Differing approaches to pay are fascinating to watch

Did you read the story about the tech entrepreneur who made $70,000 the minimum wage at his company by lowering his salary to match? Or did you see how oil companies are laying off 100,000 workers, while the CEOs are making sure their salaries remain the same?

At a time when politicians and people from all of walks of life are talking about the growing income inequality in this country, these headlines prompt reflection about how much money is enough and who deserves how large of a salary.

A very revealing survey found that in the oil fields, the workers who are paid the least value stability the most while top executives said they are driven by bonuses. One class of worker is interested in the long term, while the other wants the big score. How do you think that will work out?

And let’s not forget the campaign to raise the minimum wage. On the one hand, you shouldn’t need to work 80 hours a week to get out of poverty, but then again, major retailers are discovering they need to raise wages if they want to attract quality workers.

U.S. businesses are unique in their readiness to pay astronomical compensation to executives, but then sneer at the idea of paying the lowliest worker anything more than a pittance. As the New York Times story notes, chief executives earn 300 times the salary of the lowest paid worker, which is the highest in the nation’s history.

Of course, once you earn that much money it’s difficult to give it up. For more on this story, click here.

Matthew Ryan Williams / STR Aryn Higgins works at Gravity Payments in Seattle. Dan Price, founder of the firm, told 120-person staff he plans over the next three years to raise the pay of even the lowest-paid worker to a minimum of $70,000.

Dan Price, founder and CEO of the credit card payment processing