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<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT face=Arial size=2>Of course, if anything like
this does happen, people will be very upset when prices of produce and other
products shoot up to pay for the higher wages that the new(ly) documented
employees will demand.</FONT></SPAN></P><BR>
<P dir=ltr><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#0000ff face=Script
size=5>greenBubble</FONT><FONT color=#0000ff face=Script size=5></FONT>
</SPAN></P><BR>Don't believe it. I have a friend who worked at McDonald's. After
a rough analysis of the daily cash flow and wage levels, we figured 8% of gross
revenue goes into employee's paychecks. It would be 16% if the owner maintained
proper staffing levels, instead of keeping everyone doing two jobs to compensate
for unfilled positions. When United Farm Workers was most active and
controversial, simple math showed that the wage increases being demanded in
collective bargaining would have added one or two cents to the cost of fresh
fruit and vegetables. When a twelve pound case of tomatoes <EM>wholesaled
</EM>at Hunt's Point (NYC) for $8, field hands in California were getting
45 cents to pick 24 pounds. It isn't only that such a disproportionate
share of revenue and wealth goes to such a tiny minority of the people -- it is
also the fact that the price we pay in the supermarket reflects so many
transactions, including processing, packaging, shipping, warehousing, etc. And
multi-million dollar bonuses for executives at each step.</DIV>
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<DIV>When the first federal minimum wage law was adopted, employers screamed
that it would bankrupt them all and put millions out of work. Actually, it
increased sales and made every business in the country more profitable, leading
to increasing hiring, which meant even more people could afford to buy products,
making business even more profitable.</DIV>
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<DIV>As it says in Qoheleth, it is good for a man to enjoy the fruits of his
labor.</DIV>
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<DIV>Siarlys</DIV>
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