Amazon Hiring (Cincinnati, Perry, Florida: felony, job openings, minimum wage)

[SWOH]

^That sounds like a very cool job. Good insight into the types of industries and work that used to exist around here.


I will point out that there is nothing wrong with minimum wage work. We as a nation are tied up in this mentality that you have to go to college to be successful. Why?

Is "success" really defined by how much money you make?

It all just feeds into the stupidity of the looming higher education bubble. Come visit Miami University's campus sometime to witness the financial irresponsibility that is a result. Higher education is turning into some BS competition of who has a bigger or better (insert building here). Pair this with rampant de-intensifying of class work and the result is college morphing from a serious achievement into a meaningless resort. Little actual achievement, and a lot of snobbery for students who are somehow "better" than their peers who had to hustle and learn the harsh reality of the world over those same years. It's stupid.


So these Amazon jobs, they may be hard, but they pay a living wage. For honest work at this distribution center or a different one, a husband and wife can both work the lines and make enough to feed and clothe their family, buy a house, and maybe even have a few discretionary dollars if they budget well.

This work is just as honest and hard as work at a retail store or a fast-food restaurant. These people need our government to support a livable minimum wage. Amazon, because of their success, can afford to pay it. Why can't minimum wage reform pass so everyone who is willing to work and can find a job can work one that will provide them with the means to live?

[Wilson513]

Minimum wage increases reduce jobs.

[SWOH]

^You're wrong. On so many levels.

A minimum wage increase to $10.10 with yearly adjustments based on inflation would reduce 500,000 jobs (source - Congressional Budget Office). But
- Over 6 minimum wage workers will no longer live in poverty
- Wage increases would give these individuals more purchasing power, creating more jobs (like 500,000+ more)
- More tax revenue would be realized from both cost savings and increased purchasing power
- The average minimum wage worker is over 20 (88%) and female (55%)

Sources:
The Effects of a Minimum-Wage Increase on Employment and Family Income - CBO
Five Reasons It Makes Sense For Obama To Back A $10.10 Minimum Wage | ThinkProgress
http://www.dol.gov/minwage/mythbuster.htm

[WILWRadio]

I fail to understand why so many people look down upon entry level jobs in our society. You have to start somewhere especially if you are in high school or college or just graduated. So many good jobs in manufacturing and the Trades go unfilled because people want to wear a neck tie or suit to work. It's a shame. My friend's late Father started in the mail room of the AETNA Insurance Co. in Hartford (Headquarters) and he worked up to become Corporate Comptroller before retiring. And one of my Uncle's started off as a Lineman for Hartford Electric Light Company and then worked up to an Executive Vice President position many years later when the company became Northeast Utilities. These are two shining examples of what entry level jobs can lead to if one puts his or her mind to succeed at something larger.

[Briolat21]

There is nothing wrong with entry level jobs. I sincerely hope it will be recent high school graduates applying for these jobs. But most likely it will be non-entry level employees laid off from other industries hoping to get paid $12/hour (on average according to 2013 article) and hoping they can survive amazon's demands.

[Wilson513]

A job is a job. If a person does not like it, look for a different job. No job for a person with your skills, get some more skills. Different skills. I can't believe we have to squeeze an apology out of a company offering employment to persons with no skills.

[Briolat21]

We don't. But since motorman revived this thread with "why aren't we talking about this?"... This is why. Some of us are glad there are more jobs but otherwise not excited due to the nature of the positions. 300 tech positions with an avg salary of $60k would be a lot more interesting.

[Wilson513]

Well, my comment wasn't actually directed to you, but to the whole tenor of this thread. And, if a person has the tech skills to get a $60,000 job, they don't need any help. Its the $12.50 job for a person who does not even have the skills to be a host at Applebees or a barista at Starbucks that are hard to come by. We should bow down to a company who would locate such jobs here.

If I hear one more complaint about Walmart, and what ****ty jobs they have, and how a person cannot drive a new car and live in the suburbs working there, I'm going to explode.

Listen folks, if you don't want a $12.50 per hour job you should have gone to Great Oaks and learned to be a welder. Or not got a felony drug charge or shown up for a pre-employment drug test high on pot.

[unusualfire]

Hmm Entry level jobs at Ford start at $15.78 an hour. After 2 years you get top pay $28.17 an hour. So it can lead to something after you are with some companies a few years.

[motorman]

Originally Posted by Briolat21

*confused* So you wanted us to write in and say that Amazon's distribution centers are better than working over an open furnace in a steel mill, but only marginally so?

I thought it was polite of us not to mention that.

For those with few other options, no doubt these positions will be greatly appreciated. I am glad for them that these positions have been created. However based on the reports I've read, I do not consider their warehouse/distribution centers in general to be great jobs, simply jobs.

Sorry you feel this way about 300 new jobs being brought to NKY, but Amazon's full-time positions merit at least some positive comment, which you so reluctantly provide. Although all of us grieve over the thousands of lucrative manufacturing jobs that our region lost (think Cincinnati Milacron, Norwood GM, Ivorydale, Springrove Ave, the Middletown/Hamilton "Ruhr," etc.), let's accept that 1950 is gone and thus appreciate what's being made available today.