15 bucks an hour is $2400. a month. Average rent in San Diego is $2k. so that wage is a bit low for one person. Most people I know have a dual income (spouse or roommate) so then $15. an hour x 2 is workable. Consider yourself lucky to live in a place that prospers so well Colin.
This is just one of those things. Now it has been quite some time since I was down under but looking at the US in general $15 an hour is about an annual income of about $32,200 a year. Here in the greater Cleveland, Ohio area you can live on that. Granted not in style but you would do OK.
However, we just took an extended weekend in my homeland of NYC (New York City) and vicinity. Prior to a Saturday on the beach the wife and I went grocery shopping for some essentials (guess it depends on what you call essentials).
12 pack of Corona Beer (they didn't have Stella Artois) was about $19 before the NY tax. Here in Ohio it is about $12. On the vine tomatoes were $3.99 a pound while in Cleveland they run $1.89 a pound. Bubba Burgers at $9.99 a box cost $7.99 here. The list goes on and on but you get the idea. The 500 miles between NYC and Cleveland represent a hell of a cost of living difference.
Having lived in Southern California (and loving it) there is little doubt in my mind a person earning $15 an hour would be hard pressed to enjoy a comfortable life style while here in Cleveland, Ohio you can do just fine on $15 an hour.
The buying power of $15 can vary greatly between NY and California. Hell, in many southern US states a person could fare pretty well on $15 an hour. However, as I pointed out that same person would be hard pressed to make it in other states.
Now as mentioned anyone in the US can walk right up to their employer and simply demand more money for their work. They are well within their rights to do so. Also, their employer is well within their rights to bid them a farewell and hire someone else willing to work for their old paycheck.
Enter China. For those who haven't noticed China doesn't exactly have workers rights. Imagine what $15 an hour would be in China. Hell, forget China. I am sure Mikebits has drifted south of San Diego to Mexico. Again, like China, no rules.
I saw mention of the US unions. Yes, the unions are part of the problem but the problem for the US to compete with China or even Mexico as to manufacturing is much bigger. There is a lopsided playing field. Here we have rules that manufacturers must play by, while other places have no rules. I watched as cities like Cleveland and Pittsburgh in the rust belt died with the US steel industry. We couldn't make steel cheaper. The real ***** here is the US allowed this to happen. There was a combination of profit driven greed and a failure of checks and balances that allowed things to get as they have.
So what if there is a move away from Chinese goods made by cheap labor. There is still no shortage of cheap labor in the world.
Just My Take
Ron