久久久无码人妻精品无码_6080YYY午夜理论片中无码_性无码专区_无码人妻品一区二区三区精99

 
 
 

Living wage?

中國日報網 2014-09-02 10:23

 

Living wage?

Reader question:

Please explain this sentence: “The minimum wage I make is not a living wage.” Living wage?

My comments:

The speaker makes the minimum wage, the lowest amount of money an employer is allowed to pay a worker according to the law. Local law, that is, as the minimum pay is different from place to place. Anyways, the minimum wage is so low that the speaker says he’s not able to make a living on it.

Apparently, the speaker has to work another job in order to make ends meet, i.e. to pay all the bills.

That’s what he or she means by saying “The minimum wage I make is not a living age.”

Though often confused with each other, living wage really is not the same as a minimum wage. While the minimum wage is the lowest pay allowable by law, the living wage is a loosely defined common-sense term describing a wage that enables comfortable living.

Basic living, I should’ve said. Or reasonably comfortable, enabling families to get fed and clothed, to have health insurance, for instance and perhaps to have a little extra expense for leisure, such as visiting the cinema once in a while, once in a great while if needs be.

In other words, a living wage is perhaps a wage that assures a more or less adequate lifestyle according to common decency.

Decency is perhaps too lofty a goal to reach for, but a living wage should be something close, close enough at least to make that goal within, um, striking distance.

The minimum wage, as it is, certainly isn’t enough to enable anyone to talk about decent living. Just the other day, a woman in New Jersey was found dead while taking a nap in her car. She works FOUR jobs.

None of them living wage. We can definitely be certain of that – for otherwise there’d have been no need for her to work an additional three jobs at the same time. Her story runs as follows (The Star-Ledger, August 27, 2014):

Maria Fernandes worked four jobs, including shifts at two different Dunkin Donuts.

Often she drove from job to job, stopping along the road to catch a couple hours sleep, police said. She kept a container of gasoline in her 2001 Kia Sportage because occasionally she ran out of gas, authorities said.

Early Monday, the 32-year-old Newark woman pulled into a lot off Route 1 & 9 in Elizabeth for a nap. She apparently left the car running and was overcome by carbon monoxide mixed with fumes from the gas can that had overturned, police said. Fernandes was found dead in the car about eight hours later.

“This sounds like someone who tried desperately to work and make ends meet, and met with a tragic accident,” Elizabeth police Lt. Daniel Saulnier said.

Her tragic fate again demonstrates how modern-day society allows employers to treat its workers, workers who are the very people, don’t forget, who enable employers to make a profit, and often more than a decent profit at that.

If they help you make a decent profit, shouldn’t you help them make a decent living, a basic living?

Okay, that’s minimum wage not to mistaken with living wage. Here are more real world media examples of the living wage, as the situation is in various places:

1. Labour backs the living wage! No more will workers have to eat own-brand cardboard! The Milibands will politely ask that bosses pay us enough to stay alive!

The living wage for 2012 was announced on Monday. The Greater London Authority sets the capital’s rate at £8.55 an hour.

Loughborough University calls for the rate for the rest of Britain to be £7.45. The National Minimum Wage (NMW) was upgraded in October to £6.19 for over-21s, with tiers down to £2.65 for those ‘lucky’ enough to be in apprenticeships.

That means a serious shortfall between the NMW and even the lowest living wage. Workers aged 16 to 18 can earn less than half of the national rate. So what would Labour do?

Washed-up Blairite David Miliband wrote jointly with Unison general secretary Dave Prentis last weekend.

The pair came behind Labour leader Ed Miliband’s ‘commitment’ to the living wage - sort of. There will be no legislation, no compulsion to pay a fair rate. There will be no industrial action for an increase.

Instead there will be ‘incentives’ for councils and companies, and naughty low payers could be ‘named and shamed’.

Prentis and the Milibands, backed by Tory television personality and London mayor Boris Johnson, foresee an approaching ‘tipping point’.

If we wag our fingers long enough a few more bosses will pay the living wage. Then the rest will magically fall in line as well. What hopeless fantasy.

