Restaurant chain owner lobbies for increased minimum wage
bootlegga @ Tue Feb 04, 2014 7:14 am
Zingerman's owner travels to Washington, D.C., to lobby for increased minimum wage
$1:
Paul Saginaw, the co-owner of Zingerman’s Delicatessen, displayed strong support for low-wage workers recently when he made a trek to Washington, D.C., to lobby for an increase in the minimum wage.
Saginaw joined business owners from Colorado, New York, Maryland and Washington, D.C., to lobby U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez. The business owners talked about the positive impacts of paying employees a higher wage than the government minimum of $7.25 per hour.
“We’ve grown since opening Zingerman’s Delicatessen almost 32 years ago to eight businesses in Ann Arbor employing 625 permanent staff with revenues just under $50 million dollars,” Saginaw said in a Jan. 23 roundtable discussion with the other business owners.
“Paying entry wages our employees can live on has contributed to our profitability and our annual compounded growth rate of 10 percent. Raising the minimum wage is long overdue.”
Perez is also in favor of increasing the minimum pay for workers.
He said that paying a higher wage doesn’t just benefit the workers, but ultimately the employers also see benefits from paying what Saginaw calls a “thrive-able wage.”
“What I heard from these men and women who run small businesses is that when you put more money in workers’ pockets, they stay on the job longer which reduces turnover and training costs,” Perez said in the meeting.
“Additionally, those workers spend that extra income at local businesses in their communities, which benefits the overall economy. It's really that simple.”
The business leaders attending the Roundtable want Congress to pass the Fair Minimum Wage Act, which would gradually raise the federal minimum wage in to $10.10 and then provide for annual cost-of-living adjustments.
Hundreds of other business owners and executives across the country have signed an open petition, which can be found here.
Local photographer Dennis Cox, of Dennis Cox LLC, is the only other Ann Arbor business owner to have signed the online petition.
Saginaw joined business owners from Colorado, New York, Maryland and Washington, D.C., to lobby U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez. The business owners talked about the positive impacts of paying employees a higher wage than the government minimum of $7.25 per hour.
“We’ve grown since opening Zingerman’s Delicatessen almost 32 years ago to eight businesses in Ann Arbor employing 625 permanent staff with revenues just under $50 million dollars,” Saginaw said in a Jan. 23 roundtable discussion with the other business owners.
“Paying entry wages our employees can live on has contributed to our profitability and our annual compounded growth rate of 10 percent. Raising the minimum wage is long overdue.”
Perez is also in favor of increasing the minimum pay for workers.
He said that paying a higher wage doesn’t just benefit the workers, but ultimately the employers also see benefits from paying what Saginaw calls a “thrive-able wage.”
“What I heard from these men and women who run small businesses is that when you put more money in workers’ pockets, they stay on the job longer which reduces turnover and training costs,” Perez said in the meeting.
“Additionally, those workers spend that extra income at local businesses in their communities, which benefits the overall economy. It's really that simple.”
The business leaders attending the Roundtable want Congress to pass the Fair Minimum Wage Act, which would gradually raise the federal minimum wage in to $10.10 and then provide for annual cost-of-living adjustments.
Hundreds of other business owners and executives across the country have signed an open petition, which can be found here.
Local photographer Dennis Cox, of Dennis Cox LLC, is the only other Ann Arbor business owner to have signed the online petition.
http://www.mlive.com/business/ann-arbor ... to_wa.html
andyt @ Tue Feb 04, 2014 8:12 am
What's up, you change your mind in the min wage? Won't this just boost inflation leaving the workers worse off than before and make the employers cut back on hours? These deli employees should just get an education and become engineers and such if they want a liveable income. That's always been your argument before.
The min wage is not an ideal solution to poverty. For one it does nothing for people without a job. But it's something doable, vs all the nice theoretical ideas floating out there that nobody will actually put in place.
Brenda @ Tue Feb 04, 2014 8:27 am
Wait, so employers are lobbying to federally increase minimum wage?
They can't come up with the idea of paying their employees more than minimum wage? They need to 'lobby' for that and have it put into law?
