When I got my first job at age 17 in high school (1998), minimum wage was $5.15. The average gas price per gallon was around $0.90.
Now, gas prices are hovering around $3.50-ish and guess what the federal minimum wage is? $5.85.
Does this seem out-of-whack to you?
All I can say is that I would not be going many places as a high school student if I had to pay for my own gas now and only made minimum wage at my job. There is a silver lining, however; minimum wage is apparently set to increase to $6.55 in July 2008 and to $7.25 in July 2009. It's about time...but it still doesn't seem quite proportionate does it?
1 comment:
I have thought for a long time now that minimum wage has not progressed as it should given inflation. I can't believe how little it has been raised in the past 15 years.
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