Minimum Wage and the Lazy American Worker by Jon Searles

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Jon Searles ^(1,956) United States

Jon Searles

Minimum Wage and the Lazy American Worker

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Submitted Monday, May 28, 2007
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Illegal immigration and the minimum wage are two primary topics of discussion that continuously get current news agencies reporting. It is somewhat ironic that the recent change in the minimum wage will be a nice boost for the illegal immigrants that work hard to find and keep minimum wage jobs. There are volumes of writing that can be done on the plight of the immigrants in the country, but this discussion will be focused primarily on the American worker. American workers, of all genders, races and creeds, are losing their way.

In a world of “political correctness" and individual’s rights being more important than anything in the workplace, we have warped the American worker into a whining victim of perceived business and industry criminals. Truth is the American worker is actually becoming a lazy, self centered, and something for nothing slug that would rather lie on their butts than create something of sustaining value or contribute to the success of anything admirable. If many of them decreased their complaining and whining about their lack of opportunities, they could focus on building something successful. Someone once said “The harder I work, the luckier I get." There are a lot of success stories that involve these types of lucky people. Are these lucky people then expected to carry those that are unwilling to work hard to succeed?

You must understand that I am not opposed to giving full help to those unable to help themselves. I feel we all have an obligation to give assistance to those that need it, and not to those who are addicted to handouts and simply want to be taken care of by whoever is willing to pay.

It is not a crime that a company like Walmart has become so successful. They have been accused of not paying worker’s enough or offering proper benefits. They have however, offered consistent and growing employment to a lot of Americans. Why should we expect them to pay a wage higher than minimum that critics feel is closer to a real living wage? Obviously, Walmart, Target, and a wide variety of other variety and grocery stores that bring us great value and outstanding selection would be unable to do so if we required them to pay higher than necessary wages to their unskilled workers. Consumers appear to have no problem purchasing products manufactured in third world countries produced by people that barely make any type of wage and sold to them by those who work a job that only pays our nation’s minimum wage.

We must realize that there is a segment of the population that lack the skills or the motivation to do anything other than some of the jobs that are offered at minimum wage throughout this country. Please do not think this discussion to be naïve and announce at this point that job training and vocational training must be made available so these workers can get the necessary job skills. My dear friend, these programs and money for these programs are in use and they are available. What do you do when the people they are put in place for are not motivated to take the classes and learn the job skills? How does one teach work ethic and personal motivation to those that want maximum dollar for minimum work?

Minimum wage for minimum work is not a new concept and it will not change. All of us must understand that the minimum wage gives us the best prices for goods and services that would otherwise cost even more. Just because work is “hard" does not mean it should pay more. I spent several years during high school and college in minimum wage jobs washing dishes, painting, cleaning doctor’s offices, and stacking hay in the hot Texas summer. All work that kept me busy, but when I went home at night I had no worries with profitability, benefits, litigation, or paying the company’s bills. My jobs involved filling a spot that needed to be filled with an unskilled worker that could be easily trained or replaced. Good jobs for students and poor jobs for those who have begun families.

No matter where one lives in these United States , people are becoming more and more ignorant. I am not casting any insult toward those that are truly mentally handicapped, but on the Americans who allow their brains to deteriorate through lack of use, avoidance of meaningful stimulation and self imposed brainlessness. It is the PS2, Xbox, television age when people work to get free money through unemployment, government agencies, worker's comp, identity theft, and pointless litigation to get their next fix of self centered, self gratifying (use your imagination) entertainment that is causing the demise of our country. Many workers feel computer skills can be written on a resume if they can surf the web's porn and gaming sites. Their brains are no longer of use to them for anything other than finding a way to make money without real work and sacrifice. Recently in New York City a young 30 something year old man punched a 101 year old woman in the face three or four times just to get her purse. That is a great living analogy of the thought process of the American worker.

