Council of Governors - Minimum Wage Act

Felix Clary zu Osegg wrote:If we make it a median of regional medians, the resulting number should prove consensual.

Governor Alexander wrote:

Felix Clary zu Osegg wrote:If we make it a median of regional medians, the resulting number should prove consensual.

But that could lead to a rich region like Eastport having their wages too low and a poor region like Lurem have their wages too high.

Governor WhiskeyWhiskers wrote:What are the advantages, in your opinion, of that over my suggestion?

Governor Grifenknight wrote:You guys are ignoring me...

I asked Lore last week about the normal living costs(In Lurem) per month.  He told me about 300-ish(I dont remember the exact number).  I did the math and with a 10 hour day and 6 day work weeks and even 2 ESP an hour is alot.  10 ESP an hour IS INSANE.(I believe you changed the bill, but it did state that the average living cost is 10 ESP an hour)

Also, you have to remember that with areas with higher wages, the price of living goes up.  Im sure the same applies in this world.  You also have to remember that there is only 100 Million ESP in circulation right now with a population of about 2 million people(I think thats right).  The strain on businesses would be crazy...

OOC: I believe you changed the bill as I was typing this so...

Governor WhiskeyWhiskers wrote:

Governor Grifenknight wrote:You guys are ignoring me...

I asked Lore last week about the normal living costs(In Lurem) per month.  He told me about 300-ish(I dont remember the exact number).  I did the math and with a 10 hour day and 6 day work weeks and even 2 ESP an hour is alot.  10 ESP an hour IS INSANE.(I believe you changed the bill, but it did state that the average living cost is 10 ESP an hour)

Also, you have to remember that with areas with higher wages, the price of living goes up.  Im sure the same applies in this world.  You also have to remember that there is only 100 Million ESP in circulation right now with a population of about 2 million people(I think thats right).  The strain on businesses would be crazy...

OOC: I believe you changed the bill as I was typing this so...

OOC:Since when did we have 6 day work weeks? Is that a thing in the lore?

Governor Grifenknight wrote:

Felix Clary zu Osegg wrote:But then, wouldn't workers from Aberisk and Lurem move for greater wages to other Regions?
I am for a unitary minimum wage, but perhaps it could be set as a median, not an average.

But the problem is that with higher wages come higher costs of living.

OOC:  I know about this too much.  The region I live in irl is really expensive to live in compared to nearby regions because the wages are much higher compared to those regions.
Essentially...
My area= High living cost is to High wages
like
other areas= Low living costs is to low wages

Governor Grifenknight wrote:I believe there should be no bill for this.  The regions fluctuate too wildly in wealth and this would essentially only establish a minimum wage for the poor regions(Lurem and Aberisk).  This is clearly singling us out.  

If we left the jursidiction of minimum wage to the regions, they would be able to calculate the living cost of their regions and set it at that.  No problem...

Governor WhiskeyWhiskers wrote:Calculate it off a 40 hour work week instead. A livable wage should allow someone to live outside of work.

Governor WhiskeyWhiskers wrote:Calculate it off a 40 hour work week instead. A livable wage should allow someone to live outside of work.

Felix Clary zu Osegg wrote:What about this: we divide Regions into 3 groups of 3 based on median living expenses (highest to lowest). Lowest bracket has 3 "votes", middle 2 "votes" and highest 1 "vote", thus skewing ultimate enumeration lower so it fits more the poorer regions, while still slowly bringing up the national average?

Governor Grifenknight wrote:

Governor WhiskeyWhiskers wrote:Calculate it off a 40 hour work week instead. A livable wage should allow someone to live outside of work.

OOC: This is 1946 in a poverty stricken country...

IC:  Even with a 40 hour work week, your initial proposal of 10 ESP per hour was insane.  TOTAL MADNESS.

Governor Grifenknight wrote:

Felix Clary zu Osegg wrote:What about this: we divide Regions into 3 groups of 3 based on median living expenses (highest to lowest). Lowest bracket has 3 "votes", middle 2 "votes" and highest 1 "vote", thus skewing ultimate enumeration lower so it fits more the poorer regions, while still slowly bringing up the national average?

Or we could leave it to the hands of the regions...

Governor WhiskeyWhiskers wrote:

Governor Grifenknight wrote:

Governor WhiskeyWhiskers wrote:Calculate it off a 40 hour work week instead. A livable wage should allow someone to live outside of work.

OOC: This is 1946 in a poverty stricken country...

IC:  Even with a 40 hour work week, your initial proposal of 10 ESP per hour was insane.  TOTAL MADNESS.

10 ESP was not my suggestion, I will admit I assumed Governor Alexander had done their homework and asked what a reasonable initial wage would be. Setting an initial wage I do not believe is necessary. It should immediately be up to the bank.

Governor WhiskeyWhiskers wrote:This is a minimum wage. We calculate it off 40 hours a week so that penalty rates get applied for overtime. Paying Luremite workers more is not going to harm their economy, it will bolster it with consumer demand increasing.

Governor Grifenknight wrote:
But it will hurt the businesses and in turn they will increase prices, keeping the market in the same place.  This is simple economics, my dear friend.  Increased wages lead to increased prices.  This is a well known fact.  However, if productivity was increased in some way, with technology or something, then wages would be able to increase without price raises.  Again, simple economics...

Governor WhiskeyWhiskers wrote:

Governor Grifenknight wrote:
But it will hurt the businesses and in turn they will increase prices, keeping the market in the same place.  This is simple economics, my dear friend.  Increased wages lead to increased prices.  This is a well known fact.  However, if productivity was increased in some way, with technology or something, then wages would be able to increase without price raises.  Again, simple economics...

This is not simple economics. It is not a linear scale. Wage increases do not lead to inflation in the exact manner you posit.

Governor WhiskeyWhiskers wrote:

Governor Grifenknight wrote:
But it will hurt the businesses and in turn they will increase prices, keeping the market in the same place.  This is simple economics, my dear friend.  Increased wages lead to increased prices.  This is a well known fact.  However, if productivity was increased in some way, with technology or something, then wages would be able to increase without price raises.  Again, simple economics...

This is not simple economics. It is not a linear scale. Wage increases do not lead to inflation in the exact manner you posit as there are more inputs into cost than simply labour cost.