How much would you work for?

[kenny thomas]

The discussion on the stimulus thread about $15 an hour minimum wage got me to thinking. I can remember share croppers working for $3 a day and an old house to live in. I have worked for $1 an hour.
If you weren't working already what is the least you would work for?

 

[Caustic Burno]

Back in the day as a butcher apprentice was a buck thirty. Wasn't a welfare line or food stamps for all back then. It was work or don't eat, many a deer succumbed to a one eyed beagle and an east Texas deer rifle.
Made 52 dollars a week when I got married.
Turned down 1K a day when the Deep Water Horizon blew out.
Turned down the Commisioner today wanted me to come to work as a maintainer operator.
I don't know what that's paying.

 

[Brute 23]

$15 an hour is my bare minimum for driving equipment and general ranch type work but I'm not entry level either and have a lot of my own tools, grease guns, air comp, etc. Part of that price is because I enjoy it. $20 is more in line.

For some one like my son who is just coming in to the workforce for the first time I'd have a hard time with any thing less than $10 just because of the general price of things like fuel, taxes, clothes, etc.

My first job was $5 an hour but $5 also bought you a hamburger, fries, and drink. Those days are gone.

 

[kenny thomas]

You have worked hard for low wages just like me.
I hear young people today say they won't work for $30,000 a year. They have no experience, no work ethic, no nothing but think they deserve more.

 

[kenny thomas]

G

$15 an hour is my bare minimum for driving equipment and general ranch type work but I'm not entry level either and have a lot of my own tools, grease guns, air comp, etc. Part of that price is because I enjoy it. $20 is more in line.

For some one like my son who is just coming in to the workforce for the first time I'd have a hard time with any thing less than $10 just because of the general price of things like fuel, taxes, clothes, etc.

My first job was $5 an hour but $5 also bought you a hamburger, fries, and drink. Those days are gone.

I understand that but let's say we were your sons age and didn't have a job. Would you work for $5 an hour until you could do better?

 

[Brute 23]

You have worked hard for low wages just like me.
I hear young people today say they won't work for $30,000 a year. They have no experience, no work ethic, no nothing but think they deserve more.

There has to be more context to that statement. If you ask me what my minimum tractor wage is vs oil field vs lawn mowing I'll give you a different number for each.

Be that they said 30K a year I'm assuming these are young people out of college maybe? If that is the case I would have to agree. I would not take a full time, entry level, professional job for less than $30K.

If they want to make $30k with no education at McDonalds... no... tough chit.

 

[Till-Hill]

At my 36 year old age with 2 kids and ability to run cattle, AI ability, and if I took the cattle equipment I own with me to a new job I'd have to get $30/hour with no insurance and what not. If employer paid insurance on whole family and some paid vacation or overtime pay I'd consider $18.

 

[Brute 23]

G

I understand that but let's say we were your sons age and didn't have a job. Would you work for $5 an hour until you could do better?

I do agree with starting low and working your way up but $5 in today's world is too low. I would not talk him out of it if it interested him but I'd question the reason of the person offering the $5. Alot of this goes back to context. Are you helping out and elderly person with lawn work here and there that gives you $5 an hour... sure... go for it. Is it some one who is always just trying to hire cheap labor... hard pass.

It's more about the stair steps than the dollars per hour. If $5 is part of a plan that could turn to $8, $15, $50.... absolutely. Invest your time in you. Dont take $5 just because though with no where to go. It's too low for this time and you will starve to death.

 

[kenny thomas]

There has to be more context to that statement. If you ask me what my minimum tractor wage is vs oil field vs lawn mowing I'll give you a different number for each.

Be that they said 30K a year I'm assuming these are young people out of college maybe? If that is the case I would have to agree. I would not take a full time, entry level, professional job for less than $30K.

If they want to make $30k with no education at McDonalds... no... tough chit.

$30,000 plus benefits, a truck and the gas to go in it is not a bad job for my area. Jobs are scarce here. 20 miles to the nearest McDonald's.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Kenny lot has to do with the times as well. Most kids aren't expected to work today growing up as we were.
There were not the " safety nets" then as today.
At 13 I was working off from home in the summer for 20 bucks a week and board.
Average laborer rates here today will run 15-20 bucks an hour if you can find someone.
Economies vary so much from region to region I don't see how you can pick an arbitrary number.
This is why the market should dictate the minimum IMO.