In my current line of work, I have found some incredible Hispanic people that still know how to work hard. If Mexico , Peru , and the Dominican Republic ever get their act together politically, we could very easily become NORTH LATIN AMERICA . Unfortunately, many immigrants do fall into the same traps that US citizen's do and are enveloped by the stupidity and laziness.

In many cases workers’ unions have helped to nurture the type of American worker that I am discussing. Now, if you have ever read Upton Sinclair’s, The Jungle, you would understand the need and necessity of unions at a time when workers were treated as disposable property. Unions made great strides in strengthening employee pay, benefits, safety, and helped give them a voice in corporate America . They made very effective strides in social and political change that were greatly needed for the American worker. Unfortunately, with great power comes great responsibility and humans traditionally are not up to the task, so when it has been time to change, unions have been unable to pull in the hand they have had extended for so long. Someone needs to research the positive effect that unions have had on technology and automation. Unions have priced themselves out of work by demanding higher than necessary salaries, and benefits that make capital investment in automation more profitable than keeping workers employed. How many jobs have been lost oversees so American companies could be competitive in their markets because they can not find workers willing fill minimum wage positions?

So as more and more American workers continue to shun the idea of hard work, moral structure, and education, those willing to work hard will strive toward success and the lazy will extend their hands and hope for some money to fall from the sky. Some workers will continue to look for the “free money" available to them through government sources and pointless litigation. Individuals will look for new and improved ways in which their rights are infringed upon in the work place that will result in a cash pay out for pain and suffering.

Maybe we need to require the American worker to spend time with the entrepreneurial immigrants from India , South American countries, and Asian countries that we stereotype as convenience store owners, laborers, and buffet restaurant owners. Hard working people that see the United States as the “land of opportunity" can still be successful.

The American worker must work harder to regain the momentum of entrepreneurship, and strong work ethic that made this country great. Our country has great opportunity. Not all opportunity is convenient, meaning one may have to be diligent, focused, and take the initiative to grab the opportunity. Not all opportunity results in success. Not all opportunity is easy.

Someone once told me that they had no money because they could not find a job in the small town they lived in because unemployment was high, I told him to move. Another person told me they would have a job but they refused to work for under $8.00 an hour. I asked him “How does that wage compare to your current $0 per hour?" I have had employees tell me they would work harder if I would pay them more and I assure you I did not. I have interviewed employees that have had many decent jobs or been trained in 3-4 vocation training programs that are unable to find what they want in a job. Unfortunately that is because many want a “position" not a job and appear to dislike a job that may involve actual thought, commitment, and work. I always perplexed when interviewing a young man or woman who explains to me they are unable to find a good job and pay their bills. During the interview their cell phone rings and they excuse themselves from the interview. Do you ever wonder who pays the cell phone bill?

Unlike the workers I have met that have not impressed me with any type of work ethic, I have been privileged to meet some incredible working single mothers, fathers, and other individuals who work very hard to care for themselves and their families. I have never apologetically offered minimum wage to an incoming employee, but I have offered it with a challenge to grow. Some are up to the challenge and some never will be.

One final story that sums up the direction of the American worker; A few years ago my wife and I contracted with a man to build a large front porch made of rocks from the local area in which we lived. It would require placing thousands of stones, each by hand. The man’s name was Bill and he had many years of experience as a mason. He and his helper dug the foundation by hand in a very hard Alabama soil and then painstakingly made each batch of mortar in a wheelbarrow by hand to place each stone carefully in it’s position. The hot and humid Alabama summer slowed them slightly, but they showed up everyday to do the work. Bill was very opinionated about immigrant workers and felt that he needed to hire people that were in the country legally. He wanted to start each new worker at about $8.00 an hour to help him and Willie (his helper) work at a trade he was willing to teach to any young man that showed interest. Unfortunately, Bill was unable to find anyone that could last very long doing the work. Backs and shoulders of these young men could not keep up the pace with Bill and Willie. Bill and Willie finished our porch. It took 4 weeks of work and when it was complete it was an amazing structure. That was about 7 years ago and now even Bill and Willie will no longer do this back breaking work which takes a skilled craftsman to complete. I don’t fault Bill and Willie, after all, Bill was 74 years old and Willie was 76 years old when they built our porch. It is a shame that their experience will end with them.

