Fast Food Workers Striking?!?!?

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Replies

  • NinjadURbacon
    NinjadURbacon Posts: 395 Member
    Those employees have literally zero value, I'm talking ECONOMIC value, not intrinsic value we all have as being Humans. They can be replaced in a second; they have no SCARCITY, anyone can do their job. SCARCITY is what determines how well you're compensated for your labor, SCARCITY meaning how irreplaceable your skill-set is, their skill set is not replaceable; these people flipped burgers and poured fries, they're about as key to the success of McDonald's as the guy that wipes the floors of Madison Square Garden is to the NY Knicks.

    Then they'll be replaced with no issues. Why is anyone concerned with a strike?

    I do not think anybody really is. It is not the first time they have striked.
  • Those employees have literally zero value, I'm talking ECONOMIC value, not intrinsic value we all have as being Humans. They can be replaced in a second; they have no SCARCITY, anyone can do their job. SCARCITY is what determines how well you're compensated for your labor, SCARCITY meaning how irreplaceable your skill-set is, their skill set is not replaceable; these people flipped burgers and poured fries, they're about as key to the success of McDonald's as the guy that wipes the floors of Madison Square Garden is to the NY Knicks.

    Then they'll be replaced with no issues. Why is anyone concerned with a strike?

    Okay I'm confused then, is this strike against McDonald's or to try and get the minimum wage raised to $15?
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
    I just did the math and at a full 40 hours a week at $7.50/hour if you're a single person and need a 1 bedroom apartment, you can live off that no problem.
    Not sure where you live but a one bedroom apartment here is anywhere between 1000-1800 dollars a month (admittedly I live in one of those areas with a ridiculously high cost of living). If you're making ~15,000 a year you're hardly covering rent alone.

    I got a very nice apartment for $425/month all utilities but electric and phone were included. My electric bill was never higher than $20/month and my phone was a cell phone for $30/month. It wasn't large by any means but it was me and my son. No cable, no internet.

    Michigan has a fairly low cost of living, comparatively. A nice 1 bedroom apartment in my town in NC would cost anywhere from $650-1000. Electric would be more expensive, too, probably around $40 per month, minimum.

    A lot of the true working poor in our town don't have vehicles, they ride bicycles or take the bus, or even walk. They don't have cell phones. They don't have computers, which I know is hard for some of these posters here to believe, so taking online courses or googling job skills isn't really an option. They may be able to use the computers at the library, but the nearest library is a bus ride (with changes) away. That also costs money. $.50 isn't much to someone making a decent wage. For some people that can be the difference on whether they can get to work or not.

    Very true. I will not dispute any of that. Wage is all relative to where you live I completely agree but I am not going to say ok to start someone at McDonalds in MI at $15/hour. In NC I could be making double what I do here for the same job, I have looked as I was going to move out there, so while the cost of living increases so do wages typically. I agree with everyone saying McDonalds is not a career choice and they didn't have to go to school for it. The people that work there are typically young kids who are trying to afford a car not trying to pay for an education or raise a family. As for not having a computer so you can't take online classes, I don't know what they have in NC but in MI we have a no person left behind where you can get free or reduced price college if you're unemployed to get into an industry that you will be able to get a job in. It's not necessarily where you want to end up in life but it's still something. I started as a receptionist making $8.50/hour at my company and worked my way to the position that I'm in. I don't have an accounting degree (I was a college dropout) but I worked my way to an accounting job.

    I am pretty sure they offer something like that around here, but again, without transportation, it's difficult to take advantage of those types of programs. Add in that many of these people have children and nobody to care for them, and it ends up being a vicious cycle of poverty.

    I don't believe that $15 per hour is warranted for fast food work. I do believe that $10.50 is a more livable wage.

    When I was a single parent, I was working for a bank. My take home pay was $850 per month and I got paid once a month. I lived in the boonies in a singlewide and my rent and trailer payment was $300 per month, daycare was $260 per month. Then I had electricity, phone, food, gas for my car, car repairs for my junker and clothing for work (which was purchased at K-Mart or Target). I ate a lot of cheese sandwiches and oodles of noodles so I could feed my kid. I know what it's like to be working poor.