Few bosses grant even small concessions willingly. History shows again and again that the bully bourgeoisie will not share unless workers make it.

Talk of capitalists raising wages ‘voluntarily after seeing the economic and employment benefits’ cuts no ice.

The economy benefits them quite nicely as is. Today’s gap between rich and poor is as steep as the 1930s.

The Socialist Party calls for an immediate rise in the NMW to £8 an hour, as a step towards a minimum wage of £10 an hour.

- When is a living wage not a living wage? SocialistParty.org.uk, November 7, 2012.

2. As the solstice approaches, darkness looms within our government. Like many Americans, I despair over the erosion of democracy in this country. The never-ending attacks on the most vulnerable people in the nation as a result of measures like the sequester, resulting in massive cuts to social programs, have left many people with little faith in the capacity of government to act in the interests of anybody who isn’t a billionaire.

Recently, however, the Massachusetts Senate lit up the darkness like fireworks on the 4th of July. On Nov. 19, the Senate voted to raise the state’s minimum wage from $8 to $11 an hour over the next three years. If this legislation passes the House, Massachusetts workers will earn the highest minimum wage in the United States. The Senate also voted to increase the minimum wage for restaurant workers from $2.63 an hour to half of the minimum wage.

Five years have passed since an increase in the minimum wage. This bill would index the minimum wage each year to keep pace with the cost of living.

This is the light of democracy in action. Senate President Theresa Murray deserves praise for pushing hard to get this bill passed. It’s important to remember, however, that this victory wouldn’t have happened without the efforts of scores of advocates, including labor unions, faith-based organizations, immigrant groups and other community-based coalitions that have been raising their voices tirelessly on behalf of a minimum wage increase. Raise Up Massachusetts, a coalition of labor and community groups, has worked painstakingly to gather enough signatures to put the question of a minimum wage increase on the November 2014 ballot.

Volunteers collected approximately 140,000 signatures in only 10 weeks. Those who signed the petitions supported the notion that those who are paid the least deserve more than what they now receive. Raise Up has also collected enough signatures for a second ballot question that requires workers to be offered sick time. The rights we enjoy today are products of the struggles of ordinary people, like the volunteer activists of Raise Up Massachusetts.

Over a cup of tea at The Haymarket Café, Kitty explained that a living wage is the wage necessary for a worker to meet basic needs, which include a decent home, food, clothes, health care and transportation.

- Sara Weinberger: Still not a ‘living wage,’ but higher minimum wage sorely needed, GazetteNet.com, December 16, 2013.

3. Kevin Burgos works full-time, earns more than the minimum wage and even fixes cars on the side to bring in extra money to support his family.

Yet, it’s barely enough to cover his basic living expenses, and Burgos finds himself in a $600 hole each month.

Burgos’ situation represents the woeful inadequacy of minimum wage and what could be a central question in the income inequality debates -- what is a person’s living wage?

For Burgos, it would mean an additional $6.50 an hour over what he makes now.

Currently, he makes $10.50 per hour as an assistant manager at Dunkin Donuts in Hartford, Connecticut. It's well above both the federal and state minimum wages of $7.25 and $8.70, respectively. It’s even more than the $10.10 per hour wage that Senate Democrats are fighting for. He brings in an extra $400 each month by fixing cars on the side.

He works 35 hours each week to support his family of three young children. All told, Burgos makes about $1,800 each month.

But his bills for basic necessities, including rent for his two-bedroom apartment, gas for his car, diapers and visits to the doctor, add up to $2,400. To cover these expenses without falling short, Burgos would need to make at least $17 per hour.

“I am always worried about what I’m going to do for tomorrow,” Burgos said.

- My minimum wage isn't a living wage, CNN.com, January 22, 2014.

本文僅代表作者本人觀點,與本網立場無關。歡迎大家討論學術問題,尊重他人,禁止人身攻擊和發布一切違反國家現行法律法規的內容。

我要看更多專欄文章

About the author:

Zhang Xin is Trainer at chinadaily.com.cn. He has been with China Daily since 1988, when he graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Write him at: zhangxin@chinadaily.com.cn, or raise a question for potential use in a future column.

