Re: Minimum wage
 

Citizenship is more a focus of the Dems, and I have never heard of any promotion of strict sanctions. Which as has been said would not happen anyway.

Re: Minimum wage
 

Millions Of Over-Qualified Workers To Be Left Without Jobs In Unemployment 'Twilight Zone'

Millions Of Over-Qualified Workers To Be Left Without Jobs In Unemployment 'Twilight Zone'

Re: Minimum wage
 

When I read that article, I thought the following must be wrong.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: "As part of our long-term economic plan, we have record numbers of people in work, with the majority of the rise in employment being full-time, permanent positions.

The reason I suspected that it was wrong was that the US passed it's old gdp in constant prices from it's high of 2007 in 2011 and is currently about $1 trillion higher than 2007 but only recently passed it's 2007 employment high. I knew that the UK still has not reached it's old gdp in constant prices of 2008 so I thought that the UK couldn't possibly be employing more people than 2008. However after checking the charts, it appears that the UK has added about 500,000 jobs from it's 2008 high.

United Kingdom Employed Persons | Actual Data | Forecasts | Calendar

However both of those are correct but the problem is that productivity fell by about 5% since 2008. So currently there are more workers in the UK producing less goods than 2008 based on value. I suppose in some ways that is good since less people will be dependent on government benefits.

Re: Minimum wage
 

Looking at possible programs to take at some of the colleges, the one's that seem to offer the best return and wage from the start all involve working for a government entity of some sort, seems to be where the good wages are...

Re: Minimum wage
 

You wonder how long that can continue.

Re: Minimum wage
 

Personally I don't think everyone should go to college. I think you have to judge yourself and if you make a mistake, you'll have student debt hanging over you for a long time.

Have you considered going to a technical school such as a plumber, carpenter, electrician, tile layer, or all the above? Although you may also have a problem finding a job in that field but with that education, you can always work for yourself as a handyman specializing in specific services. In the bay area, a reasonable priced handyman charges about $400 for an 8 hour day if you book him for the week or about $75-$100 per hour for short term work. That could be more than $100,000 per year if employed full time year round. Even if you only find work 50% of the time, you'll be making about $50,000 per year.

I suspect that you could probably get trained in all the above in less than a year.

In BC you may not be able to charge that much but it should still be a decent living. Of course when you first start your business, probably expect only about 1/4th the amount until you build up your reputation.

I have a nephew in Minneapolis that does only tile laying and he was doing pretty well prior to the recession but when the recession hit, jobs stopped. He's now doing well again but in late 2010 he learned to advertise on the internet and that created interest to get out of the slump.

Actually Yelp helps but you have to know how to play Yelp. Yelp seems to post mostly reviews for businesses that use Yelp's services so to get the reviews posted, you need to use Yelp services (eg. coupons that Yelp sells for a profit such as $40 per hour for 8 hours work or 20% off on labor and you pay Yelp $10-$20 for each coupon sold). Yelp claims they have a program limits reviews based on a specific criteria but when I tried to post bad reviews for businesses that had a lot of good reviews and good reviews for businesses that had very few reviews, none of them posted. After investigating Yelp, the businesses with a lot of good reviews were advertising with Yelp and the one's with few reviews were not. Personally I'd stay away from "Angie's List" since from reports I've read, it sucks businesses dry with a lot of charges.

Re: Minimum wage
 

I've thought about trades, there are some training programs for them. Just not sure how well I would do as I have never been real good at fixing things, although I could probably do plumbing okay, when I kept aquariums, I had to plumb those and create systems myself, and never flooded the place...lol

I am looking at one short term course in particular, its only 6 months and is well within my abilities, and is in demand and postings all over with every health authority in the area, pay isn't super high, but good enough for me. 18 to 20/hr to start.

Its community mental health worker, with the direction mental health care is going here, there will likely be more demand for these as well due to the community based approach of the mental health system now being used so facilities are all over the place and not just at a hospital with nurses like before, and its too much $$$ for the health authorities to use nurses when a nurse isn't needed, so new position was created that is cheaper.

I am not looking at any academic programs, everything is very specific in training, some are certificates, a couple are degrees.

But now I think I am going to look into plumbing as well.

Got about a year before I can consider going back to school/training, so I am not rushing.

Re: Minimum wage
 

Unfortunately you probably don't own your home so you can't do projects in your home. However if you got friends that need small jobs for tile work, crown molding, new baseboards, plumbing, hardwood flooring, etc., Home Depot and Lowe's have free classes on the weekends. Then if your friends will let you practice during the weekends or during vacation on their home, you may find you can do pretty decent job.

You'd probably need about $1,000 worth of power tools to do the above projects. If you specialize in only one thing, you probably only need to spend about 1/4 that amount.

Re: Minimum wage
 

From what I can gather about you from your posts, I think the community worker job will suit you better. It sounds interesting actually.