    I still remember those days and know that most anyone who is working poor isn't satisfied with their lives, for some reason, when you are poor, the set backs are more frequent and more devastating. I was constantly robbing Peter to pay Paul. I would wait to the last minute to pay my electric bill so I could feed my son or pay for his daycare. One time, I was too late and my power got cut off. Guess what? Now I not only had to pay my electric bill, but I also had to pay a deposit for them to turn it back on. For someone living a middle class life, that wouldn't be such a big deal. For me, it was enough to send me into a financial tailspin.

    Eventually I got lucky and one of my bank customers hired me to work in his mortgage business. That's when I finally started making real money. I am still extremely frugal due to those years of being so poor, but I can afford nicer things now. I will always remember the harder days and will never take anything for granted.
  • SrJoben
    SrJoben Posts: 484 Member
    Ok....I respect a person who wants to better themselves and make more money, but come on....Fast Food Workers Striking?

    While i agree some conditions are not the best that some of these people work in, but just demanding more money and striking on days they should be working?

    I know a ton of Unemployed or underemployed people who would love to have work right now. If i was one of them, I would walk right in, turn and point at a striker, and ask for their job!

    IF YOU WANT SOMETHING BETTER PAYING, GO GET IT.....DONT DEMAND IT!

    -CK

    >Implying fast food workers are not an essential part of society.

    You don't get it do you? The fact that we would notice if they strike means their job is important. If people doing an indespensible job don't deserve adequate pay who does?

    "For instance: in our society, there seems a general rule that, the more obviously one’s work benefits other people, the less one is likely to be paid for it. Again, an objective measure is hard to find, but one easy way to get a sense is to ask: what would happen were this entire class of people to simply disappear? Say what you like about nurses, garbage collectors, or mechanics, it’s obvious that were they to vanish in a puff of smoke, the results would be immediate and catastrophic. A world without teachers or dock-workers would soon be in trouble, and even one without science fiction writers or ska musicians would clearly be a lesser place. It’s not entirely clear how humanity would suffer were all private equity CEOs, lobbyists, PR researchers, actuaries, telemarketers, bailiffs or legal consultants to similarly vanish. (Many suspect it might markedly improve.) Yet apart from a handful of well-touted exceptions (doctors), the rule holds surprisingly well." - http://tinyurl.com/nxbyqlm
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    It is to do with the distribution of an excess (profit) within a company. That is where the money comes from to give workers a raise, not as some people seem to think from a giant pool of 'workers' money across all companies, meaning that someone elses salary would have to be cut for McDonalds workers to get a raise.
    And how do you propose we "convince" the companies with these "excesses" to outlay a larger portion for labor than the market dictates that they should? Their shareholders aren't going to be pleased about that. If there are people out there willing to do the work for less money, then it's stupid for a company to pay more than that. If the government steps in and mandates that a higher wage must be paid, to protect the shareholders' investment, the company is going to raise prices, and this process will continue as long as the market will bear price increases. When that situation finally fails to obtain, then it will no longer make business sense to provide those products. From a consumer's perspective, we call that situation "shortages".

    There is no logical way to extort more money out of a company for labor than the market demands. The shareholders and executives are insulated from the negative consequences, but the end result always turns out bad for the little guy who can't absorb as much of a fluctuation in income/expenses as rich people can.

    The whole idea is penny-wise and pound-foolish.
  • shazzannon
    shazzannon Posts: 117 Member
    [/quote]

    so they should work for free just for the love of the company and to help it make more money?
    [/quote]

    YES! Not.

    I work in a restaurant, and before the servers are let on to the floor they have a little chat with the managers about their expectations for the day. One day, I overheard the managers telling the servers that they shouldn't be focused on the money, but on raising the scores on our guest satisfaction surveys. Surveys that will give the managers bonuses that will not in any way affect the employees' take home.

    I called out, "Mmmhmm, tell me more about paying my mortgage with surveys!" It was not received well. :laugh:
  • Zerashen
    Zerashen Posts: 59 Member
    Just my two cents, but even after having a degree for a while the only job I could get was a fast food manager. My fiance is still in school, so moving wasn't an option (we live in a smaller town), and it took a LOT of applications to finally get to an office, and then get a second part time bookstore manager job. Bills aren't overly bad since I mostly just pay my loans, for groceries, and for the pets.

