[Mat]

Originally Posted by London2HK

Well I would expect them to earn more than someone in a local cafe because as a minimum the workers are expected to know 3 languages

3 Languages, really?

[UK/HKboy]

Originally Posted by hullexile

Any evidence of a significant negative impact in the UK?

isnt it one of the reasons the UK is uncompetitive for trades? especially in the current economic situation, the inflexibility means that these countries have an extra barrier towards competing.

and i think someone earlier mentioned how it affects the hiring process too. when there is a difference between minimum wages over a certain age, then of course employers will look for those who are cheapest. if you are working for minimum wage, then (most likely) the skill set required is not very high.

implementing a minimum wage also causes inflation (if companies have to pay low paid workers more, then they will increase prices to cover the costs) and this brings its own pros and cons.

im not saying minimum wage is all bad (it prevents employers taking advantage of workers, it gives a certain standard of living for anyone who works etc.) but certainly, it causes as many problems in the long term if not properly thought out and implemented.

[UK/HKboy]

Originally Posted by Mat

3 Languages, really?

3 languages would get a high paid office job in most places...

i think they know enough to communicate at mcdonalds (Big mac, fries, coca cola, 1, 2, supersize me, etc etc.). i actually saw a cashier communicate fairly well with a gweilo in the mcdonalds in wan chai a few weeks ago.

[kombuchakid]

it seems certain that, in order to bring up a family, the labour of the husband and wife together must, even in the lowest species of common labour, be able to earn something more than what is precisely necessary for their own maintenance....


if that makes you head hurt, then repeat the dose
Supporting a minimum wage increase

[hullexile]

Originally Posted by UK/HKboy

isnt it one of the reasons the UK is uncompetitive for trades? especially in the current economic situation, the inflexibility means that these countries have an extra barrier towards competing.

and i think someone earlier mentioned how it affects the hiring process too. when there is a difference between minimum wages over a certain age, then of course employers will look for those who are cheapest. if you are working for minimum wage, then (most likely) the skill set required is not very high.

implementing a minimum wage also causes inflation (if companies have to pay low paid workers more, then they will increase prices to cover the costs) and this brings its own pros and cons.

im not saying minimum wage is all bad (it prevents employers taking advantage of workers, it gives a certain standard of living for anyone who works etc.) but certainly, it causes as many problems in the long term if not properly thought out and implemented.

yes they were all the arguments used before its introduction but I don't think there is much credible evidence to support these in practice whereas the positive impact has been very strong especially in lower wage areas of the country.

[TS888]

I get the sense that people here are out of touch with what hourly wages in Hong Kong are like. People working in labor jobs like warehousing and truck driving and the like make in the $7-$15k a month range. I know, I see the budgets. I just saw something in the SCMP about parking attendant pay from some company getting cut from $7500 to $6000 a month. Even locals with Uni degrees often make wages that would be snubbed in the west.

I use this as a motivator. I am paid as much as a score of the people who work in our warehouses, so I need to produce to scale. I owe it to the warehouse people as much as I do the company owners.

[hiro nakamura]

Originally Posted by Drunken Master

Fast food restaurants pay around 25 dollar per hour.

I don't think they are so generous
do you ?
$25ph will be too much for the fast food restaurants

[UK/HKboy]

Originally Posted by hiro nakamura

I don't think they are so generous
do you ?
$25ph will be too much for the fast food restaurants

if people are willing to work for HK$25 per hour, then the company is hardly going to offer $35 per hour. They are a business looking to cut costs and increase revenue, not a charity. the skill set required for their workers is not high and they can be easily replaced. it's not like they are paying for the best talent around.

however, if people were unwilling to work for $25 per hour, then the company would be forced to increase their incentives.

yes, agreed it is low and the company probably can afford higher wages. but all workers have to take a stand which won't happen.

[bookblogger]

Originally Posted by TS888

I get the sense that people here are out of touch with what hourly wages in Hong Kong are like.

I think you can pretty much guarantee that. Expat salaries with all their allowances and perks bear no relation to local wage scales.

[carang]

Originally Posted by UK/HKboy

but all workers have to take a stand which won't happen.

that would be called 'COLLECTIVE BARGAINING' which is illegal in hk....or so i remember hearing years ago.