The time put into lobbying costs. CEO's are not cheap. This should not be necessary.
I guess common sense is not that common.
jj2424 @ Tue Feb 04, 2014 8:31 am
So when the 7.25 employee gets bumped to 10 by legislation. Will the 10 dollar employee at the same company now want 13.
Will the 13 dollar employee now want 16... 16 now want 19.
If you think they won't, you've got your head stuck up your backside.
Brenda @ Tue Feb 04, 2014 8:38 am
jj2424 jj2424:
So when the 7.25 employee gets bumped to 10 by legislation. Will the 10 dollar employee at the same company now want 13.
Will the 13 dollar employee now want 16... 16 now want 19.
If you think they won't, you've got your head stuck up your backside.
Will the 13 dollar employee now want 16... 16 now want 19.
If you think they won't, you've got your head stuck up your backside.
Anyone can "want" anything.
My kid wants a $6000 computer.
Not going to happen.
So, I don't really see your point.
jj2424 @ Tue Feb 04, 2014 8:42 am
Brenda Brenda:
jj2424 jj2424:
So when the 7.25 employee gets bumped to 10 by legislation. Will the 10 dollar employee at the same company now want 13.
Will the 13 dollar employee now want 16... 16 now want 19.
If you think they won't, you've got your head stuck up your backside.
Will the 13 dollar employee now want 16... 16 now want 19.
If you think they won't, you've got your head stuck up your backside.
Anyone can "want" anything.
My kid wants a $6000 computer.
Not going to happen.
So, I don't really see your point.
You think Mike who has been there for a year and was given a 3 dollar an hour wage is going to accept the fact that Johnie the newbie is now getting paid the same amount?
Don't ever attempt to run your own business...big FAIL.
Unions?..lol they would run rampant over that idea.
Brenda @ Tue Feb 04, 2014 8:43 am
jj2424 jj2424:
Brenda Brenda:
jj2424 jj2424:
So when the 7.25 employee gets bumped to 10 by legislation. Will the 10 dollar employee at the same company now want 13.
Will the 13 dollar employee now want 16... 16 now want 19.
If you think they won't, you've got your head stuck up your backside.
Will the 13 dollar employee now want 16... 16 now want 19.
If you think they won't, you've got your head stuck up your backside.
Anyone can "want" anything.
My kid wants a $6000 computer.
Not going to happen.
So, I don't really see your point.
You think Mike who has been there for a year and was given a 3 dollar an hour wage is going to accept the fact that Johnie the newbie is now getting paid the same amount?
Don't ever attempt to run your own business...big FAIL.
Unions?..lol they would run rampant over that idea.
Can you make ONE comment without trying to insult anybody?
Brenda @ Tue Feb 04, 2014 8:48 am
Let me give you a little tip, JJ.
You pay your employees what they are worth to your business, regardless of what legislation tells you what you should pay them.
If they are worth minimum wage to you, a wage they cannot live on, you are either in the wrong business, or simply a narcissistic asshole.
jj2424 @ Tue Feb 04, 2014 8:52 am
Brenda Brenda:
Let me give you a little tip, JJ.
You pay your employees what they are worth to your business, regardless of what legislation tells you what you should pay them.
If they are worth minimum wage to you, a wage they cannot live on, you are either in the wrong business, or simply a narcissistic asshole.
You pay your employees what they are worth to your business, regardless of what legislation tells you what you should pay them.
If they are worth minimum wage to you, a wage they cannot live on, you are either in the wrong business, or simply a narcissistic asshole.
Correct and if you tell one employee he is worth more than a newbie, you better be ready to up the ante...and again and again and again..all the way up the line.
Bitch.
Brenda @ Tue Feb 04, 2014 9:07 am
jj2424 jj2424:
Brenda Brenda:
Let me give you a little tip, JJ.
You pay your employees what they are worth to your business, regardless of what legislation tells you what you should pay them.
If they are worth minimum wage to you, a wage they cannot live on, you are either in the wrong business, or simply a narcissistic asshole.
You pay your employees what they are worth to your business, regardless of what legislation tells you what you should pay them.