Re: Minimum wage
 

Worked for Obama.

Re: Minimum wage
 

That's community organizer and not community health worker.:huh:

Re: Minimum wage
 

Close

Re: Minimum wage
 

I'm not so sure. In the US, those low level health service jobs are very low paying. I'd make sure that what is being advertised is for someone without experience.

In the US it's also a growing industry but a lot of it is in nursing homes and other low paying positions. Someone that takes your blood pressure and weight has worked their way up after doing the crap jobs.

Re: Minimum wage
 

In Kenya :rolleyes:

Unbelievable.
Yeah I guess but maybe steadier work.

Re: Minimum wage
 

The lowest range is 18/hr. I made sure to check the union website to check out the pay scale.

Luckily wage wise most healthcare workers work for a health authority, and the province negotiates the wages with the work groups.

There are some private entities providing some health support workers, but they cater to home care mostly.

Upside to having government funded healthcare, wages haven't been depleted in the lower level support workers categories, and nowhere near the level seen in the US.

My mom did home healthcare in California after she could no longer be a paramedic after cancer, and she made 8 to 9 per hour, she eventually left and went into a hotel since it paid more.

Support workers don't make super wages, but for the training needed the pay is good. 18 is the lowest starting, top off is mid 20's, 23 ish if I recall correctly. Per hour wages.

I thought about psychiatric nursing as well (different then registered nursing) as its one of the few health programs not requiring high levels of math as their pay is quite nice 30 to 43 per hour, but I am thinking for me, short term might be better for training, and then decide later on if I want to move up into more training.

We are one of the few places in North America where psychiatric nursing is its own specialty and license, and totally different training then a RN would get.

Re: Minimum wage
 

Make sure you know what the job encompasses so that you won't decide to quit after a short time. Near the bottom of my list of things I'd want to do is help some 90 year old guy or woman take a bath, put a bedpan under someone's butt, or take someone's temperature the hard way.:eek: In fact I wouldn't want to be a doctor because of some of the things they have to do with their fingers.:thumbdown: You'll also notice that the doctor usually leaves the room when someone puts on a gown. I doubt that is because of modesty but probably the doctor has seen enough ugly bodies.:rofl:

I have a niece that became a dental hygienist but after 6 months, she quit since she didn't like constantly looking in people mouths.:( In fact during the last visit to my dentist, he told me he felt sorry for his dental hygienist since it was the same repetition day after day but every time I see her, she has a smile on her face.:D

Re: Minimum wage
 

According to you?

Re: Minimum wage
 

I have a friend (from middle /high school) who became (is) an RN in CA. Academically he was a very low achiever so I am sure he didn't have to do any high level math whatsoever to get his RN degree.

Re: Minimum wage
 

It definitely isn't someone's cup of tea, but since this is a minimum wage thread I'd like to point out that these jobs are pretty close to minimum wage, I would imagine and are much needed. The people that helped take care of my grandmother when she lived in an assisted living facility, I'm sure didn't make much more than whatever minimum wage is or was in the little town she was living in. It was a small facility and as you can imagine turnover happened a lot, but there were a few that had been there for a while and you could tell the job meant something to them. They enjoyed working with the people that they came in contact with and for those people I'm forever grateful. They made my grandmother feel comfortable and happy in her last days.

Some people enjoy the job they do and it sucks they only get paid minimum wage, especially when they fill a much needed position. Would I pay these people $15 an hour? In a heartbeat!

Re: Minimum wage
 

Agreed.
I think the people described above are doing a relatively much more skilled job and one that few can do, compared to say someone serving burgers at Mc Donalds, which almost anyone can do.

Re: Minimum wage
 

Which is why there is no way they're earning mimimum wage.

In my facility, a housekeeper starts at $7.75p/h. A CNA (which the above is describing) starts at $11 and a Licensed Practical Nurse starts around $16.

Re: Minimum wage
 

Did you offer?

Re: Minimum wage
 

The best of capitalism is over for rich countries – and for the poor ones it will be over by 2060 | Paul Mason | Comment is free | The Guardian

An interesting read and fits in very nicely with this thread.

Re: Minimum wage
 

I'm not their employer. But there are many like them and while they may be making slightly above minimum wage, in no way are they making what they are worth.

Re: Minimum wage
 

I think that pretty much says it all.

I have no problem with it, just amuses me when you see all the other comments from people who will not admit the realities, their own reality.

Re: Minimum wage
 

Unfortunately in an over-supplied market they are being paid what they're worth. There is no prospect of demand increasing significantly, so reducing supply (of labour) is the only way that is likely to increase the price (of labour) without creating more unemployment.

Re: Minimum wage
 

My point is good employees, not your every day run of the mill garden variety. They are a dime a dozen, I know.

Re: Minimum wage
 

Why so low for the practical nurse?

Around here the wage 24 to 27 per hour.

