Hook

How do you know about minimum wage?

Do you know how much the minimum wage is for a basic standard of living?

Explain the meaning of minimum wage.

Background information: Manitoba’s minimum wage
Outline
- Case study review
- Conversation strategy: Agree and disagree with conversation partners politely.
- Key terms & concepts
- Article reading
- Discussion & agreeing and disagreeing practice.
1. Case study overview.
New report shows Manitoba’s minimum wage workers struggle to pay for basic needs, housing.
+ Manitoba has the second lowest minimum wage in Canada, where the minimum wage is
$11.32.
+ The minimum wage in Manitoba was last raised in October 2019, from $11.35 to $11.65 per
hour.
+ Over half of those interviewed struggled to pay rent, while 30% were staying with friends or
family, and only 1 person lived in a homeless shelter.
+ It’s difficult for people living on minimum wage to do things that could improve their lives.
+ $15 minimum wage would bring two-parent and single-person households above the market
basket measures.
2. Strategy
+ Listen carefully to what others are saying, the agree and disagree politely and specifically. Do
not let your emotions distract you or others from the discussion.
+ Understand that it is okay to disagree with someone in an academic setting but be able to
justify why you disagree. Use “I” language, not “You” language.
+ Monitor the time each side gets to talk and try to allow your “opponent equal talking time.
3. Key terms & Concepts.
Key terms: irregular work schedule, food banks, depression, bill payments.
Concepts: Minimum, wage, basic necessities, poverty, COVID-19 Pandemic.
4. Read the article.
Discussion

You will be put into groups. As

you go through the discussion
questions, use the “Agree and Disagree” strategy and functions.
Make sure everyone participates. Feel free to agree or politely disagree with your
groupmates.
Quotas: A job should lift workers out of poverty, not keep them in it (Bernie Sanders
- an American politician)
5. Discussion questions
- Do you think that there are reasons for raising minimum wage or not raising it
discuss?
- How do you think an increase in the minimum wage affects the economy?
- Is it necessary to have a minimum wage? Talk about your country? Does it have
one?
- What happens if there is no minimum wage laws in a country?