 

[Dave]

I work for free all the time for the neighbor. But it is all ranch work that I enjoy and my pension pays me nearly as much as I made when I was employed.
I made about $4 a day picking berries. I was real happy cleaning chicken houses with a shovel and a wheelbarrow for $1.25 an hour. After I turned 18 I got a job in a plywood mill for $2.83 an hour. But at the time I bought a 6 year old pickup with 48,000 miles on it for $800.
Now? Crop advising and writing up reports probably $200 a day. Falling timber, when I got hurt in 1993 I was making $180 for a 6 hour day. Now they make around $500+ a day. (I am too old and fat to do that any more)

 

[kenny thomas]

I totally agree with all statements but yes CB we are of a different generation and really a different world. If I can make anything extra its more than I had before. If I can make $10 on a cow trade before I leave the stockyard its $10 more than I had when I got there.

 

[Buck Randall]

$15 an hour is my bare minimum for driving equipment and general ranch type work but I'm not entry level either and have a lot of my own tools, grease guns, air comp, etc. Part of that price is because I enjoy it. $20 is more in line.

For some one like my son who is just coming in to the workforce for the first time I'd have a hard time with any thing less than $10 just because of the general price of things like fuel, taxes, clothes, etc.

My first job was $5 an hour but $5 also bought you a hamburger, fries, and drink. Those days are gone.

I think a lot of people haven't kept pace with inflation in their perception of the value of money and minimum wage. $5.00 an hour today is equivalent to 75 cents an hour in 1970.

Inflation Calculator | Find US Dollar's Value From 1913-2024

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www.usinflationcalculator.com

 

[Brute 23]

I think a lot of people haven't kept pace with inflation in their perception of the value of money and minimum wage. $5.00 an hour today is equivalent to 75 cents an hour in 1970.

Inflation Calculator | Find US Dollar's Value From 1913-2024

Easily calculate how the buying power of the U.S. dollar has changed from 1913 to 2024. Get inflation rates and U.S. inflation news.

www.usinflationcalculator.com

That is the biggest hurdle with most people.

Second is they only look at the money coming in and not what it cost to bring that money in.

 

[Brute 23]

$30,000 plus benefits, a truck and the gas to go in it is not a bad job for my area. Jobs are scarce here. 20 miles to the nearest McDonald's.

That's the context I was talking about. What you just described is more like $50K. Benefits, a vehicle and fuel is probably a solid $20K value. That would be a pretty good gig to get your feet on the ground IMO.

 

[kenny thomas]

I think a lot of people haven't kept pace with inflation in their perception of the value of money and minimum wage. $5.00 an hour today is equivalent to 75 cents an hour in 1970.

Inflation Calculator | Find US Dollar's Value From 1913-2024

Easily calculate how the buying power of the U.S. dollar has changed from 1913 to 2024. Get inflation rates and U.S. inflation news.

www.usinflationcalculator.com

I totally understand and agree that $5 isn't much now.
At least part of my point is that anything made extra is extra I can save. I love overtime. When I go on details I want 90+ hours a week. As many of you realize I do a full time job and a few part time jobs. If I can make $10 an hour its $10 I didn't have before.
Any kid still living at home with no expenses should be glad to get $10 until they can get more.

 

[gcreekrch]

First job away from home was $5 a day and board pitching bales. Likely wasn't worth that! Lost a hay hook and got deducted a full day's wage.

$450 a month to feed little squares with a team and live in a cabin with no power. Seven miles to a plowed road, took the transmission out of my pickup about the time the stack was finished and the owner moved the cows home. That was in late 1979. Made more trapping than my wage was.
Early the same year I quit a mill job that paid 1100 take home to drive silage truck for $800. A guy has to have some pride you know!
The kids working for us now take home more than we do some years.

 

[Pep Union]

I would agree to work for the amount offered to me and would always look around for any better offers.

If I am offered $X/hour, it means I am worth $X/hour. If you dont accept it, you are gonna be unemployed, actually this is one of the main causes of unemployment, disliking your worth.

 

[sstterry]

Economies vary so much from region to region I don't see how you can pick an arbitrary number.

I agree with this, but I think there has to be a minimum number. But $15/hr is too high a minimum for my area. It will hurt a lot of small operations.

 

[jltrent]

KT around here 30k ($15/hr) is a pretty good job, especially starting out. IMO the benefits, working conditions and the people you work with are as important.