Economy

[BigRedBuster]

I’ll somewhat agree with @Archy1221 on this. 
 

A little research shows that the average wage in Mayfield is around $8 per hour. 
 

But, if check other larger towns in the area, it’s higher. 
 

So, people living there and making that have obviously, to a certain extent, chosen to live there even though that’s what they make. 
 

So, are you saying the candle factory workers fell on hard times and that’s why they are there?  They lost a job in Clarksville TN do they moved to Maysvile?

 

I’m guessing most grew up there. At some point, they chose to stay. That choice isn’t societies fault. 

[NM11046]

Just now, BigRedBuster said:

I’ll somewhat agree with @Archy1221 on this. 
 

A little research shows that the average wage in Mayfield is around $8 per hour. 
 

But, if check other larger towns in the area, it’s higher. 
 

So, people living there and making that have obviously, to a certain extent, chosen to live there even though that’s what they make. 
 

So, are you saying the candle factory workers fell on hard times and that’s why they are there?  They lost a job in Clarksville TN do they moved to Maysvile?

 

I’m guessing most grew up there. At some point, they chose to stay. That choice isn’t societies fault. 

No I'm saying that any employer that pays that low a wage is taking advantage of employees.  Whether they fall on hard times, are uneducated, are undocumented or are a supplemental earner in their home they deserve a fair wage that one can live on.   

 

This is from 2016 - so dated, but even then hourly wage in KY is $15.96.  All state averages are pretty embarrassing.

 

https://www.governing.com/archive/wage-average-median-pay-data-for-states.html

 

 

 

 

[Goal-line]

Corporate profits are up 37%  in a time of inflation?   CEO pay increases 16%?  Greed drives inflation.  When money is infused into a growing booming economy, the thieves come out of the woodwork.  By the way, we do not have a shortage of oil.  We have a hoarded supply by the oil companies.  

 

• A record July net profit margin reading from the National Association for Business Economics (NABE) survey shows that a majority of companies are successfully passing on increased costs to customers.
• While widespread, the profitability gains are not accruing equally across the market or sectors.
• Concerns remain that the transitory inflation forecast by the Federal Reserve could turn against the central bank and the economy if it lasts too long, with a particular impact on smaller companies.

Ways to curb inflation:  (no one wants any of these)

 

1.  Price controls

2.  Curb or cut wages

3.  Raise interest rates.

 

Other factors that drive prices higher are tariffs, government subsidies, and tax breaks for corporations who buy back shares and pad their own pockets. 

 

A tariff is a tax on he consumer.  

 

Inflation will subside when consumers decide not to spend discretionary money (luxury goods, cars, appliances, vacations, etc.)   In the second year of a pandemic that began by wiping out 20 million jobs, American workers are doing surprisingly well. It’s just that American business is doing even better, a consequence of greed.  

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/28/record-profit-signal-says-companies-are-winning-inflation-battle.html

 

[teachercd]

1 hour ago, BigRedBuster said:

I’ll somewhat agree with @Archy1221 on this. 
 

A little research shows that the average wage in Mayfield is around $8 per hour. 
 

But, if check other larger towns in the area, it’s higher. 
 

So, people living there and making that have obviously, to a certain extent, chosen to live there even though that’s what they make. 
 

So, are you saying the candle factory workers fell on hard times and that’s why they are there?  They lost a job in Clarksville TN do they moved to Maysvile?

 

I’m guessing most grew up there. At some point, they chose to stay. That choice isn’t societies fault. 

This is a really good post.  I am guessing not many people are like "Oh man, I want to move to Mayfield" which means, like you said, the people there are probably ones that grew up there, not all, but a lot.

They like it there and probably like their lives.  Not everyone is chasing a dollar.

[BigRedBuster]

1 hour ago, NM11046 said:

No I'm saying that any employer that pays that low a wage is taking advantage of employees.  Whether they fall on hard times, are uneducated, are undocumented or are a supplemental earner in their home they deserve a fair wage that one can live on.   

 

This is from 2016 - so dated, but even then hourly wage in KY is $15.96.  All state averages are pretty embarrassing.

 

https://www.governing.com/archive/wage-average-median-pay-data-for-states.html

 

 

 

 

The answer is to not work there. Figure out a way to move. It doesn’t take too many people quitting to make a company change.  

[teachercd]

1 minute ago, BigRedBuster said:

The answer is to not work there. Figure out a way to move. It doesn’t take too many people quitting to make a company change.  

I could go teach in the bush in Alaska tomorrow and pretty much double my salary and (I think they still do this) get full retirement bennies in 7 years.  But you know what, I don't want to do that and I don't want to live there.  I had a buddy that did it, he hated it.

 

But the point is, not everyone is chasing the dollar and not everyone wants to take advantage of other opportunities.  Some people are content. 

