My opinion on raising the minimum wage

In 2022, the citizens of Nebraska voted to raise the minimum wage incrementally. Every year on January 1 until 2026, the minimum will go up by one dollar and a half. This plan received support from 59% of the voters within the state. This means that Union student employees who currently earn minimum wage can expect to earn more next semester.

As someone who has worked a number of low paying jobs, I am mildly encouraged by the movements to raise minimum wage laws across the country. I’m sure that some will have things to say about the effectiveness of minimum wage laws and their drawbacks. Personally I don’t think that the paychecks of Sonic Drive-In or Cooper’s Corner employees will ruin the economy. That seems to me like an argument made deceptively by a system built to quiet the exploited.

Any time economic science is used to explain away the benefits of paying people enough to live, it should be recognized as a deliberate obfuscation of details. Despite what pop economists will tell you, the issue is actually very simple. We all rely on minimum-wage workers, so we should take care of them. If a company claims that it cannot afford to pay a living wage, then that company cannot afford to exist. These are the rules of engagement. If a full-time employee cannot survive with their paycheck, then the system is failing them. MIT found that even for someone without children, people need $15.73 an hour to live in Nebraska. That number will probably be much higher by 2026.

If there is one consolation to be found in U.S. politics, it is the repeated success of ballot measures. Individual candidates are so easily corrupted by lobbying firms and foreign interests that it is very difficult for the public to feel adequately represented. Votes on specific issues, independent of representatives, are much better at reflecting the views of the people.

I work as a janitor on campus. I feel dignified in this work. It is a job that needs to be done. There is a spiritual satisfaction that comes from regular chores. It is consistent with American culture to feel bad for janitors who have squandered their potential and tragically ended up in that station. But we all need janitors. If you are not convinced that everyone deserves to be cared for in this country, then hopefully you can concede that those who perform jobs we all rely on deserve to make enough to live.

By Luke Morris