    My major was in Writing and Linguistics, w/ a concentration in Linguistics. I studied Arabic and Chinese, and while I'm fairly decent with Chinese, it's not good enough to get the NSA job I want. To get that I'd need more classes (aka more student loans) or to go to China (I want to, but I need to save up for ticket, etc., or try to get into the grad school). Right now those are plans, but not immediate options.

    Long story short - I worked my *kitten* off in fast food. Receive flack from customers (drinks thrown at me, etc), ****ty treatment, all for $8.00 an hour until I finally got my pay raise (about two months after promised, ONLY because I asked daily.) Everyone treats the hamburger flippers like ****, when all they're trying to do is get a paycheck to support themselves.
  • NinjadURbacon
    NinjadURbacon Posts: 395 Member
    I know a ton of Unemployed or underemployed people who would love to have work right now. If i was one of them, I would walk right in, turn and point at a striker, and ask for their job!

    I can't remember the last time I passed a strip mall full of fast food restaurants that more than half of them didn't have help wanted signs. But there is no money in it so finding workers is hard.

    If there was really a need for workers, they could increase the pay rate or something to get the workers they need. But i hvae never been to a fast food place that was under staffed.
  • Derpes
    Derpes Posts: 2,033 Member
    One point to consider is the cost to taxpayers when corporations do not pay higher wages......workers have to utilize social services, food stamps, etc...it is a form of corporate welfare.....tax payers subsidize their workforce.

    $15 per hour is very high for that type of work, however, they are probably aiming for 9 or 10.

    How is that any of the business's problem? Would these people magically not be on welfare if they weren't working at McDonald's?, welfare exists, that's not the business of the company. I agree, shut off all welfare and we'll see if companies have to raise wages due to the conditions of their workers.

    It's not the business problem, THAT is the point - it is a taxpayer problem.
  • kreene1987
    kreene1987 Posts: 40 Member

    Exactly, it's a free market, I would like all of the people striking to make $15/hr quit their jobs, and try to find work that pays $33k/year ($15/hr)....they won't be able to do it, because they have no skills.The end.

    And their solution to the issue of low wages by striking is a free market solution. They are not asking for ANYTHING from the government.

    If they are so useless and easily replaced the company can choose that option. I bet they don't. Because unlike some posters here McDonalds understands that firing the bulk of your workforce is an extremely unwise business decision.

    In a typical industry this might be the case, in the minimum wage no-skill industry it would go off without a hitch IMO.
  • F00LofaT00K
    F00LofaT00K Posts: 688 Member
    Every job worked at full time hours should pay a living wage.

    THIS!!!!

    So I guess if you have a full time job in the mall they should pay you more than $8.50 to start too? I guess the cost of living will go up to compensate all those people. While the cost of living goes up and everyone's "minimum" pay goes up to $15/hr, does that mean that mine should increase that much too since they're now making more than me at the career that I've been in for 9 years?

    I never said minimum wage should go up to $15 an hour and no, I don't think everybody's wage should automatically increase. I make $12 an hour at my job and I work full time. With student loans and my bills I'm barely scraping by... I choose not to get cable and I choose to turn down my friends when they invite me out because I would rather save my money than spend it. I have a very minimal wardrobe because I can't afford clothes that i do not need. That being said, I don't think MY wage should increase just because the minimum is something more realistic... but having worked in the past 32 hours a week at $8 (more than minimum) I could not pay all of my bills. I had no car payment, had no cable or internet and still couldn't afford my bills. even with a college degree, that was the only job I was able to get. So I did everything "right" by working hard in high school, going to college, being involved in leadership positions, maintaining a 3.0GPA, earning a degree, going to career services for help with my resume and I STILL could not find a job making more than $8. I kept applying to second jobs and nobody was hiring. It is BS to expect somebody to pay their auto insurance, rent, food, medical expenses, electric, etc. at $7.25 an hour. I don't know about the rest of the world, but where I come from renting a small, old one bedroom studio apartment will run you a MINIMUM of $500 a month IF you're lucky enough to get the place before somebody else. If you work 40 hours at $7.25 you're making $1160.00 BEFORE taxes. Your rent is at least half of your net income. That leaves you $500 for all of your other bills, gas money, food money... and god-forbid you have a child to take care of.