At one time in history minimum wage protected the worker and allowed them to make a more decent wage and keep unscrupulous employers from not paying well. Now it protects employers by not requiring them to pay workers more than their work is worth, although in current times the employer may not be receiving a good value.

►Reprint Rights◄

» left by robert melaccio sr. (2 years 242 days ago.)

As one who has worked the top end and the bottom end and had wealth and then none I can tell you for a fact managemnet does not care about the "worker". Now when you talk about lazy you forgot to mention exploitation, like this is a fast paced environment, meaning you get no breaks, you get no benefits, you get to work weekends and cheated out of OT and if you don't show your a gonner. Its an AT WILL state and you already know what that is for. Try that with a minority who is exploited and see what happens. Now the fact the bosses will treat you fair and we have an open door policy is for fools. I went through it with your example when a ladder fell off the wall and I was knocked out. You know what I got - harrassed. I left on my own because good old Sam was rolling in his grave. Justice, give me a break, there is none and if you believe it in my opinion you don't know what you are talking about. So business has reaped what they sow. Now they are exploiting these "hard" workers for less then they pay Americans. Good deal isn't it. Sure they work hard it is called FEAR. Now I can agree loyalty and yes enthusiasm is lacking but you tell me just what is in it for a worker? The answer starts with a s and ends with the letter that follows. Sorry just the simple truth. So please don't tell us Americans are not hard workers that generality does not hold water. You can use government and business stats on productivity if you need to. Sorry there is lazy yes but not everyone. Perhaps just the ones that work for you or with you and what is defined as lazy not showing up on your regular day off? Sorry I can't agree but that is the difference between the haves and the have-nots.

» left by Jon Searles ^(1,952)
Jon Searles (2 years 242 days ago.)
I am truly sorry for your experiences and I would agree that there are problems with employers. Ultimately, profit is the bottom line in any business and some owners have a difficult time balancing caring for employees and greed. I assure you that some owners and managers do care about their employees. You are right in that not everyone is lazy but my implication was that our majority is moving in that direction as work becomes a necessary evil rather than something to make us proud. The only concern I have in your comments is the thought that maybe I personally am a "have" and have never been a "have not". Thank you for your honest comments.

» left by robert melaccio sr. (2 years 241 days ago.)

My apolgies for the "have comment" it was a bad choice of wording and left the door open for question which you rightly did. Respectfully, Mr. Melaccio PS I hope that child is taking care and is safe. We will pray for your family and especially him.

» left by Brow Beaten from US (2 years 210 days ago.)

Funny how owners want people that work cheap to justify their lack of work so they can earn more. If you want loyalty you have to walk the walk and pay the bills. If you are going to only pay the minimum wage then don't expect loyalty because you don’t deserve it.

It is also wrong to compare illegals with legal citizens. We live and are raised in our market, not theirs. Let's have an example.

Let's say there is a country called utopia. It has a minimum wage that pays 100 dollars per hour in 2007. How many Americans do you think would want to migrate to this country and be willing to work for 50 dollars an hour or even 25 an hour? The ones that desire to work would leave. I know I would leave in an instant because I could always come back home and live a very good life. The incentive is high because the reward is high. But for people living and born in utopia society they have nowhere to run to that generates that type of incentive to get off their bum. Everything for them costs 1000’s of dollars but we can escape back to America and afford everything we desire as well as take care of our family and rebuild our communities.

