(2006-11-17) — Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-MA, yesterday said his priority during the new Congressional session next year will be to require employers to boost the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour, and to increase the minimum levels of service required to earn such a wage.
“In exchange for higher pay,” said Sen. Kennedy, D-MA, “my bill would require that minimum-wage workers increase their service to their employers and customers to some federally-mandated minimum levels.”
Although precise service standards are still under development, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions distributed the following working draft of proposed minimum service levels for the retail industry.
In retail establishments, to avoid a federal prison sentence, a minimum-wage worker shall…
- offer the customer a sincere, cheerful greeting, rather than a surly grunt, head jerk, or annoyed glance,
- hang up the cell phone immediately upon encountering the customer,
- look the customer in the eye, say “Thank You” and “You’re welcome”, instead of “Uh-huh”,
- enunciate consonants to help the customer distinguish individual words from the verbal flow,
- learn English well enough to comprehend customer questions, and intelligibly answer them,
- pull trousers up over hipbones and wear belt, suspenders or other garment securing device,
- conceal all employee undergarments from customer view,
- wear clean, pressed shirt, tucked in and buttoned up,
- find out what you sell, what it can do, how to use it and how to answer questions about it,
- remove extraneous metal objects that dangle from pierced lips, tongues and eyebrows,
- before shift, groom hair using comb or brush [Note: pillow is not a hair-grooming implement],
- secure hair, including purchased or rented hair, to prevent food contamination,
- cover tattoos rated PG-13 or higher,
- smoke behind the store, near the Dumpster, instead of by the front door,
- clean up and stock the restroom each time after using it,
- stop ogling the customer’s teenage children,
- scan products at least as fast as the customer places them on the conveyor belt,
- learn the physical properties and tolerance standards of plastic bags and avoid violating them,
- stop talking about when your shift is over.
21 responses so far ↓
1 Scott Ott // Nov 17, 2006 at 6:45 am
Democrats to Boost Minimum Wage, Minimum Service…
by Scott Ott(2006-11-17) — Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-MA, yesterday said his priority during the new Congressional session next year will be to require employers to boost the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour, and to increase the minimum……
2 camojack // Nov 17, 2006 at 7:06 am
Hey, you get what you pay for, y’know?
3 gafisher // Nov 17, 2006 at 7:16 am
The irony is, most employers would gladly pay MUCH more than “minimum wage” for that level of service.
4 gafisher // Nov 17, 2006 at 7:24 am
Sen. Kennedy has now threatened to withdraw the Bill, having been advised its wording could be construed to require his minimum service levels of those receiving more than the Minimum Wage. Kennedy promises to return with a reworded Bill which would either exempt Members of Congress, or remove the “Clear Speech” and “No Ogling” clauses, among others.
5 Darthmeister // Nov 17, 2006 at 7:28 am
Why just $7.25? What a cruel hoax. I mean, if we’re going down this road let’s pull out all the stops.
If the Donks are really serious about a “living” minimum wage then make it $14.50 an hour. Of course they know minimum wage hikes are inflationary and it forces some employers to cut the number of employees on the payroll. These liberal socialists understand the American people will generally reject outright communist schemes so they try to achieve their objectives through incremental increases in price and wage controls.
6 Dasher // Nov 17, 2006 at 7:32 am
With all that “service” maybe they need a two tiered minimum wage… One for those that don’t conform, like new employees $5.15 /hr and those that do $7.25.
Some unions wages (in the past) have been based on a multiple of the minimum wage. Like the driving force in the min-wage politics.
7 JamesonLewis3rd // Nov 17, 2006 at 8:12 am
If only we could “increase their [the blowhard, putrid gasbags like Kennedy] service to their employers and customers to some federally-mandated minimum levels” in exchange for their scandalously high wages and benefits.
8 mig // Nov 17, 2006 at 8:17 am
There goes the small business owner. Dems cry out that big business is cruel and unusual punishment yet they wipe out the small guy and insure corporate domination.
(slapping forehead with open hand)
Hey, I thought Bush was the big business guy. Those dems are better at supporting big business than evil republikans! What a koncept! Wipe out the small business owner and Korporate Amerika wins again. (again slapping forehead with open hand)
9 egospeak // Nov 17, 2006 at 8:20 am
Let me see if I have this straight. Under this proposal if my company hires someone to do any job, they must be paid at least $ 7.25 an hour regardless of their qualifications. Now if their qualifications are such that they deserve more than that, but I don’t want to pay them more than that, are they going to begin to or continue to work for my company?
What does that say about the minimum wage? It says several things to me. First, that the minimum wage is for people with little or no experience, most likely first time job seekers. Do any of us know any people like that? Of course… they are called teenagers.
The idea that we must raise the minimum wage (ignoring the question of whether we should even have one) because a family of four can’t survive on less is little more than a canard. If you are married, have two kids and are only making minimum wage, you have bigger problems than your paycheck.
