Everyone probably wants the minimum wage to go up, but they don't want to pay $10 for a Big Mac, or $6 for a head of lettuce.
The minimum wage in California is $8 an hour. Where I work we have a big sign up on our lunchroom wall (as required by law) letting everyone know the minimum wage. It's right next to the six foot tall (free) Starbucks cofee machine and shelves of (free) candy, nuts, bottled Pelligrino and Perrier water, soups, granola bars, pretzels, chips, teas, sodas, V8 juice, energy drinks, etc., etc., etc.
Of course I work for an internet company, so the minimum wage is really closer to $17 an hour, and we only pay that for the first 90 days, which is a probationary period. After that, with bonuses, the lowest paid person in the company is making a little over $20 an hour.
And I've got to tell you, I don't know how anyone makes it in Los Angeles on $20 an hour!
So the minimum wage - what is that? If someone making $20 an hour is struggling, how about $8? It's ridiculous. How can you afford any rare books?!
Okay, that was facetious, but as someone who worked for low (or no) wages most of my life, it shocks me to see that people still make less than I did sweating it out in filthy, dangerous print shops 20 years ago. And I was barely making it then.
But there is hope. California law mentions this caveat in relation to the minimum wage: For sheepherders, however, effective July 1, 2002, the minimum wage was set at $1,200.00 per month. Effective January 1, 2007 this wage was increased to a minimum monthly salary of $1,333.20. Effective January 1, 2008, the minimum monthly salary for sheepherders will be $1,422.52. Wages paid to sheepherders may not be offset by meals or lodging provided by the employer. Instead, there are provisions in IWC Order 14-2007, Sections 10(F), (G) and (H) that apply to sheepherders with respect to monthly meal and lodging benefits required to be provided by the employer.
That's a relief!