"The Jungle, you would understand the need and necessity of unions at a time when workers were treated as disposable property." - And so you think mass layoffs isn't treating people like disposable property? Where is the loyalty? Oh it is justified for business but when it is the average person jumping jobs looking for higher reward it's lazy and wrong. Maybe the problem is you are the boss instead of the employee. You see someone who makes you more wealth because they are willing to be paid less so you equate this to mean they are hard working.

How about you do this. You do your exact same job, working for someone else at the minimum wage. In fact why don’t you come work for me and do your job for me and I will pay you the minimum wage and take the profit. You better be loyal and take the pay otherwise you are a lazy, stupid fat American. Right? If you are not willing to do that for a living then you are no better than the people you complain about.

"Maybe we need to require the American worker to spend time with the entrepreneurial immigrants from India , South American countries, and Asian countries that we stereotype as convenience store owners, laborers, and buffet restaurant owners. Hard working people that see the United States as the “land of opportunity" can still be successful." - You are right, in our current economy, the only way to have a stable job and a future is to start your own business. Don't bother working for someone else. The problem is with education teaching people like myself to get a degree in science. All our lives it is thrust down our throats to sit on our butts and educate ourselves to work and do higher end design for corporations. Now these international corporations have zero loyalty to the American people and only want to sell back to our market because of market differences. And so people over the last 7 years have to start all over at the bottom yet again and figure out how to survive without their education being of any value. Also, by the golden rule you don’t give loyalty to people who don’t give loyalty to you. You only stand by and protect people who stand by and protect you. If they don’t pay the bills there is no reason to work for them, period. Just as there is no reason to run a business if it isn’t making any money, now is there?

I know though at this time I would have been better off working at the age of 16 and saving every dime. Instead I am in college debt and need that money to start over with a business that must succeed. And don't think for a second that these immigrant people don't have strong family support to keep their business running through cheap family labor or subsidized by some manner or the other. You just assume they start without anything. Most American's though live a single life compare to the agrarian societies large families and their families budgets are all used up on their own lives.

Stop comparing apples and oranges and you will understand the problem a lot clearer instead of whining and complaining like the spoiled rich brat that wants cheap labor so you can make higher profits. You might even be the type to get out the shot gun and start shooting Americans born here in favor of the third world market wages you want to pay. After all they are lazy and stupid and we don’t need these people around. And that is exactly what you have stated, though you personally would never use violence though you might ask the government to enforce some sort of harm.

Do I think Americans are dumb, sure they are. I also think you are seeing the best of the best crossing the border looking for incentive to work hard. You are not taking the whole of their society, just a small segment and comparing it to the whole of ours. You are the one with the problem. You think anyone who isn’t willing to work for “YOU” at the wage you state is a problem.

In fact why don’t you come and take my worthless computer science degree and have it for dinner. It’s all it is worth in this society. Yes I know I don’t deserve a job but starting over on the bottom with that sort of education is like sending me back into the boy’s locker room to be hazed yet again. And if that doesn’t get my blood boiling I know nothing that will. Because if I had it to do it over again I would beat the $%&*$%& out of anyone from those days that messed with me instead of taking it in the hope of having a better future and not getting kicked out of school for fighting.

But it seems all we hear today is the whine of the business owner. “I need cheap loyal labor that works at wages below our market value!”. You want people to work for you and stay loyal, “SHOW THEM THE MONEY!” as well as treat them with respect. It is simple as that and most people will respond likewise. The ones that don’t will move on anyway. If you pay below the living wage for our market then you won’t keep American employee’s or attract ones. You want people to work for you then you the rule of supply and demand stands, you pay more. The only reason you have any reason to speak is because you have the option of using someone from a foreign market that doesn't have to live in ours. If it didn't exist you wouldn't be able to argue anything.

Hate me the lazy stupid American all you want. I sure as hell don’t want to work for 8 dollars an hours because it simply will not pay the bills. And if that is wrong get out your shotgun and I will get out mine. Let us finish this shall we?

