In Hong Kong, on May 1st, about 1,000 protesters — including janitors, construction workers and bus drivers — demanded the government introduce a minimum wage of 33 Hong Kong dollars (US$4.30).

What is the minimum wage in your country?

$4.30 is terribly low. In Australia the minimum mark is AUD$14.31- about $US$13.30.

There is also a sliding scale for apprentices aged under 21.

According to HMRC website (UK):

•£5.80 per hour for workers aged 22 years and older
•a development rate of £4.83 per hour for workers aged 18-21 inclusive
•£3.57 per hour for all workers under the age of 18, who are no longer of compulsory school age

£1.00 = 1.65 Aussie dollars

The minimum wage is currently £6.20 per hour with it being £4.65 for trainees.

The cost of living is higher here than in the UK.

Ours moved to $7.25 on July 24, 2009. It had been $6.55 from July 24, 2008 to July 24, 2009, $5.85 from 2007-08, and $5.15 from 1997. Servers (who work for tips) can be paid as low as $2.13 per hour, making the rest up in tips, however, if their tips plus their wage do not equal at least $7.25, the employer must pay the difference.

Anyone from age 16 to age 20 can be paid $4.25 for their first 90 days of employment, but then the minimum must match the minimum wage of $7.25.

To complicate things more, each state also sets their own minimum wage. If it is higher than the federal statutes (listed above), the state's minimum takes precedence. In Texas, where I am, we go to the letter by the federal statutes.

This list gives each of the 50 states' (as well as US territories') minimum wages.

That is an interesting list, Dave. Yes, I consider ours to be too low, since our cost of living is so high.

Here in Holland, for someone over the age of 22, working a 40 hour week, it's €8,12 per hour. That is at the moment US$10,33 or 7,01 pounds (can't find the pound sign).

Right now, in my part of Canada, it's $8.80 an hour ($8.34 US or 5.77 pounds or 6.79 Euros).

I believe our cost of living is a little higher than in the States, but less than in Europe.