# CA $15 minimum wage



## liljake83 (Jul 2, 2013)

I see that the sacramento politicians have approved a $15 minimum wage what will the effects be :s ? What will california package prices be what will california queens cost what about pollination prices just curious as to what your estimates are ?


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## jean-marc (Jan 13, 2005)

What are current wages? I pay my guys that, mind you in Canadian dollars. Some get more and other benefits.

Jean-Marc


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

don't you know, it won't effect the cost of goods at all, the producers will gladly eat any extra cost.


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## whiskers (Aug 28, 2011)

In the end, after the ripples reach the edge of the pond and reflect back and forth until they dissipate, the result will be that fifteen dollars will buy about what ten dollars buys now.
Bill


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## wildbranch2007 (Dec 3, 2008)

liljake83 said:


> I see that the sacramento politicians have approved a $15 minimum wage what will the effects be :s ? What will california package prices be what will california queens cost what about pollination prices just curious as to what your estimates are ?


I don't know about Calif. but the price of packages and nucs all over the USA will go up to match Calif. prices:thumbsup:


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## TalonRedding (Jul 19, 2013)

Well it sure seems attractive on the front end for the employees. But it will certainly drive the prices of goods and services through the roof, and eventually the $15/hr wage becomes what the $10/hr wage is today. Artificial inflation.


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

What do the agricultural wage exemptions state in the US ?


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

Just to clarify, it's a $1 increase every year until 2022 when it hits the $15 mark. I'm not sure how we're passing this w/o a vote personally, but it probably would've passed anyway.


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## HarryVanderpool (Apr 11, 2005)

Blasted kids anyway....

Why, back when I started out it was a buck twenty five.

Gunny sacks for shoes walking uphill both ways to school,

Lard sandwiches, and dang grateful for them......


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

The questions were:

What will california package prices be? What will california queens cost? What about pollination prices?


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

Is California farm labourers getting paid minimum wages now??


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## liljake83 (Jul 2, 2013)

I believe so Ian however I am not positive


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## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

I hire people for various things in our business. I don't ever pay less than 15/hour....but there are a few specifics that are involved.

1. I work really hard to make sure there is well defined work to be done, and that it's all setup to do. I'm happy for people to take breaks, but I don't want to have them standing around. ...this is a lot of planning and time spent setting things up on my part before I bring someone in.

2. The differential between minimum wage and $15/hour represents (among many things) the differential between a minimum wage job with minimal expectations, and what I require. I'm not sure I would be able to pay 15/hour if that's what minimum wage was. It would be nice to think that it would cause competition in minimum wage fields, but I don't really predict that.


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## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

For it to be possible to estimate how much more queens, packages, and pollination will cost one would need to know how much the bee industry worker is paid at the moment. Does anyone know how much Olivarez, or other large producers, pay their folks?


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## CoryM465 (Jan 26, 2016)

Why was my comment on everything in the supply chain going up in cost deleted? Is this one of those places where the facts hurt people's feeling so we are to act as though they do not exist?


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## liljake83 (Jul 2, 2013)

I believe everything else going up has to be taken into the equation because the cost of just doing business in Ca is going to go up so goods for sale including queens and packages will have to adjust accordingly to stay proffitable


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

liljake83 said:


> I believe so Ian however I am not positive


In NY there is the Minumum Wage and there is the Farm Minimum Wage. Don't ask me the difference. Is that true in CA too?

I did hear something on the radio recently which indicates that even though NY's Governor has called for a $15.00 minimum wage that it won't cover the whole State until 2020.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

CoryM465 said:


> Why was my comment on everything in the supply chain going up in cost deleted? Is this one of those places where the facts hurt people's feeling so we are to act as though they do not exist?


This Thread borders on the line wherein should the discussion become too political or religious it will be sent to Tailgater. I knew that from the beginning. Usually a Moderator reminds people about that early on in a Thread that could trend towards Tailgater. Maybe it's easier to Delete Posts than to remind and still Delete.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

HarryVanderpool said:


> Blasted kids anyway....
> 
> Why, back when I started out it was a buck twenty five.
> 
> ...


So that's what the Boomer mean by "the good ole days".


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## Fusion_power (Jan 14, 2005)

I'm waiting for Harry to post that picture. You know the one. He was plowing the field behind a dinosaur.

More on topic, there is good reason to go to a $15 minimum wage, but the impact is that goods and services will increase in price. I expect the first place this will show up for most of us will be in the prices of queens. Adjusted on a percentage basis, this could easily translate to $40 to $50 queens by 2020.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Always with the sunshine, Dar.


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## babybee (Mar 23, 2012)

I would guess that most beekeepers are paying that or more already. It's a non issue.


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## liljake83 (Jul 2, 2013)

babybee said:


> I would guess that most beekeepers are paying that or more already. It's a non issue.


Thats kinda the point if they are already paying that those workers are going to demand a raise if they could make the same amount working at mcdonalds will this cause a worker shortage?


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## high rate of speed (Jan 4, 2008)

For manual labor yes.for mcds no.machines are already on the market.there will be no more sub standards for working up the ladder.thanks brown.
.


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## justin (Jun 16, 2007)

most queen operations are family operations, or they have had the same help for seasons. it's not Mcdonalds. some of the lower paid employees are probably salary.


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## Ishi (Sep 27, 2005)

liljake83 said:


> I believe so Ian however I am not positive


I think that now they have to be paid hourly wage and no longer do piece work.
A good worker could make more working by the box than buy the hour.
Dan


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

liljake83 said:


> Thats kinda the point if they are already paying that those workers are going to demand a raise if they could make the same amount working at mcdonalds will this cause a worker shortage?


Seems like you think that the pay is why bee laborers work for beekeepers. Why would anyone who could work for a beekeeper want to work inside in a fast food environment?

Besides, there are only so many fast food joint jobs and they are already filled.


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## AHudd (Mar 5, 2015)

During my lifetime, when the minimum wage for unskilled workers goes up, the wages for semi-skilled and skilled labor rises as well. I don't know much about commercial beekeeping operations, but I am guessing there are many different skill levels involved. Taking honey supers off probably pays less compared to grafting or the person in charge of making splits, etc.

Alex


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## liljake83 (Jul 2, 2013)

B&E I could not agree more about paying your quality/skilled employees well the issue will be the unskilled workers at every fast food joint will be getting $15 an hour so the wages for your skilled workers will need to go up to match this and the simple fact that the doller will not go as far at least in Ca therefore the cost of running your business will go up how much will the bee business owner have to raise their prices in Ca to stay ahead and profitable?


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