» left by Jon Searles ^(1,952)
Jon Searles (2 years 210 days ago.)
I am sure that if you use the passion you showed in your comments in a focused and positive pursuit you will be successful at whatever you do. Best of luck and thank you for your comments.

» left by David Kiley from North Adams MA (1 year 348 days ago.)

The worldwide feeling that an american workers are lazy is a strange one - because on one hand people hold it as truth, but on the other hand hard core statistics show that the american worker works more unpaid overtime then just about any other country. For example japanese people seem to think americans are lazy but americans on average work more then the japanses workers.
I'm not sure what to make of that other than perhaps there are class differences in workers, meaning perhaps minimum wage workers are lazy compared to other low wage world workers - but perhaps skilled salary US workers work much more.
Regarding the rest of your opinion - I can definatly relate that perhaps US workers are not optimistic enough. I was reading about the WWII generation the other day and was very impressed by the level of drive they had regardless of circumstances, and it made me feel somewhat ashamed. On the other hand that generation was experiencing an unmatched economic boom, so they had much to look forward to whereas the US economy is now just in a state of decay. I guess i'm saying perhaps it's pretty hard to be motivated when most skills jobs are being outsourced for the cheapest labor pool and there is very little loyalty or good will.
The basic facts are solely economic really, as it is obvious what will be choosen between a high skilled but cheap indian vs a high skilled expensive american. Being smart and positive just isn't enough to change the tide of change, and a massive economic depression seems inevitable.

Your stance on walmart is leaving something out. Walmart executives and owners make far too much money. They could share more, allowing workers a living wage, and bring value to consumers.
They choose to be overly greedy, making life miserable for workers.
Iv'e worked retail and know there is very little good will between workers and executives.
Any talk that executives should be less greedy in this country is spinned to be some communist conspiracy, but it's basically just that if you want good people working for you, you need to treat them just as good as you treat yourself.
No i'm not saying you can't have any hiarchy differences in wage, but a CEO doesn't have to make 4000 times what a worker makes and a worker doesn't need to live without insurance and barely be able to feed his kids.
That is a moral choice that human beings need to start facing if we are to evolve on this planet.

» left by (1 year 180 days ago.)

Jon, glad I found your articles. I see this article is a bit old but I was just glancing through them. I have to say this one is great. I'm so glad you 'trained' me and set me on my current path. After reading this, I have way too many interview traits like you... I just asked someone last week ' so if you have no job, who pays the cell phone bill?' LOL - Miss you and the family very much.

» left by Mike from Buena Park, CA (351 days 17 hours ago.)

I own a small machine shop I started on a shoe string a grew it into a very successful business and I can tell you that you are right on with your article. I have been wanting to say what you have for as long as I can remember. People have a choice in America they can move on to another job if they are not happy. I reward my employees for their hard work, not for just showing up. I have always worked hard all my life and I was not always treated fairly and If I felt I was not being fairly rewarded for my work I simply moved on to someone you did appreciate my hard work and dedication as an employee. Companies will in most cases always reward those who work hard and are good for the company. They don't like people who expect the world and are unwilling to do the work to achive it.
My 2 cents
Great article!
Mike
JFTEDM Inc.
Buena Park, CA

» left by David from Washington State (348 days 15 hours ago.)

As a new immigrant to the USA, I am amazed at the low quality of some American workers. I have 4 employees and I can tell you I have had my eyebrows lifted many times at the antics of some. I have had workers steal from me, use the company vehicle for their own personal use, and generally do whatever they can to get out of work. The last worker smelled of body odor and I had to tell a grown man to shave and look clean. I am amazed! They love to talk and chat and are very inneficient. I pay $13.50 an hour and I my next worker will get minimum until they can prove they are worth more.

Just sad! Loved the article.

» left by Pete S. from Carribean (340 days 10 hours ago.)

Outstanding article. It doesn't matter what you pay. Lazy is lazy and no amount of money will change that. Americans want things handed to them. They think every business owner is out to get them. It's only getting worse.

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