Cafe charges customers 35 cent "minimum wage fee"

[redfish]

All I was trying to point out is that the more government gets involved the more expensive things are going to get, hence the higher taxes.  It is not all caused by the small minimum wage increase, but it is a small part of it.  I would rather keep my money and decide what to do with it than to give the majority of it away, but that is just me.

That was my point.  Higher taxes are the cause and will be the result of more regulation and mandates.

 

Maybe its not about the government getting more or less involved, its about things its bad for the government to get involved in versus things its good for the government to get involved in. The minimum wage can be debated as a separate issue from other government interventions. I'm not necessarily a big supporter of minimum wage increases, I just think it can be debated independently. I don't just don't necessarily see everything as a slippery slope to even bigger government.

 

Cost of living has been increasing in the US too, for other reasons than government interference, and partly because gas prices have been rising, partly because insurance costs have been rising.

 

Gas taxes normally pay for things like road maintenance, which has to be done, unless you're an extreme libertarian and advocate privatization of the road system. Europe does tend to have higher gas taxes, but its also easier to get around in Europe without a car. Gas taxes are lower for farmers, since gas prices affect food prices.

[tmorris1]

Here is a link to another perspective from the owner:

 

http://www.twincities.com/politics/ci_26293165/minnesota-minimum-wage-fees-are-tacky-mark-dayton

[redfish]

Here is a link to another perspective from the owner:

 

http://www.twincities.com/politics/ci_26293165/minnesota-minimum-wage-fees-are-tacky-mark-dayton

 

"I'm not some tea party person making this huge stand," he said.

.... 

 

But the calls for a boycott worry Beemer.

"It's scary," he said. "This is how I make my living." 

...

"This may have been a bad decision," Beemer said. "Time will tell how this is going to impact our business."

 

 

This is why the customers should be a bit more adult and not boycott him... a boycott harms his employees too. If his business goes down he'll have to fire them.

 

The owner could still have been more polite about making his point if he wasn't trying to be political.

[+LogicalApex MVC]

This is why the customers should be a bit more adult and not boycott him... a boycott harms his employees too. If his business goes down he'll have to fire them.

 

The owner could still have been more polite about making his point if he wasn't trying to be political.

I disagree and if I patronized this place I would stop. I don't support a minimum wage at all, but this is just a very disrespectful way to go about it. I feel it is extremely disrespectful to the staff at this place...

 

As such, I wouldn't want to patronize an environment where the owners have such as hostile and negative view of their staff.

[theyarecomingforyou]

This is why the customers should be a bit more adult and not boycott him... a boycott harms his employees too. If his business goes down he'll have to fire them.

Good. That's one less scummy employer paying the bare minimum. We're talking about a city with a population of nearly 20,000 people - I'm sure they'll be able to find better jobs.

 

The minimum wage isn't the issue here, as numerous studies have shown that the number of available jobs is unaffected by increases in the minimum wage. This is about a business owner exploiting his staff and making a political statement about being legally required to pay them slightly more, even though it's still way below a living wage. I would boycott such an establishment in a second.

[tmorris1]

I disagree and if I patronized this place I would stop. I don't support a minimum wage at all, but this is just a very disrespectful way to go about it. I feel it is extremely disrespectful to the staff at this place...

As such, I wouldn't want to patronize an environment where the owners have such as hostile and negative view of their staff.

The guy had nothing but good to say about his staff

Good. That's one less scummy employer paying the bare minimum. We're talking about a city with a population of nearly 20,000 people - I'm sure they'll be able to find better jobs.

The minimum wage isn't the issue here, as numerous studies have shown that the number of available jobs is unaffected by increases in the minimum wage. This is about a business owner exploiting his staff and making a political statement about being legally required to pay them slightly more, even though it's still way below a living wage. I would boycott such an establishment in a second.

You didn't read the link to the article did you?

[theyarecomingforyou]

You didn't read the link to the article did you?

Yes, I did thanks. What is it that you take issue with?

