• jimbolauski@lemm.ee
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    3 months ago

    Minimum wage was never intended to be a living wage. In its inception in 1938 minimum wage was $0.25 an hour. Here are things that could be purchased for 25 cents in 1938. A gallon of milk, 8 postage stamps, a matenee movie ticket, 2 gallons of gas, … Rent was half a months wages. Minimum wage was never a living wage.

    • BobaFuttbucker@reddthat.com
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      3 months ago

      Minimum wage was never intended to be a living wage.

      It absolutely was, and more.

      https://www.minimum-wage.org/articles/history

      As part of the FLSA, the minimum wage was enacted at $0.25/hr to maintain a “minimum standard of living necessary for health, efficiency and general well-being, without substantially curtailing employment”.

      FLSA also largely-restricted child labor and established an hourly work ceiling (overtime).

      Better luck next time, Jimbo.

      • jimbolauski@lemm.ee
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        3 months ago

        If It was intended to be a living wage then why wasn’t it enough to be a living wage?

        I will refer to your own source.

        without substantially curtailing employment

        You have to look past the political propaganda and hyperbole. Minimum wage was implemented to get close to a “living wage” without hurting businesses.

        It shouldn’t surprise me that you blindly believe politicians.