How many countries have larger minimum wages than our $5.15 an hour?

[JPace]

Corporate America is sending our jobs
overseas and cutting wages. I am really
concerned about what is happening to
the middle class.
I read an article recently that mentioned
a scandinavian country where the minimum
wage was something like $8.00 an hour.
This is with long vacations and free
medical care. Now I wonder how many other
countries have a higher standard of living
than we do?

[madrchsod]

1. illinios state min.wage

will be 6.50 in the next couple of years..why? cause the democrats control the state..

[ryharrin]

3. I believe its going up to $7.00 in VT this year also

[Kellanved]

2. here is a table

It is not up-to-date, but you'll get the idea.

http://www.exp.ie/advice/mercer.html

[redeye]

4. Very few

The USA's GDP per capita surpasses this of every nation in the world but Luxembourg, so I'd say that every nation with less than 3/4s of the USA's GDP has a lower minimum wage (Kellanved's table supports that hypothesis).

[JPace]

5. I'm no economist......

but the figures below based on Euros
(aren't they worth more than dollars?)
are all higher wages than we have here.


Worldwide comparison of minimum
wages base on hourly rates Country

Minimum wage
In Euros

Luxembourg...9.67
Netherlands..7.35
Belgium......6.85
France.......6.67
UK...........6.57
Ireland......6.43
Italy........6.41

http://www.exp.ie/advice/mercer.html

[LittleApple81]

6. This was recommended for 2001/2002

So it is not totally current.

[billyskank]

7. Currently in the UK

the minimum wage rate for over 21s is 4.20 UKP/hour, that's $6.64 an hour. The rate is due to rise in October to 4.50 UKP/hour, or $7.11/hour.

[Fixated]

8. .......

Not to burst everyone's bubble, but European's also have ridiculous taxes.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

12. Ridiculous taxes but

free healthcare and retirement, not to mention at least 5 weeks vacation...

[Athame]

14. and generally free or very affordable education through university level

They call these benefits of living in their society the social contract. What a concept!

[myomy]

15. I would call it Civilization.

.

[JPace]

16. "free healthcare"

I hear they get social supports over
there that we can only dream of. So
many here making minimal wages get
no medical care (insurance) no retirement
benefits, almost no vacation time.

[aquart]

17. Things that usually leave US bankrupt or in debt.

The services Europeans get for their higher taxes, make their disposable income, even if it seems to be less than ours, more.

[camero]

10. You know what we should do?

Compare the minimum wages and benefits in these countries to thier life expectancy. I'm sure countries that have higher minimum wages have more life expectancy.

[JPace]

18. "You know what we should do?"

I wonder if there is some kind of conspiracy
to keep these simple statistics unavailable
to common people. I did a 2 hour search and
found almost nothing but gobbledegook. Where
there is some information it is partial at
best and printed in such a way as to discourage
seekers. There seems to nothing simple and
complete by anyone. What I would like to see
is:

Name of country:
Minimal wage in Euros or dollars:
Average wages per worker/family:
Social benefits available for all citizens:
Average paid vacation time:

I don't see why these simple statistics have
to be so complicated that they are unavailable.
What I do know is that corporate America would
rather have the "little worker" remain ignorant
and just be grateful that they did not lose
their job yet. They also want us to wave that
that flag and keep enlisting our kids to fight
their causes.

[camero]

19. You're right

But I did manage to come up with this for life expectancy


Luxembourg 77
Netherlands 78
Belgium 78
France 79
UK 78
Ireland 77
Italy 79

Japan 80
US 76

[JPace]

21. "life expectancy"

makes perfect sense that if we are:

1)working harder,
2)longer,
3)for less money and
4)less medical attention

we would not live as long.

[camero]

23. One example

Russia's life expectancy went from around 75 in the Soviet era to around 59 with crony capitalism.

That's not to say that communism works, we all know it doesn't. But it puts repuke economics in its place because crony capitalism is thier model.

[Bushknew]

20. Great Post and question

.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

11. .91 Euros to the Dollar. Euro slightly stronger.

E6.50 in France, Belgium and UK? That's just under $7 an hour. European workers are getting screwed, too.

[Andy_Stephenson]

9. Washington State minnimum wage is

$7.01

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

13. Livin' Large.

If Boeing or MS leaves town we might as well throw the billboard about "Will the last person who's leaving Seattle please turn off the lights" back up (circa 79/80).

[chaska]

22. What about welfare?

I know the European unemployment rate is pretty high (at least in UK - what about the rest of Eur.?). Is their version of welfare available to everybody? What restrictions, if any?

[billyskank]

24. UK has some of the harsher rules for welfare

in Europe, that is. There is no time limit that I know of for jobseekers. Unemployment benefit (jobseeker's allowance they call it now I believe, but it's the dole to everyone else) is pretty stingy, but there are other handouts like housing benefit you can claim. I don't know of any of the benefits being time-limited.

I've heard our benefits are very tight compared to what Germans get.

[chaska]

25. Thanks, Billy.

Is it generally enough to live on? Most people on the dole here have it pretty rough ... unless you believe the Republicans.