RN's make 31 to 41 per hour.

Psychiatric nurses make 31 to 41 per hour.

Mental Health care worker (one I am maybe gonna do) 18.95 to 22 per hour.

Patient Care Aide (closest we have to a CNA) 22 per hour.

Hospital Porter 20.46 per hour.

Community Health Worker/Homecare 18.95 to 20.72 per hour.

Janitorial has now been largely outsourced to private companies, so they are no longer employed by the health authority directly as have most cafeteria and food service employees. The wage wont be any lower then 10.25 per hour though as that is min. wage.

Re: Minimum wage
 

Canada vs US?

Re: Minimum wage
 

Even with the low US salaries, nursing home care (not a skilled nursing facility) in the US costs about an average of $8,000 per month and most of the cost is for labor. This care is for someone who can't perform daily functions but is not dying. If the average in the US is $8,000 per month, it must cost $12,000 per month or more in Canada.

Skilled nursing home care is much more expensive and is normally only for recovery after being admitted to a hospital and is short term up to about 30 days.

Re: Minimum wage
 

We're a Hospital with full ER/OR (but not a trauma centre) coverage and a SNF.

Re: Minimum wage
 

I'm not sure how Canada does it but Medicare only covers Skill Nursing Facility care and not nursing home care. In fact it is almost impossible to get coverage for nursing home care through private insurance. Does the Canadian government cover nursing home care?

It would be nice if the government would cover nursing home care but when is it the families responsibility to take care of relatives and when is it the government's responsibility? If the person is poor, then Medicaid will cover the care. It's a complex issue since someone could be in a nursing home for 10 years or more.

Medicare does cover hospice care if it is assumed that a person has 6 months or less to live. Hospice care is an option that a person can chose over hospitalization.

Re: Minimum wage
 

No society could cover those sort of costs.

Re: Minimum wage
 

In BC nursing home care and home care are subsidized by the government as part of the healthcare system. The cost varies based on income level.


All hospitals in BC are run by government funded health authorities, so all employees of the hospital work for whatever health authority is in charge of that region.

The nursing homes that are run by the health authorities are the same, the employees work for the health authority.

But like hospitals, public nursing homes, and public home care are subsidized by the government as part of the healthcare system and costs vary depending on service, some are free at point of service (hospital stays) and others pay a monthly rent (nursing homes) based on income. The charges generally for rent are inline for what someone would pay for rent if they still lived on their own though.

Healthcare accounts for about 42-43% of the entire provincial budget.

Here is a link to various public subsidized services available. (note we also have private companies providing these services, but they generally cater to the well off folks who have good money and don't want a public facility.)

http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/topic.page...E3F99B03F035C4

Re: Minimum wage
 

I found this course about learning. How to learn. I might take it.

And I remembered this thread and Jsmth321. Check out this link:

https://www.class-central.com/report...-how-to-learn/

Re: Minimum wage
 

Easy to say, but then you have to consider who is currently being supported and by how much. A little reallocation could perhaps be considered.

Average American Families Pays $6K a Year in Big Business Subsidies | Blog, We're Not Making This Up! | BillMoyers.com

Re: Minimum wage
 

Oddly enough, the "dream" is part of the problem.


(Not quite safe for work -- a bit of profanity in that one.)

We might have better policies in this country if we would acknowledge that not everyone can be a winner, and that this reality can't be fixed by expecting employers to fix it. There's a certain segment of society that needs to be permanently subsidized, and we would be wiser if we would just admit it.

Re: Minimum wage
 

The United States of America could if it didn't spend all their money of security:


The bloated defense budget which is nearly as large of the rest of the worlds combined. Interest on defense spending, military pensions, interest on military pensions, the secret black budgets, the National Intelligence Council [NIC], National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), National Counterintelligence Executive [NCIX], Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency (NSA), National Reconnaissance Office, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, Office of Intelligence and Analysis, National Security Council, DEA - Drug Enforcement Administration, NDIC - National Drug Intelligence Center, USNCB - U.S. National Central Bureau, INR - Bureau of Intelligence & Research, INL - Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, CT - Counterterrorism Office, DS -United States Department of State Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR), United States Department of the Treasury Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI), Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Office of Intelligence Support, Office of the Under Secretary (Enforcement), United States Department of Energy Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence (OICI), Transportation Security Administration,Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms......And these are just the ones I can remember off the top of my head..

There are 1,271 government organizations and 1,931 private companies working on intelligence, counterterrorism, or homeland security in the U.S.

What are they so afraid of again?

Re: Minimum wage
 

TSA?

Re: Minimum wage
 

First of all...direct assistance to Americans is a tiny fraction of the federal budget...Secondly, its their money.

How did they get people to complain about the tiny percentage of tax dollars coming back to people, and ignore the trillions being wasted/looted on things they don't need and benefit no one? HOW DID THEY DO THAT!?