If they are worth minimum wage to you, a wage they cannot live on, you are either in the wrong business, or simply a narcissistic asshole.
Correct and if you tell one employee he is worth more than a newbie, you better be ready to up the ante...and again and again and again..all the way up the line.
Bitch.
You don't really get it, do you.
Your valuable employees should already been valued for their worth to your business. Minimum wage should not be an issue in the first place.
Minimum wage has just been raised here in BC. Gradually, from 8.50 to 10.25 over 2 years.
Maybe you should shut your play ground bully trap and step into the world of the adults if you want to converse with them.
andyt @ Tue Feb 04, 2014 9:09 am
Brenda Brenda:
Wait, so employers are lobbying to federally increase minimum wage?
They can't come up with the idea of paying their employees more than minimum wage? They need to 'lobby' for that and have it put into law?
The time put into lobbying costs. CEO's are not cheap. This should not be necessary.
I guess common sense is not that common.
They can't come up with the idea of paying their employees more than minimum wage? They need to 'lobby' for that and have it put into law?
The time put into lobbying costs. CEO's are not cheap. This should not be necessary.
I guess common sense is not that common.
Maybe read the story. He does pay more than min wage, but supports raising it for everybody. In part, I'm sure it's in his self-interest, since it would level the playing field with his competitors. OTOH, just as with Costco, he's already doing very well paying higher wages than his competitors. he must have more management smarts than they do. And more productive employees.
Thanos @ Tue Feb 04, 2014 9:11 am
I just put in another request to perma-bad this fucking guy in to the admin. If you're as sick of his nasty and shitty behavior as a I am I suggest everyone else do the same immediately.
andyt @ Tue Feb 04, 2014 9:11 am
Brenda Brenda:
jj2424 jj2424:
So when the 7.25 employee gets bumped to 10 by legislation. Will the 10 dollar employee at the same company now want 13.
Will the 13 dollar employee now want 16... 16 now want 19.
If you think they won't, you've got your head stuck up your backside.
Will the 13 dollar employee now want 16... 16 now want 19.
If you think they won't, you've got your head stuck up your backside.
Anyone can "want" anything.
My kid wants a $6000 computer.
Not going to happen.
So, I don't really see your point.
Usually a raise in min wages also causes raises to wages within 25% of the min wage. Don't see how that's a bad thing.
jj2424 @ Tue Feb 04, 2014 9:12 am
Brenda Brenda:
You don't really get it, do you.
Your valuable employees should already been valued for their worth to your business. Minimum wage should not be an issue in the first place.
Minimum wage has just been raised here in BC. Gradually, from 8.50 to 10.25 over 2 years.
Maybe you should shut your play ground bully trap and step into the world of the adults if you want to converse with them.
Your valuable employees should already been valued for their worth to your business. Minimum wage should not be an issue in the first place.
Minimum wage has just been raised here in BC. Gradually, from 8.50 to 10.25 over 2 years.
Maybe you should shut your play ground bully trap and step into the world of the adults if you want to converse with them.
You call me an asshole then get upset when I call you bitch
.If you really think a one shot raise to your new employees isn't going to have an effect on your cost of labour across the board you're a dreamer.
Brenda @ Tue Feb 04, 2014 9:14 am
jj2424 jj2424:
Brenda Brenda:
You don't really get it, do you.
Your valuable employees should already been valued for their worth to your business. Minimum wage should not be an issue in the first place.
Minimum wage has just been raised here in BC. Gradually, from 8.50 to 10.25 over 2 years.
Maybe you should shut your play ground bully trap and step into the world of the adults if you want to converse with them.
Your valuable employees should already been valued for their worth to your business. Minimum wage should not be an issue in the first place.
Minimum wage has just been raised here in BC. Gradually, from 8.50 to 10.25 over 2 years.
Maybe you should shut your play ground bully trap and step into the world of the adults if you want to converse with them.
You call me an asshole then get upset when I call you bitch
.If you really think a one shot raise to your new employees isn't going to have an effect on your cost of labour across the board you're a dreamer.
Tell me where I said 'JJ, you are an asshole'?
Reading comprehension is not your strong suit, is it...