    I never said minimum wage is $15 per hour but that is what the fast food workers are petitioning for. They want the starting pay to be $15 per hour. I have no problem paying them $10 per hour so they can live but when they make more money than I do with all the crap I have to deal with at my job, I get a little put out by it. You can live on $10 per hour, trust me, I did it. I did it affording a one bedroom apartment and sleeping on the couch so my son could sleep in the bedroom. I did it without government assistance and we still had a car (not a new one) and food and shelter. I did not have cable or internet or a smart phone, but I did it. I know that it's possible.

    Exactly. I am not saying somebody can't live on $10 an hour. But $7.25 is not a living wage for a single person, let alone one with a child. $10 is more than enough to "get by" and for people who just can't do that, there are assistance programs if they choose to apply for them. $15 is outrageous as a minimum wage, I agree... but the point I was trying to make is that $7.25 is just as absurd.
  • I thought they were striking to have the minimum wage law changed to $15/hr? If not, then your'e correct, they have the ability to strike, and McDonald's should fire them all; I doubt it would be AS extremely unwise of a business decision as doubling the pay of your least skilled workers

    Let's examine this theory, since a number of people are saying how easily McDonalds could replace it's front line workforce.

    Today McDonalds fires all store employees.

    Well first they'd have to close every store. And they'd need to hire people just to do that. Can't have food sitting around in empty buildings indefinitely. So as of this moment they are generating $0 in revenue and spending money on top of that.

    All the supplies they have planned for future sales are wasted. All the questionable beef, all the dehydrated onion bits, all of it is a loss for the company.

    As far as public relations goes their image, that they spend millions to maintain, has taken a giant hit. You can't put into numbers what something like this would do to the company.

    McDonald's will remain shut down for weeks or longer, as they attempt to find, hire, and train millions of new employees. All without any former employees there to guide them. In many ways they'd be starting from scratch as a company. No revenue is being generated and massive expenses are being racked up.

    The losses would reach into the billions, they honestly might never recover.

    All because some of you find these front line employees to be useless jackholes who can be replaced in a day. You sure about that?
  • NinjadURbacon
    NinjadURbacon Posts: 395 Member
    One point to consider is the cost to taxpayers when corporations do not pay higher wages......workers have to utilize social services, food stamps, etc...it is a form of corporate welfare.....tax payers subsidize their workforce.

    $15 per hour is very high for that type of work, however, they are probably aiming for 9 or 10.

    How is that any of the business's problem? Would these people magically not be on welfare if they weren't working at McDonald's?, welfare exists, that's not the business of the company. I agree, shut off all welfare and we'll see if companies have to raise wages due to the conditions of their workers.

    It's not the business problem, THAT is the point - it is a taxpayer problem.

    i may be an *kitten*, but i think welfare, food stamps are a crock and that money could go towards actually creating jobs. I deal with federal money all the time and federal money could easily be reallocated and thousands of GOOD paying jobs could be created.
  • teamAmelia
    teamAmelia Posts: 1,247 Member
    Ok....I respect a person who wants to better themselves and make more money, but come on....Fast Food Workers Striking?

    While i agree some conditions are not the best that some of these people work in, but just demanding more money and striking on days they should be working?

    I know a ton of Unemployed or underemployed people who would love to have work right now. If i was one of them, I would walk right in, turn and point at a striker, and ask for their job!

    IF YOU WANT SOMETHING BETTER PAYING, GO GET IT.....DONT DEMAND IT!