[billyskank]

28. I haven't personally experienced it, but

I understand that it is possible to live on benefits. Not that you'd want to of course - there's plenty of incentive to get a job, regardless of what conservatives might say.

One problem that does seem to exist is the "benefits trap." That is where a person who only has the option of taking an extremely low-paid job would stand to be worse off than they are on benefits. Which must mean it is an exceedingly low-paid job indeed, but unfortunately there are no lack of those. The problem is very acute for single mothers, who will be very unlikely to be able to afford the childcare they need if they are to take up full-time work.

My knowledge may be out of date, as in recent years Gordon Brown (the chancellor of the exchequer) has set up a system of tax credits, the generosity of which I cannot judge as it is very complicated indeed. Hope I never need to know, of course!

But no, I understand that jobseekers here do not face the absolutely desperate situation that it sounds like US unemployed do.

[Kellanved]

27. It's a national affair

Each EU-member nation has it's own regulations for welfare (the UK being among the least generous).

Unemployment is a big problem in the whole EU, with few exceptions (Ireland).

In Germany, where I live, welfare was very generous - and will continue to be that way despite recent changes.

Basically everyone is guaranteed a decent life - including recreation and healthcare.
The basic rules are: for one year 3/4 of the last wage are paid ("Arbeitslosenhilfe" - Unemployment-help)
After a year one gets a case for the "Sozialhilfe" (welfare); this covers the minimum level of acceptable living.

Recent reform changed some of this; so the payment for people not actively searching for a job or declining offers will be lowered in the future, as will the payments for young-people without degree/ completed apprenticeship.
There were more cuts, but those are difficult to describe. For starters the "old" system is no longer affordable as the ratio of people paying into the insurance and people receiving (Health AND social security) got too destabilized. To create more jobs the costs of paying for the welfare systems were changed; it was 50% employers and 50% employees - now the employed have to pay more of it.
This has caused a rift in the political left (the Government doing this is a centre-left/green coalition); cutting the social net is something nobody is happy to do.

While the Unemployment in western Germany continues to be low (meaning: not worse than in the US) ; it is completely out of control in the "new" states.

Edit:

I might add: there is no legal minimum wage in Germany; however the unions negotiate one for each Industry. For example construction workers have a minimum wage of €9.80 in western and €8.63 in eastern Germany.

[billyskank]

29. Unemployment is currently very low in the UK

Currently at 3.1% (June/July 2003)

http://www.incomesdata.co.uk/statistics/statempl.htm

[JPace]

31. "It's a national affair"

Thanks for the input, unions must be
very strong there compared to here and
you certainly get better unemployment
compensation.

How is health care done there? Is it
free for the unemployed? What other
benefits do you have that we don't?
How is college paid for?

35 years ago I remember meeting quite
a few German citizens who were immigrating
to the U.S. Seems that I have not
met any for years now, could it be that
they no longer see us as an opportunity?

[Kellanved]

33. Hmmm

Moving to the US for a few years is still a great thing to do. A few years in another nation look great in the CV and most people I know would move anywhere to get a decent job. But a normal job in the US isn't more decent than a comparable job in Germany.

Higher Education is handled a little differently, but it is free (a few hundred Euros each year for public transportation and the student's union). Student loans exist and are needed, as there are very few dorms. 50% are given, 50% loaned.

The equivalent of college (albeit not quite up to level) is the pre-academic school (Gymnasiale Oberstufe); grades 11 to 13.
The degree earned by completing this school, the "Abitur", opens access to all higher education (a completed apprenticeship allows one to study a related major). Either in one of the more practically oriented vocational colleges or in one of the Universities( with a very "dry" curriculum). The Abitur-mark is important to choose time and place - an Abitur below-average means you can't choose the university.

Healthcare is a science in itself and currently in reform (meaning: being cut). The 101:
Everyone employed (including students) has an insurance. This is done by half-private, non-profit insurance agencies. The costs are shared between the employer and the employee; the government covers shortfalls and regulates the minimum service the insurance has to cover. (Several companies operate their own for their employees; those are among the best).

People earning enough to pay for themselves or who are self-employed are exempted from mandatory healthcare(but can choose to join).
The local authorities of their town of residence insure unemployed and poor people (for free).

[slack]

36. both posts

really well summarized. :)
couldn't do better. (as german)

[Kellanved]

37. thanks

Feel free to add and/ or to correct me.
:hi:

[donco6]

26. It's kinda pointless, really.

I have to pay people at least $8.00/hr. just to get them to apply.

[jiacinto]

30. Higher Cost of Living

nt

[stickdog]

32. Only about 80% of the first world. (NT)

[pippin]

34. countrys with no interest in minimum wage

"In Denmark, Sweden and Finland, there is little interest in a national minimum wage: the social partners place their faith in existing systems as an effective means for eradicating low pay. Union density is high and most companies belong to employers’ organisations that negotiate sectoral pay agreements. Furthermore, agreements have spill-over effects in the rest of the labour market. Neither has Italy any plans in this direction since binding industry agreements already cover virtually all employees. . .nine out of fifteen EU member states have a national minimum wage and Austria may join them soon. "

http://www.incomesdata.co.uk/europe/ee497.htm

[sushi]

35. I think

Australia's minimum wage is higher, but I'm not sure.