Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ssc-vax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!ihnp4!drutx!houxe!hogpc!houti!ariel!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!ssc-vax!eder From: eder@ssc-vax.UUCP Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: Unemployment & the minimum wage Message-ID: <34@ssc-vax.UUCP> Date: Sun, 5-Aug-84 20:36:04 EDT Article-I.D.: ssc-vax.34 Posted: Sun Aug 5 20:36:04 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 8-Aug-84 19:04:10 EDT References: <1665@inmet.UUCP> Organization: Boeing Aerospace, Seattle Lines: 26 [4 August 1984] What kind of living standard does $2.50/hr for a 18-22 year old represent? Not bad at all, if spent properly. While in college, I lived in a fraternity-type arrangement. We were not a recognized fraternity, but a self-run cooperative. We rented a small apartment building, paid all the bill (oil, electric, maintanance), and ordered our own food (28 people were enough to order by the case from food distributors). Cooking and cleaning jobs were rotated among the residents. Everyone had separate rooms of about 150-200 square feet. It was co-ed, much more civilized than single-sex frats. We had some 'luxuries' such as a library and cable TV with all the optional channels (only $1/person/month, much cheaper than going to movies). The costs were $1800 per year room, and $1200 per year board. This works out to $1.50 per hour for a 40 hour week. If you made more, presumably you could afford to buy stereos, eat out at restauraunts, etc. Note, this does not allow for owning a car, which runs over $1000 per year counting gas, maintenance, insurance, etc. If the worker lives with relatives, the room component drops to zero and the discretionary income would be greater. I went to school at Columbia University, in New York City, thus rental of the building was more expensive than most other parts of the country. Dani Eder/ Boeing Aerospace Company / ssc-vax!eder