I'm not following this logic. They can't quit a job that pays double minimum wage unless minimum wage is increased to the amount they are currently getting paid? If minimum wage was $15 there would be some other crummy employer paying more than minimum wage to incentivize people to take a shitty job. Would they be stuck in that one too because the alternatives pay less?
If it was possible to live a normal life on the minimum wage then many would chose to instead of destroying their mental health to be able to pay rent.
Choose to do the bare minimum because we change the system to make it comfortable enough? That’s a good idea.
I’m not necessarily against raising minimum wage. It should probably be reviewed and adjusted more often than it is. But wouldn’t we be better off with a system where people are incentivized to do more than the bare minimum? I don’t think minimum wage should be intended to be the baseline for a comfortable life. It should be high enough that people want to work in the first place rather than take handouts but not so high that it’s an opportunity to stagnate. Frankly, minimum wage is for first time workers and people who have zero marketable job skills or some other issue that prevents them from doing more productive work. Most people can achieve much more with a little work experience.
They aren't necessarily trying to maximize, they're trying to keep their heads above water. If they had alternative option for doing that, they would take it.