    -CK

    Wow. I completely agree with everything you said, right down to taking a striker's job. We think alike. People need to be grateful for what they have and if they don't like it, they need to do something to put themselves in a better position. No one holds a gun to anyone's head and makes them take a certain job. They took fast food jobs and knew the pay, and now they're complaining??? That is what gets me. They know the pay going in and then get upset. I'm sorry, did you expect a $10/hr raise or something?
  • NinjadURbacon
    NinjadURbacon Posts: 395 Member
    I thought they were striking to have the minimum wage law changed to $15/hr? If not, then your'e correct, they have the ability to strike, and McDonald's should fire them all; I doubt it would be AS extremely unwise of a business decision as doubling the pay of your least skilled workers

    Let's examine this theory, since a number of people are saying how easily McDonalds could replace it's front line workforce.

    Today McDonalds fires all store employees.

    Well first they'd have to close every store. And they'd need to hire people to just to do that. Can't have food sitting around in empty buildings indefinitely. So as of this moment they are generating $0 in revenue and spending money on top of that.

    All the supplies they have planned for future sales are wasted. All the questionable beef, all the dehydrated onion bits, all of it is a loss for the company.

    As far as public relations goes their image, that they spend millions to maintain, has taken a giant hit. You can't put into numbers what something like this would do to the company.

    McDonald's will remain shut down for weeks or longer, as they attempt to find, hire, and train millions of new employees. All without any former employees there to guide them. In many ways they'd be starting from scratch as a company. No revenue is being generated and massive expenses are being racked up.

    The losses would reach into the billions, they honestly might never recover.

    All because some of you find these front line employees to be useless jackholes who can be replaced in a day. You sure about that?

    Well first of all McDonalds would give the an ultimatium of go back to work or you are replace.

    I bet over half the works are BSing this strike and just piggy backing it for more money and would go back to work or else be out of work.

    They they hire more while working on reduced staffs at minimum wage. It is not all the complicated. People will crumble over the pressure of losing their job if they truly need it.
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    Just my two cents, but even after having a degree for a while the only job I could get was a fast food manager. My fiance is still in school, so moving wasn't an option (we live in a smaller town), and it took a LOT of applications to finally get to an office, and then get a second part time bookstore manager job. Bills aren't overly bad since I mostly just pay my loans, for groceries, and for the pets.

    My major was in Writing and Linguistics, w/ a concentration in Linguistics. I studied Arabic and Chinese, and while I'm fairly decent with Chinese, it's not good enough to get the NSA job I want. To get that I'd need more classes (aka more student loans) or to go to China (I want to, but I need to save up for ticket, etc., or try to get into the grad school). Right now those are plans, but not immediate options.

    Long story short - I worked my *kitten* off in fast food. Receive flack from customers (drinks thrown at me, etc), ****ty treatment, all for $8.00 an hour until I finally got my pay raise (about two months after promised, ONLY because I asked daily.) Everyone treats the hamburger flippers like ****, when all they're trying to do is get a paycheck to support themselves.
    You made a bad business decision when you chose your major, then. I know, because I studied Russian language and literature, but was unwilling to relocate to anywhere I might get a job as a translator or interpreter. That was a dumb choice of major on my part. I worked as a temp for a little while, then got an administrative job that had a little bit of supervisory experience, then I moved and did temp work until I got a low-level tech job that required a little bit of supervisory experience, impressed them with the quality of my work, and parlayed that into increasingly-complex tech jobs. So my job has nothing to do with my major. I had to find the place in the market that allowed me entry to a career path that was going somewhere (read: NOT linguistics), and then move in that direction.

    Wouldn't you be saying the same thing to somebody who majored in "Buggy Whip Design"?
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
    I don't know about where you are but here in Australia anyone under the age of 25 is paid less than a person who is over 25. My son is 20, a legal adult. He can vote, drink & drive a car... but if he worked in the EXACT same job as me doing EXACTLY the same as me he would get almost $5 less an hour than me all the way till 25 years of age.

    Now that's hardly fair & it works like that ALL over Australia. Unless the employer is fair & decides to change that on their own.

    I don't work in fast food, but it is like that there as well. It's like that everywhere here.

    Now tell me why they should NOT strike?
  • marciebrian
    marciebrian Posts: 853 Member
    saving for later reading
  • Well the last time I went to Burger King, I couldnt believe how pricy it is for a combo ( in Ca , it was 8-10 $ ... now I am pretty sure they can afford to pay a little more on the hourly rates , look at In and Out, they pay their staff great wages, and offer benefits.
    It comes down to $.

