I noticed in the paper recently that our governor, lieutenant governor, and three of our four congressmen will vote no on the Arkansas ballot proposal to raise the minimum wage. That brought back memories of how I was disinvited to be a part of a ski vacation.
It was a number of years back. The subject matter of a discussion around the dinner table that night is pertinent to today's minimum wage discussion. The group of men on that ski trip were primarily executives representing a number of companies headquartered in the United States with factories in other countries.
The discussion centered around why companies had manufacturing facilities right across the border in Mexico. As the conversation continued, it was obvious the primary reason was because labor costs were much lower.
Then I recalled a newspaper story about overseas manufacturing, focusing on labor costs. What caught my attention was the condition of the workers. In some countries, the pay was so low that many workers were living in sub-standard situations. It was obvious these workers were not receiving a living wage.
Then the discussion moved to what is a living wage, and I took the position that a company should feel an obligation to pay its workers enough to assure them simple necessities such as housing, food, and medical care. That got some negative looks, and I knew I was treading on shaky ground when one of the executives commented: "No, Richard. It is not our responsibility to pay any more than the going wage."
"Really?"
"Of course not, Richard. We're not the Salvation Army."
That brought a chuckle from everyone but me. When I replied, I knew my comments made sure I wouldn't be with the group when they returned next year.
"I read recently where some workers who were employed by American companies overseas were being paid so little that they were living in refrigerator crates. If you had workers living in those conditions, wouldn't you feel an obligation to pay them enough where they could have decent housing?"
That got an icy stare from more than one of the executives, and after another man reiterated that pay was based on local standards, I knew that my next comment confirmed an invite for a return trip with this group wouldn't be forthcoming.
"How would you like to sleep in a refrigerator crate after working 12 hours a day being paid 25 cents an hour?"
After that zinger the host of the meeting could see things about to become a shouting match, and he said: "Let's go into the den for an after-dinner drink." To which everyone nodded.
I know workers in the United States aren't living in refrigerator crates, but are the people we depend on for our great standard of living being paid a living wage? Not just the unskilled laborers, but professionals such as school teachers, who many times are forced into second jobs just to make ends meet.
Considering the current Arkansas minimum wage, it's obvious we are behind the times, and numerous other states are considerably ahead of us. Leading the way, Amazon has just raised its minimum wage to $15 per hour. The Arkansas ballot proposal won't solve all of the problems we have with low wages, inadequate health care, high taxes, and other problems, but it will help.
We know companies will complain that higher wages will drive them out of business, but that was the complaint back in the early 1900s when unions were formed and child labor laws were passed. The resulting higher wages from that time forward have made the United States the unequaled economic powerhouse in the world.
Along with higher wages came a working class of people who bought more goods, sent their kids to college, and increased productivity, which made our manufacturing companies more money.
Of all times to increase the minimum wage, this is the best of times, because the country is stronger than ever after rebounding from the Great Recession and the recent huge corporate tax cut has given corporations record earnings. Just take a look at some of the quarterly earnings reports that are flooding in.
I believe one of the strongest parts of our democracy are the two major political parties that vie for congressional seats and the presidency. If one party ever dominates the system to the point where the other party is irrelevant, we will have seriously weakened our democratic foundations. Our country is a series of checks and balances, and that goes for our political system. What I'm saying is that the Obama administration and the Trump administration are good for our country in a way that is so much a part of our underlying democratic strength that it can't be overemphasized.
So after saying that, you might understand why, after Trump was elected, I didn't wail and panic, because it was the pendulum swinging back and forth and the American people, the swingers of the pendulum, wanted to move it back closer to the center.
Well, that has happened. In fact, the pendulum passed the center several months back. But back to the discussion on the minimum wage. It shouldn't surprise you that our Republican governor, Republican lieutenant governor, and Republican congressmen opposed raising the minimum wage. That's what Republicans do, and since we're talking about what Republicans do, let's take it a little further.
We're already said Republicans are for lower wages for workers, but they don't stop there. They are against health care for those workers, retirement funding, and a host of other benefits. But they are for a lot of stuff too. Lower taxes, for corporations. Fewer environmental regulations for corporations. They used to be for free trade, but not any more. Ask an east Arkansas soybean farmer how much less he or she is receiving after our president did away with free trade.
Whether you are a Republican, independent, or a Democrat, I urge you to vote for an increase in the Arkansas minimum wage. History proves an increasing minimum wage, especially when the country is in an economic upswing, is not only more money in the pocketbooks of hourly workers, it boosts corporate profits by increasing the demand for goods. Arkansas has spent too many years on the lower rung of wages. It's time to give our hourly workers a raise.
Richard Mason is a registered professional geologist, downtown developer, former chairman of the Department of Environmental Quality Board of Commissioners, past president of the Arkansas Wildlife Federation, and syndicated columnist. Email [email protected].
Editorial on 10/21/2018