相關閱讀:

Wear and tear?

Faux pas?

Grasping at straws?

Character assassination?

Sharks were his pet project?

(作者張欣 中國日報網英語點津 編輯:陳丹妮)

 
中國日報網英語點津版權說明:凡注明來源為“中國日報網英語點津:XXX(署名)”的原創作品,除與中國日報網簽署英語點津內容授權協議的網站外,其他任何網站或單位未經允許不得非法盜鏈、轉載和使用,違者必究。如需使用,請與010-84883561聯系;凡本網注明“來源:XXX(非英語點津)”的作品,均轉載自其它媒體,目的在于傳播更多信息,其他媒體如需轉載,請與稿件來源方聯系,如產生任何問題與本網無關;本網所發布的歌曲、電影片段,版權歸原作者所有,僅供學習與研究,如果侵權,請提供版權證明,以便盡快刪除。

中國日報網雙語新聞

掃描左側二維碼

添加Chinadaily_Mobile
你想看的我們這兒都有!

中國日報雙語手機報

點擊左側圖標查看訂閱方式

中國首份雙語手機報
學英語看資訊一個都不能少!

關注和訂閱

本文相關閱讀
人氣排行
搜熱詞
 
 
精華欄目
 

閱讀

詞匯

視聽

翻譯

口語

合作

 

關于我們 | 聯系方式 | 招聘信息

Copyright by chinadaily.com.cn. All rights reserved. None of this material may be used for any commercial or public use. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. 版權聲明:本網站所刊登的中國日報網英語點津內容,版權屬中國日報網所有,未經協議授權,禁止下載使用。 歡迎愿意與本網站合作的單位或個人與我們聯系。