[tmorris1]

Yes, I did thanks. What is it that you take issue with?

I don't have an issue, but why is he scummy? His staff was making more than minimum wage

[HeartsOfWar]

According to US federal law, employees that receive tips are only required to be paid $2.13 / hour so long as the tips + the hourly rate meet the regular minimum wage, which is $8.00 in this case.

 

 

I disagree and if I patronized this place I would stop. I don't support a minimum wage at all, but this is just a very disrespectful way to go about it. I feel it is extremely disrespectful to the staff at this place...

 

As such, I wouldn't want to patronize an environment where the owners have such as hostile and negative view of their staff.

 

If the employer is paying his staff the full minimum wage + tips, as he states in the interview, he "respects" his staff way more than 95% of other owners and I could certainly understand his situation.

 

I tip really well all the time unless I am just disguested with the service, but the idea of tips is horribly mis-guided in today's US society. Staff expect a tip and the US federal gov. give restaurant owners ammunition, see first sentence, to under pay employees that receive tips. It's very much a conflict of interest...

 

Tips should be removed from the equation completely, but this would result in people making less than they use to and we'd have another fight. Bottom line... people always want more, thinking the grass is always greener on the other side.

[Sandor]

35 cents enrages people?

 

 

Never thought I would do it, but....

 

 

'MURICA!

 

 

Eat at home if 35 cents is a hardship.

 

As for the receipt comment, sounds like the owners are a-holes.

Er no...employing staff is a cost of being in business and you have to charge appropriately to cover those costs. If the owner felt it necessary to raise prices to cover the extra cost then that's fair enough. What you do is just bundle it into the price of the burger along with everything else. When the price of electricity goes up you wouldn't see the owner putting an "EXTRA ELEC FEE - 4 cents" on the bottom of the check would you? Of course not. It's a statement and a stupid one at that.

[spaceelf]

According to US federal law, employees that receive tips are only required to be paid $2.13 / hour so long as the tips + the hourly rate meet the regular minimum wage, which is $8.00 in this case.

I believe MN law is different.  I believe employees that receive tips are still paid minimum wage here.

 

I haven't actually checked, mind you.

[HeartsOfWar]

I believe MN law is different.  I believe employees that receive tips are still paid minimum wage here.

 

I haven't actually checked, mind you.

 

You are correct: I have verified your statement.

 

As the owner indicated, his staff regularly make in excess of $20 / hour due to min. wage + tips and knowing as such... I say he is well within his right.

 

Working in a restaurant, although necessary for some, is not meant to be your life career or the extent of your ambition... it's meant to be a stop-gap on the way to higher education, etc. No wonder people have no ambition... they can mindlessly fill your drink every 15 min and come out making more than most with a bachelor's at starting pay.

[FloatingFatMan]

Tips should be removed from the equation completely, but this would result in people making less than they use to and we'd have another fight. Bottom line... people always want more, thinking the grass is always greener on the other side.

 

Why would it? Staff should be paid the same minimum wage as everyone else in the state, PLUS get their tips... Just the same as it operates in most of the rest of the western world.

Working in a restaurant, although necessary for some, is not meant to be your life career or the extent of your ambition... it's meant to be a stop-gap on the way to higher education, etc. No wonder people have no ambition... they can mindlessly fill your drink every 15 min and come out making more than most with a bachelor's at starting pay.

 

What a load of nonsense.  Many people WANT to work in the service industry, you know.  It can be every bit as rewarding for them as a career garnered from a higher education can be for someone else.  Plus, not everyone has access to that higher education anyway, so such high paid jobs are beyond their grasp.

[theyarecomingforyou]

I don't have an issue, but why is he scummy? His staff was making more than minimum wage

If his staff were making more than the minimum wage he wouldn't have needed to add a minimum wage fee now, would he? He is a scummy employer because he's paying staff the bare minimum and adding this fee to make a political statement protesting the rise. If he cared about his employees he would pay them a living wage.

