. You see, they don’t have a $15 minimum wage.
A better question …
How about just answering the question I asked? That question sits at the heart of this entire post. If it goes unanswered, the entire point of this post collapses.
Maybe that’s why real voters in real elections have been ignoring Shift’s repeated loud claims about minimum-wage laws?
Tensor, you usually don’t directly answer my questions, although I virtually always directly answer yours (or make every effort to) – until now. So often you have ignored the premise of my questions to you, and I’ve allowed you to get away with hijacking the premise of my posts.
This time I’ve decided to use the Tensor method: to shift the question to make the point of MY choice. Tensor, it’s your turn to directly answer my question, as I have previously given you the courtesy of doing to yours – up until now.
So, Tensor, answer this: what is the effect of tips on employees in SeaTac who now have a base wage of $15 per hour, specifically for parking lot shuttle drivers?
One more thing, stated in a Tensoresque way: if you are unable to provide documented proof, my point stands.
… you usually don’t directly answer my questions, although I virtually always directly answer yours (or make every effort to)
That’s rich, coming from someone who, earlier in this very thread, has already dodged the very direct and fully on-topic question I posed.
… what is the effect of tips on employees in SeaTac who now have a base wage of $15 per hour, specifically for parking lot shuttle drivers?
The ones unfortunate enough to encounter you have had their tips reduced or eliminated, even though their job performances have apparently not declined. For the rest, I have no data.
Meanwhile, this guy doesn’t seem to think we should be examining the tips received by workers in Sea-Tac:
“He might even tell you to inspect their tip jars and grab work schedules.”
So, which of you is correct about using tips in SeaTac as a metric?
Tensor, there you go trying to obfuscate again.
I already stated I wasn’t going to directly answer your question, but chose to take the approach you often do and shift the subject to mine. If this is a dodge, fair enough.
Thank you for acknowledging you have no data. The point stands then, that drivers’ tips are very likely down since others (numbers unknown) feel as I do: that higher parking rates, allowing parking lot owners to pay the $15, make it less necessary to tip due to the higher wage, and when this group does tip, is a lower amount than before.
Regarding inspecting tip jars, you need to reread “this guy’s” (my) previous post before unsuccessfully attempting a gotcha. I didn’t say one way or the other whether it should be done, but simply made the point that you generally state you need written documentation or proof (as you did in your original post on this subject). If you pledge to not request proof going forward, I’ll acknowledge the contradiction. If you decline to make this pledge, your attempt at a gotcha failed.
I already stated I wasn’t going to directly answer your question,
Of course not. That would require you to acknowledge that you have no data, and you’re really not very good at that:
The point stands then, that drivers’ tips are very likely down since others (numbers unknown) feel as I do…
The known number is, in fact, zero, because you have provided no data showing otherwise. You also have provided no data upon which to base your claim about the drivers’ tips.
…that higher parking rates, allowing parking lot owners to pay the $15, make it less necessary to tip due to the higher wage…
Your belief that the rate increase was caused by the higher minimum wage is not supported by data. You’re just lazily assuming something you need to prove.
… and when this group does tip, is a lower amount than before.
A “group” which has been shown to consist of exactly one person, as you have provided no data to show anyone else has behaved in this manner.
If you pledge to not request proof going forward,
Thanks for telling us exactly which element of my behavior actually bothers you. (As well it should…)
…but chose to take the approach you often do…
An assertion you have now repeated several times, without providing any data.
Vintage Tensor. You responded pretty much as I predicted you would in my post to Pat. Demanding proof although you don’t provide any yourself, and trumpeting your unsupported assertions as the gospel truth while at the same treating others’ assertions with a dismissive wave of the hand. Like I said, this Tensor socialist communist method is easy and fun. The difficult part is finding the proof, which you have a healthy distaste for when you need to provide it.
Demanding proof although you don’t provide any yourself,
What assertion have I made which requires proof? I’ve asked for data to support Shift’s very bold and clear assertion that I-1433 is “a job-killing measure.” Shift has not responded, and you and Pat have dodged my question.
… and trumpeting your unsupported assertions as the gospel truth…
To which of my “assertions” do you refer? That you have utterly failed to provide any data to support your assertions? That’s blindingly obvious, whether I personally bother to note your failure or not.
…treating others’ assertions with a dismissive wave of the hand.
Shift, Pat, and you are all free to provide data to support Shift’s very clear assertion that I-1433 is “a job-killing measure.” So far, none of you have even attempted to do so. Until you do, I — and real voters in real elections — will remain justified in dismissing Shift’s assertion.
The difficult part is finding the proof,
You’re certainly putting on a clinic in that regard.
…which you have a healthy distaste for when you need to provide it.
That’s rich, coming from someone who just begged me to stop asking for proof of his assertions.