$15 Wage and The Wine Industry

I assume you are expecting me to go off about how bad this idea is and how it will put the wine industry out of business. Well, I'm here for surprises. That's why you follow this blog.

So that little girl or young man behind the counter at Micky Dee's thinks their services are worth $15 per hour. They do have a high school education (equivalent to a sixth-grade education in any other country) and they are looking at paying inflated prices for a second-rate college education, majoring in medieval art and minoring in ethnic basket weaving. Give them a two-dollar bill and see if they are worth $15 per hour.

So, what's my point? We just raised the rate we pay our vineyard workers to $12 per hour. Why? Several reasons: First, all those illegal aliens that Trump talks about aren't coming to Washington State. We haven't had an illegal, err excuse me, undocumented worker  apply for work in ten years. They must be going to New York to work for Trump. (Undocumented is an oxymoron. All these people have documents. You can buy them in LA for about $100.)

Second, wages should be governed by supply and demand. The number of brain-dead high school graduates available to work at Micky Dee's is limitless. They have no skills and no work ethic. They think the world owes them a living because all through school they have certificates that say 'Participation.' They think 'participant' is synonymous with 'winner'. They should look in the mirror, there is a big 'L;' on their forehead.

There is high demand for field work right now. Huge crews are being hired by large apple companies to plant trees. Hops need to be trained. Soon the cherry harvest will start. When cherries start, there will be no workers unemployed in the state. (Notice, I said workers. There still will be people on rocking chair 'looking for work.'

Third, it is hard, back breaking, dirty work. Not to sound racist, but no white people ever apply.

There is a parable about Jesus returning to Earth. The first person he meets is a blind man with a tin cup. Jesus touches him and says, "You shall see." The man threw away his cup and responded, "The colors are so bright, the world is beautiful!"

The second person Jesus met was a cripple begging for food. Jesus touched him and declared, "You shall walk." The man jumped up and ran happily away.

The third man was standing on the corner with a sign that said 'homeless. Need money.' As Jesus approached him the man started backing away while muttering, "Hey man, don't touch me. I just got on disability."

We were lucky to get a crew to thin our grapes; but we had to pay $12 per hour. Let the market decide the wage.