The second thing it says is that to hire qualified, experienced people, my company must pay the prevailing wage which, by the way, is always higher than the minimum wage.
The minimum wage is for the newest, least qualified, least experienced person in the wage pecking order.
If someone is still making minimum wage after several months on the job, they too, have bigger problems than their paycheck.
Thirdly, it contributes to wage inflation. It minimizes or eliminates the market in determining wages. If you are a socialist that’s a great thing because it grants the government more control, but for a free, open market society it is disastrous.
But it sure is great politics.
Regards,
10 MargeinMI // Nov 17, 2006 at 8:21 am
Whew! I finally caught up with you all! Is this a Scrappleathon or something? Scott doesn’t pay me enough to work this hard. ;o)
Will waitpersons’ wages increase too? The waitresses I know make $2.50-$3.00 per hour.
11 egospeak // Nov 17, 2006 at 8:26 am
Great comment mig. Love the K’s. Say….. that reminds me of something.
Regards
12 Darthmeister // Nov 17, 2006 at 8:31 am
Given how Congress is so inept at serving the real interests of the American people, they’re the ones who ought to be getting minimum wage.
BTW, NEW THREAD! Scott is obviously not getting minimum wage given his production of late.
13 seneuba // Nov 17, 2006 at 8:59 am
I wish we could upgrade to this level of service at our local state drivers license bureau.
14 Ms RightWing, Ink // Nov 17, 2006 at 9:09 am
Hey, now a mim-wager can buy a, let’s say, a new Kia with nothing down, that is if I understand that guy that talks a million miles-per-hour on the radio ad.
I think you need to make at least $240 a week to buy one, so Korea’s economy just got a shot in the arm. Better to buy a used Chevy, but I don’t think they make Chevys anymore do they?
Last I heard you can’t buy a Chevy with no money down on min-wage. Plus, if high school-ice cream stand workers can buy a new Korean car with no money down, just think what a person who makes $2 more an hour can buy, a Ford or what?
I’m not picking on Kia, I would have said Mitsubishi, but couldn’t spell it.
15 beekabok1 // Nov 17, 2006 at 9:56 am
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Otherwise known as H-E-L-P
Just graet Scott
16 Fred Sinclair // Nov 17, 2006 at 10:55 am
I am strongly against a minimum wage of any amount. I am a free marketeer and know that wages will find the proper level without Uncle Sugar’s intravention.
Burger flippers here in Holland start at $9.50 an hour In 1998 they got $6.25 to start - when management could no longer find replacements at that wage, they went up and continued to go up year by year (and they were forced by excessive turnover to begin treating employees better)
Recently a friend was hired by a visiting Manager at Burger King. Because she spoke English she was hired at $10.50 an hour, She quit after 4 hours on her first day, because she was the ONLY employee in the place that spoke English.
$11.50 an hour at McDonalds for starting bi-lingual employees [Mexican and English only]
(I have not personally verfied these figures - they are what I’ve been told by friends who claim to know)
Fred Sinclair, Heirborn Ranger
17 Bill's Bites // Nov 17, 2006 at 11:36 am
Democrats to Boost Minimum Wage, Minimum Service…
Democrats to Boost Minimum Wage, Minimum Service (2006-11-17) — Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-MA, yesterday said his priority during the new Congressional session next year will be to require employers to boost the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 per…
18 gafisher // Nov 17, 2006 at 4:08 pm
Darth #5: I wonder what would happen if Republicans in Congress refused to support anything less than a “living wage” level of, say, $20 or $25 an hour. Their constituents would have to understand the point, which might be a problem, but how could the Dems grandstand against a higher minimum?
The hope, of course, would be that the bill would stall long enough for voters to figure out the issue.
19 gafisher // Nov 17, 2006 at 4:11 pm
Fred #16, may I ask which Holland you’re referring to? If it’s the Tulip City, I’m well familiar with that fine town.
Gary Fisher
Pearline Mi.
20 Fred Sinclair // Nov 17, 2006 at 8:36 pm
Fred #16, may I ask which Holland you’re referring to? If it’s the Tulip City, I’m well familiar with that fine town.
Gary Fisher
Pearline Mi.
Comment by gafisher — November 17, 2006 @ 4:11 pm
100% correct Gary - Holland, Michigan SW from Grand Rapids and home to the Tulip Time Parade, Windmill Island, etc. I moved here in 1986 from St. Petersburg, Florida and have found no good reason to leave. Now at age 69 as of last Nov. 12th I figure the Lord has me where He wants me and plan to remain. Weather is really good and a very, very Conservative Republican zone in an otherwise blue state. [Democrat Governor & 2 Denocrat senators Carl Levin & Debbie Stabenow] Pete Hockstra is my Representative and a fine Conservative Republican at that.
Fred Sinclair, Heirborn Ranger
21 Pros and Cons » Money is only as valuable as people think it is. // Nov 20, 2006 at 4:13 pm
[…] UPDATE: In related, minimum wage news, … […]
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