Ready to be underpaid to fight for the right to demand a raise? In Maine there is an ironic situation taking place. One of the key players fighting to raise the minimum wage in Maine has recently been exposed as a hypocrite. Why? According to the Portland Press Herald, Maine People's Alliance (MPA) has been one of the louder voices fighting for an increase to the state's minimum wage from $7.50 to a new level of $12 per hour. However, we've learned that MPA had posted an ad offering $429 bi-weekly, for 21.5 hours of work per week. That works out to just over $10 per hour.

Dana Connors, president of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, said he takes Tipping at his word that the posting was a mistake, but the “optics smack of a double standard.” The state chamber has been one of the leading groups opposing the minimum wage referendum because, Connors said, it increases the wage too much too fast, and because it phases out the credit for tipped workers, such as restaurant servers. “If this is so important to MPA, it’s an unfortunate mistake. They should certainly practice what they preach,” he said. Michael Saltsman, research director for the Employment Policies Institute, a free-market group partially funded by the restaurant industry and an opponent of minimum wage increases, tracks the issue around the country and saw the MPA’s job posting this week. “I think it’s consistent with the ‘Do as I say, not as I do’ attitude of those who support increasing the minimum wage,” Saltsman said. “Now it seems like they are adjusting the wage as they go after being called out.”



The MPA contested the mistake, citing a typo. The ad apparently offered $429 bi-weekly pay instead of $510. We're perplexed how $429 was entered instead of the $510 level that would have MPA putting their money where their mouth is. The real shady part is that the organization has claimed it was a typo even though the Portland Herald claims MPA has Facebook posting going back as far as February advertising $480 bi-weekly for full time employment (Zero Hedge was unable to confirm the existence of such job offerings).

The issue with the minimum wage hike debate is the unintended consequences most forget to even acknowledge.

For example: As we explained before, if one feels under-compensated for their knowledge, then raising the minimum wage will alienate everyone else, even those who perhaps at first didn't believe they we under-compensated for their intelligence.

And who could : Seattle has experienced the largest 3 month job loss in its history last year, following the introduction of a $15 minimum wage.

So before we start this again and we have to listen to ankle deep analysis explain to us how raising the minimum wage will help all of us achieve a better standard of living, please review the above chart and consider the unintended consequences, lest you fail upward and become the Chair of the Federal Reserve.