[HeartsOfWar]

Why would it? Staff should be paid the same minimum wage as everyone else in the state, PLUS get their tips... Just the same as it operates in most of the rest of the western world.

 

 

Staff should be paid min. wage... and yes, if someone tips, the staff should be able to receive that tip; however, I should not have to live in fear of tipping or have my food contaminated because an employee got the raw end of the deal from their employer / gov / state.

 

there should not be a min. tip percentage or some guilt trip to tip... and yet there is...

[FloatingFatMan]

Staff should be paid min. wage... and yes, if someone tips, the staff should be able to receive that tip; however, I should not have to live in fear of tipping or have my food contaminated because an employee got the raw end of the deal from their employer / gov / state.

 

there should not be a min. tip percentage or some guilt trip to tip... and yet there is...

 

Well, over here, there IS no tip culture, because the server staff get an appropriate wage... People tip for service beyond the basics, they don't tip for someone just doing their job.

[HeartsOfWar]

What a load of nonsense.  Many people WANT to work in the service industry, you know.  It can be every bit as rewarding for them as a career garnered from a higher education can be for someone else.  Plus, not everyone has access to that higher education anyway, so such high paid jobs are beyond their grasp.

 

I worked 40 / week while putting myself through college with zero student loans. No one can tell me that higher education is unattainable for them in the United States... NO ONE. It might be that way in other parts of the world... but not here.

[tmorris1]

Why would it? Staff should be paid the same minimum wage as everyone else in the state, PLUS get their tips... Just the same as it operates in most of the rest of the western world.

What a load of nonsense. Many people WANT to work in the service industry, you know. It can be every bit as rewarding for them as a career garnered from a higher education can be for someone else. Plus, not everyone has access to that higher education anyway, so such high paid jobs are beyond their grasp.

Nothing wrong with working service jobs or any other minimum wage job but they shouldn't expect to make the same wage as a trained professional would. Higher education is available to anyone that wants it.

[FloatingFatMan]

I worked 40 / week while putting myself through college with zero student loans. No one can tell me that higher education is unattainable for them in the United States... NO ONE. It might be that way in other parts of the world... but not here.

 

There's a lot more to it than just cost, you know.

[tmorris1]

I worked 40 / week while putting myself through college with zero student loans. No one can tell me that higher education is unattainable for them in the United States... NO ONE. It might be that way in other parts of the world... but not here.

Amen. If you have no money you probably stand a better chance because of grants an low interest loans that are available too.

[HeartsOfWar]

There's a lot more to it than just cost, you know.

 

Not in the US? In fact, in the US it's actually easier if you are struggling because of all the grants / extra care given to minorities... it's almost criminal.

[tmorris1]

There's a lot more to it than just cost, you know.

What would that be? If you have the mental capacity for an education it is available to you.

[vanx]

That's the point of the world today - price your salary at what you think people will work for. They will either come work for you, or go somewhere else. Why does government really have to step in?

 

Yeah, one could claim that all companies would suddenly collude to drop salary down to 30 cents a day and mess with the overall economy... and that's what this really is about. Government maintaining the economy and a cushy way of living and business trade.

 

Companies would not need to collude. They could just set the hourly salary to be very low and take advantage of people's need to have a job and some form of income. Minimum wage is a good thing and it's in situations like these that I see that United States of America is not so united after all.

[spaceelf]

Companies would not need to collude. They could just set the hourly salary to be very low and take advantage of people's need to have a job and some form of income. Minimum wage is a good thing and it's in situations like these that I see that United States of America is not so united after all.

Heh if it was up to some people here we'd still have slavery.

[tmorris1]

If his staff were making more than the minimum wage he wouldn't have needed to add a minimum wage fee now, would he? He is a scummy employer because he's paying staff the bare minimum and adding this fee to make a political statement protesting the rise. If he cared about his employees he would pay them a living wage.

The point is they are making more than min wage already. The 10,000 extra May be his current profit margin.