- cross-posted to:
- europe@feddit.org
- cross-posted to:
- europe@feddit.org
Poland’s minimum hourly wage has, for the first time, surpassed the federal minimum wage in the United States. On 1 January, the minimum wage in Poland rose to 30.50 zloty per hour before tax, which at the average exchange rate so far this year is $7.35
Well presumably a Polish dedicated website would be looking at this even from a Polish perspective.
Newsworthy does not only mean important to Americans.
Yeah, it’s just… have some self-esteem, you know? We expect you to do better for your own sake in this house, Poland. No need to keep comparing yourself to the US just because you think it’s popular. I promise you the US doesn’t like itself that much, either.
I mean, if the US jumped off a bridge would you? We like you, Poland, but you have to learn to value yourself for who you are.
I imagine from Polands point of view, it is another step towards being a wealthy country, rather than a poor country on the edge of Europe. It’s not necessarily bad to compare, nor does it change things in Poland. However, knowing that you get paid the same as many in the USA, with, I would assume, cheaper prices for most things and better social support is a big deal for those on minimum wage. 50 years ago, countries like Poland looked up to the USA. Now they are seen as a larger peer, but it’s less about the USAs decline, more polands arrival.
I don’t know if you’re Polish, but if they see themselves like that it’s probably time to stop. Not only are they the 10th largest economy in the EU, but even looking at GDP per capita they easily lead the pack among the Eastern European members.
Look, I get it, it’s easy to carry that sense of history having made you miss the boat when it comes to European/Western standards. Been there, done that. For whatever is worth, Poland has been out there as a tech hub and a mid-sized player in the EU for long enough I haven’t thought of them that way for at least this decade.
I think of them as being one of the early dumbasses to get their far right propped to power by general stupidity, which is another metric where they’re trading blows with the US.
Can’t win them all, I suppose.
It’s a website dedicated to news around Poland, and you think that Poland overtaking the US in minimum wage for the first time ever isn’t news worthy of such a site…?
The news isn’t “hey look were better than the almighty US!!!” it’s “hey we’ve got a better minimum wage than x country which we’ve never had before”
It kinda seems like they’re giving the US more deferrence than they deserve, considering how middle-of-the-pack they are in this particular metric, so I’m not sure I agree with your characterization. But hey, not that big of a deal.
Funny enough I would say the US already jumped off a bridge, and sadly enough several countries in the EU are right on the heels.
You know, I genuinely considered making that joke and then remembered my vow to stop caring about what Americans choose to do to themselves.