This political cartoon shows a worker standing on the stairs and watching the door at the upper side. There are only a character and two objects in the cartoon, however, I think the cartoonist brings out a serious social problem in many countries.
As shown in the cartoon, there are the words “Minimum Wage Increase” in each of the stairs and the worker is standing at the highest floor of the stairs. The cartoonist uses the stairs to illustrate the minimum wages has been increase for the workers. However, there is a door with the words “Living Wage” on it which locates in a position much higher than the stairs. We can see that even the worker has been stood at the highest floor of the stairs, he still cannot reach the door. There is no other way for the worker to get into the door in the cartoon. We can feel the hopeless and helpless of the worker through the cartoon. I think the cartoonist shows a contrast between the minimum wage and the living wage by the gap between the stairs and the door.
In my opinion, this cartoon actually telling the true situation in Hong Kong too. Although minimum wage has been launched since 2011 and has been increased in these years, the living problems of many workers seem not yet get improved. I think the main issue is that the living wage is increase much faster than the increase of the minimum wage. Just like the worker in the cartoon, even with the help of the “Minimum Wage Increase” stairs, he still cannot get into the “Living Wages” door. Because of the rapid economic development of Hong Kong, the living wage is increasing rapidly, however, the workers cannot benefit from the economic growth because the rate of the increase of wage is not equal to the rate of the increase of the living wage. If the rate of increasing the minimum wage still cannot catch up with the living wage, how can the workers improve their living standard?
To solve this problem, I think the government should consider the standard of the living wage when they try to increase the minimum wage. Moreover, I think apart from minimum wage, government needs to encourage the employers to share their profits gained with employees by increasing wage regularly. As only rely on minimum wage, it is impossible to have a better living. If the employers willing to do so, living standard of the workers would be improved. Then I think the cartoon will be in a different way that the stairs will increase a few more floors, and the worker can reach the door!