Minimum wage affects all
By Glenda Overstreet
Topeka Capital Journal, 7/29/07
Glenda Overstreet
Imagine you were running against 49 other state competitors in the race of your life. Winning would ensure you were able to feed your family, get insurance, have independent transportation, educate your children and meet your faith contribution needs.
You’ve stretched, practiced and are prepared to begin the countdown. Ready, set, go. You take off sprinting and then, just as you’re approaching your top speed, you begin to feel the weight of a heavy iron binding your legs. You find yourself falling flat on your face. The weight is the burden of Kansas having a minimum wage of $2.65.
While this illustration may be a bit over the top, the minimum wage in Kansas certainly isn’t. In fact, it’s the lack of substance in the wage rate that makes this an issue the community should join forces on with the Kansas Action Network. Kudos to Carla James and the network for taking on the initiative locally to bring attention and awareness to an issue that Kansans should recognize as a world-wide source of embarrassment.
While looking further into the issue of the minimum wage, it was surprising and impressive to see the type of information provided by the Kansas Department of Labor. Just a little trivia for you: For those who take 15-minute breaks to enjoy inhaling those delicious sticks of cigarettes, did you know such breaks are a privilege, not a requirement? OK, so you knew that one.
What about this one: Even if you feel you have done your work but the company requires additional hours to get company goals completed, your employer can make you work overtime. OK, if that one had you somewhat stumped, try this one.
Do you know the maximum number of hours per day your employer can make you work? Eight, 10, 12? No. As taken from the Department of Labor information, “Theoretically your employer can make you work 24 hours a day unless you are under the age of 16. If you are under 16, you cannot work more than 3 hours on a school day and 8 hours on a non-school day.”
If nothing else, this emphasizes why it’s so important for us to increase the minimum wage. After all, you could work literally all day and all night and receive a whopping $63.60 with no time for your family, higher health risks and less time for spiritual or recreational development. What a life.
Don’t be naïve and think that this issue doesn’t affect you because you are making $10 to $150 per hour or so. If your neighbor, children, parents or friends are minimum-wage earners, you’re impacted, even if indirectly. We can take our community to higher heights by getting on board and making changes for the betterment of all. Just keeping it real.
Glenda Overstreet is an active volunteer in the Topeka community. She can be reached at go ov6@cox.net.
http://blogs.cjonline.com/index.php?entry=4145
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