Re:Americans Want to Believe Jobs Are the Solution to Povert...
by chrisbennet on Wednesday September 12, 2018 @02:29AM
(#17966025)
If we raised farm labor wages by 40% it would cost the consumer less than $25 a year.
”For a typical household, a 40 percent increase in farm labor costs translates into a four percent increase in retail prices (0.30 farm share of retail prices x 0.33 farm labor share of farm revenue = 10 percent, farm labor costs rise 40 percent, and 0.4 x 10 = 3.6 percent). If farm wages rose 40 percent, and the increase were passed on fully to consumers, average spending on fresh fruits and vegetables would rise by about $21 a year (4 percent x $530 = $21).
Giving seasonal farm workers a 40 percent wage increase, on the other hand, would raise their average earnings from $11,720 for 1,000 hours of work to $16,400, lifting the average worker above the federal poverty line of $11,770 for an individual in 2015.”
Re:Americans Want to Believe Jobs Are the Solution to Povert...
by michaelt on Wednesday September 12, 2018 @06:00AM
(#17966974)
Doesn't the average consumer spends a lot more than $530 a year on farmed goods?
Re:Americans Want to Believe Jobs Are the Solution to Povert...
by jpttsn on Wednesday September 12, 2018 @03:25AM
(#17966240)
I dont think the average consumer wants to pay $25 more per year.
Re:Americans Want to Believe Jobs Are the Solution to Povert...
by Tempest1981 on Wednesday September 12, 2018 @04:16AM
(#17966456)
We do like inexpensive merchandise.
Legal immigration has a comparatively small effect due to the fact that they're part of the skilled labor force and generally fill gaps in our society. The number of people actually holding H1Bs is so small that I find it hard to believe they have any major pull on the various sectors outside of the few firms that are known to be abusing the system.
Fixing the system in a humane way that also doesn't blow up the lower classes is a herculean task.