電話:8610-84883645

傳真:8610-84883500

Email: languagetips@chinadaily.com.cn

久久久无码人妻精品无码_6080YYY午夜理论片中无码_性无码专区_无码人妻品一区二区三区精99

    亚洲精品综合在线观看| 日日噜噜夜夜狠狠| 中文字幕 91| 一本色道久久88亚洲精品综合 | 国产3p露脸普通话对白| 亚洲少妇久久久| 久久男人资源站| 99国产精品久久久久久| 国产日韩av网站| 性久久久久久久久久久久久久| 国产 福利 在线| 亚洲第一精品区| 无码日韩人妻精品久久蜜桃| 免费看日本黄色| www.com污| 国产成人精品无码播放| av磁力番号网| 911福利视频| 久久久久久久久久福利| 免费高清一区二区三区| 日韩成人精品视频在线观看| aa在线免费观看| 日韩 欧美 视频| 男人的天堂成人| 午夜宅男在线视频| 日本精品免费在线观看| 久久男人资源站| av磁力番号网| 亚洲高清在线不卡| 无码内射中文字幕岛国片| 成人一区二区免费视频| 992tv快乐视频| 在线无限看免费粉色视频| 密臀av一区二区三区| 国产女大学生av| 国产美女在线一区| 久青草视频在线播放| 大桥未久一区二区| 97人人模人人爽人人澡| 伊人成人222| 色婷婷成人在线| 爱情岛论坛成人| 男人女人黄一级| 91在线视频观看免费| 精品久久久久久久无码| 激情网站五月天| 男人亚洲天堂网| 激情网站五月天| 男女无套免费视频网站动漫| 久久久久狠狠高潮亚洲精品| 国产真实乱子伦| 麻豆av免费在线| 无码人妻丰满熟妇区毛片| 久久久久久久久久久免费视频| 日批视频在线免费看| 国产精品视频一区二区三区四区五区| 91精品国产91久久久久麻豆 主演| 免费人成在线观看视频播放| 亚洲精品蜜桃久久久久久| 免费人成在线观看视频播放| 国产妇女馒头高清泬20p多| 国产v片免费观看| 草草久久久无码国产专区| 国产二区视频在线播放| 日韩精品视频一区二区在线观看| 黄色一级大片在线观看| 国产成人手机视频| 成人不卡免费视频| 国产人妻互换一区二区| 日本精品福利视频| 日韩免费视频播放| 精品久久久久久久无码 | 日韩av新片网| 国产精品沙发午睡系列| 国产主播在线看| 成人综合久久网| 日本xxx免费| 国产午夜大地久久| 别急慢慢来1978如如2| 亚洲高清视频免费| 国产freexxxx性播放麻豆| 男人天堂999| 久热在线视频观看| 免费cad大片在线观看| 久久久久免费看黄a片app| 能看的毛片网站| 91免费视频黄| 中国丰满人妻videoshd| 怡红院亚洲色图| 男人添女人下部视频免费| 春日野结衣av| 亚洲一区二区三区四区精品| 欧美久久在线观看| 亚洲精品www.| 精品成在人线av无码免费看| 动漫av免费观看| 国产又黄又爽免费视频| 免费看的黄色大片| 天堂在线一区二区三区| 加勒比成人在线| 国内自拍第二页| 国产原创中文在线观看| 色噜噜狠狠永久免费| 精品视频在线观看一区二区| 狠狠操精品视频| 日本天堂免费a| 亚洲视频在线观看一区二区三区| 日韩精品福利片午夜免费观看| 99re在线视频免费观看| 浴室偷拍美女洗澡456在线| 毛片一区二区三区四区| 免费看污污视频| 午夜免费精品视频| 国产美女主播在线播放| 肉色超薄丝袜脚交| 黑鬼大战白妞高潮喷白浆| 黄色小视频大全| 手机在线成人免费视频| 免费看又黄又无码的网站| 久久久国产精华液999999 | 手机免费av片| 国产午夜福利在线播放| 手机在线视频你懂的| 又色又爽又高潮免费视频国产| 免费观看亚洲视频| 小明看看成人免费视频| 国产xxxxx在线观看| 欧美一级爱爱视频| 国产精品久久久久久久99| 亚洲性生活网站| 日本毛片在线免费观看| 免费看污污视频| 99精品视频国产| 婷婷激情四射五月天| 精品久久一二三| 国产 欧美 日本| youjizz.com亚洲| 亚洲va综合va国产va中文| 四虎永久在线精品无码视频| 亚洲国产成人精品无码区99| 国产精品久久成人免费观看| 日本三级黄色网址| 99免费视频观看| 免费在线观看毛片网站| 欧美久久久久久久久久久久久| 精品人妻大屁股白浆无码| 天天综合五月天| 亚洲精品乱码久久久久久动漫| 亚洲国产日韩欧美在线观看| 久久久久久久久久久久久国产精品| xxxx18hd亚洲hd捆绑| 又大又硬又爽免费视频| 国产免费内射又粗又爽密桃视频| 咪咪色在线视频| 特级毛片在线免费观看| 99视频在线观看视频| 日本美女久久久| 亚洲第一页在线视频| √天堂资源在线| 手机av在线网站| 中文字幕第一页亚洲| 色撸撸在线观看| 乱子伦一区二区| 欧美 国产 精品| 日韩欧美一级在线| 日韩一级片免费视频| 日韩av高清在线看片| 免费看国产曰批40分钟| 日日鲁鲁鲁夜夜爽爽狠狠视频97| 久久无码高潮喷水| 国产又黄又猛又粗又爽的视频| 久久婷五月综合| 久久综合在线观看| 免费成人进口网站| 福利视频免费在线观看| 成人在线观看你懂的| 成年网站在线免费观看| 国产情侣av自拍| 五月婷婷丁香色| 日本特黄在线观看| 亚洲最新免费视频| avav在线播放| 国产黄色一级网站| 亚洲 欧美 日韩系列| 久久精品亚洲天堂| 免费观看亚洲视频| 成人免费观看毛片| 亚洲天堂伊人网| 日韩免费在线观看av| 女性女同性aⅴ免费观女性恋| 国产xxxxx视频| 青娱乐国产精品视频| 日本熟妇人妻xxxx| 亚洲天堂av线| 亚洲美女自拍偷拍| 青青青免费在线| 亚洲性生活网站| 精品久久免费观看| 人妻互换免费中文字幕| 男女av免费观看|