 

I agree with you 100%.  If enough people are sick of it, they will leave and the company will be forced to pay more. 

[JJ Husker]

Yeah this idea that employers owe unskilled uneducated workers some arbitrary “liveable” wage is hogwash. If the market for employees is such that a company can pay X dollars per hour and fully staff the location then that is what the going wage is there. If there are better opportunities then employees need to leave and seek them out and then the employer may be forced to raise their wages. Pretty simple supply and demand concept.
 

If it’s a problem specific to a state or geographic location and it starts affecting the ability to generate tax revenue, economic growth etc. then they may need to implement some minimum wage requirements. The answer is rarely as simple as those companies need to pay a higher wage. That ignores a lot of the factors.

[JJ Husker]

11 minutes ago, teachercd said:

I could go teach in the bush in Alaska tomorrow and pretty much double my salary and (I think they still do this) get full retirement bennies in 7 years.  But you know what, I don't want to do that and I don't want to live there.  I had a buddy that did it, he hated it.

 

But the point is, not everyone is chasing the dollar and not everyone wants to take advantage of other opportunities.  Some people are content. 

 

I agree with you 100%.  If enough people are sick of it, they will leave and the company will be forced to pay more. 

IDK man, double the salary and full retirement in 7 years. Add in low to non-existent state income tax and unlimited outdoorsy amenities…..I’d sure consider it. 7 years is not that long. But sure, it might not be for everyone.

[teachercd]

5 minutes ago, JJ Husker said:

IDK man, double the salary and full retirement in 7 years. Add in low to non-existent state income tax and unlimited outdoorsy amenities…..I’d sure consider it. 7 years is not that long. But sure, it might not be for everyone.

Haha!

 

So, my buddy did 2 years, maybe 3, I can't remember.  But his last year...the locals went crazy and burnt down the village!  It was on the news.  Also, they are booze free (wink) which is a problem.

 

When he was there a new teacher form Kansas came in...landed...saw the place...and left the next day.  He left ALL HIS s#!t, so of course my friend and the other teachers took it all.

 

I did send my buddy a care package of Tom Collins mix, cheap vodka, a 5 pack of beer (I drank one) a playboy, rubbers and some other s#!t.

 

He taught one year in a decent place, then went deeper for more money the next year...he taught K-12!  Hahaha...15 kids or so ages 6-18!

[BigRedBuster]

16 minutes ago, JJ Husker said:

IDK man, double the salary and full retirement in 7 years. Add in low to non-existent state income tax and unlimited outdoorsy amenities…..I’d sure consider it. 7 years is not that long. But sure, it might not be for everyone.

Agree, @teachercd is obviously not living precariously on the financial edge, so he chooses to stay where he is. 
 

Now, if he were making $8 per hour and had this opportunity, it’s not society’s fault or even his current employer’s.  

[teachercd]

2 minutes ago, BigRedBuster said:

Agree, @teachercd is obviously not living precariously on the financial edge, so he chooses to stay where he is. 
 

Now, if he were making $8 per hour and had this opportunity, it’s not society’s fault or even jus current employer’s.  

Now that I think about it, my first FT teaching gig paid my 12 dollars an hour!  Haha!

 

And I totally agree with you again.  

[Archy1221]

3 hours ago, NM11046 said:

Well I hope that you or your family never fall on hard times Archy.  And if you do, that you find people are far more empathetic and caring about others than yourself.

Falling on hard times and perpetually having a minimum wage jobs at age 30 are two totally different things.  

[commando]

1 hour ago, teachercd said:

 

 

He taught one year in a decent place, then went deeper for more money the next year...he taught K-12!  Hahaha...15 kids or so ages 6-18!

heck...there were schools like that in nebraska when i was going to school.   i think there might still be some like that out in western nebraska

[teachercd]

1 minute ago, commando said:

heck...there were schools like that in nebraska when i was going to school.   i think there might still be some like that out in western nebraska

Yeah there might be!  Sandhills has some interesting spots.  

 

Res schools are interesting but that is fed money and if you can put up with it...you are set. 

[JJ Husker]

2 hours ago, teachercd said:

Haha!

 

So, my buddy did 2 years, maybe 3, I can't remember.  But his last year...the locals went crazy and burnt down the village!  It was on the news.  Also, they are booze free (wink) which is a problem.

 

When he was there a new teacher form Kansas came in...landed...saw the place...and left the next day.  He left ALL HIS s#!t, so of course my friend and the other teachers took it all.

 

I did send my buddy a care package of Tom Collins mix, cheap vodka, a 5 pack of beer (I drank one) a playboy, rubbers and some other s#!t.

 

He taught one year in a decent place, then went deeper for more money the next year...he taught K-12!  Hahaha...15 kids or so ages 6-18!

Oh, you really meant “out in the bush”. I thought you just meant in Alaska. Bush and no booze…..that’s a non-starter.