    But I agree, we have to make things happen...
  • I thought they were striking to have the minimum wage law changed to $15/hr? If not, then your'e correct, they have the ability to strike, and McDonald's should fire them all; I doubt it would be AS extremely unwise of a business decision as doubling the pay of your least skilled workers

    Let's examine this theory, since a number of people are saying how easily McDonalds could replace it's front line workforce.

    Today McDonalds fires all store employees.

    Well first they'd have to close every store. And they'd need to hire people to just to do that. Can't have food sitting around in empty buildings indefinitely. So as of this moment they are generating $0 in revenue and spending money on top of that.

    All the supplies they have planned for future sales are wasted. All the questionable beef, all the dehydrated onion bits, all of it is a loss for the company.

    As far as public relations goes their image, that they spend millions to maintain, has taken a giant hit. You can't put into numbers what something like this would do to the company.

    McDonald's will remain shut down for weeks or longer, as they attempt to find, hire, and train millions of new employees. All without any former employees there to guide them. In many ways they'd be starting from scratch as a company. No revenue is being generated and massive expenses are being racked up.

    The losses would reach into the billions, they honestly might never recover.

    All because some of you find these front line employees to be useless jackholes who can be replaced in a day. You sure about that?

    Well first of all McDonalds would give the an ultimatium of go back to work or you are replace.

    I bet over half the works are BSing this strike and just piggy backing it for more money and would go back to work or else be out of work.

    They they hire more while working on reduced staffs at minimum wage. It is not all the complicated. People will crumble over the pressure of losing their job if they truly need it.

    Isn't teenage unemployment in the 20%'s? isn't black teenage %'s in the 30%'s? these people couldn't fill those positions making $7.25/hr? living with roommates or mom and dad?
  • NinjadURbacon
    NinjadURbacon Posts: 395 Member
    I thought they were striking to have the minimum wage law changed to $15/hr? If not, then your'e correct, they have the ability to strike, and McDonald's should fire them all; I doubt it would be AS extremely unwise of a business decision as doubling the pay of your least skilled workers

    Let's examine this theory, since a number of people are saying how easily McDonalds could replace it's front line workforce.

    Today McDonalds fires all store employees.

    Well first they'd have to close every store. And they'd need to hire people to just to do that. Can't have food sitting around in empty buildings indefinitely. So as of this moment they are generating $0 in revenue and spending money on top of that.

    All the supplies they have planned for future sales are wasted. All the questionable beef, all the dehydrated onion bits, all of it is a loss for the company.

    As far as public relations goes their image, that they spend millions to maintain, has taken a giant hit. You can't put into numbers what something like this would do to the company.

    McDonald's will remain shut down for weeks or longer, as they attempt to find, hire, and train millions of new employees. All without any former employees there to guide them. In many ways they'd be starting from scratch as a company. No revenue is being generated and massive expenses are being racked up.

    The losses would reach into the billions, they honestly might never recover.

    All because some of you find these front line employees to be useless jackholes who can be replaced in a day. You sure about that?

    Well first of all McDonalds would give the an ultimatium of go back to work or you are replace.

    I bet over half the works are BSing this strike and just piggy backing it for more money and would go back to work or else be out of work.

    They they hire more while working on reduced staffs at minimum wage. It is not all the complicated. People will crumble over the pressure of losing their job if they truly need it.

    Isn't teenage unemployment in the 20%'s? isn't black teenage %'s in the 30%'s? these people couldn't fill those positions making $7.25/hr? living with roommates or mom and dad?

    I have no idea what you are saying.
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
    Long story short - I worked my *kitten* off in fast food. Receive flack from customers (drinks thrown at me, etc), ****ty treatment, all for $8.00 an hour until I finally got my pay raise (about two months after promised, ONLY because I asked daily.) Everyone treats the hamburger flippers like ****, when all they're trying to do is get a paycheck to support themselves.

    BS. Like fast food workers are the only people who get ****ty treatment in their jobs? Try the pressure in the business world. Try working a job where giving back wrong change or burning the food aren't your biggest disasters.

    You just helped me validate the point that fast food workers are worth minimum wage. My employer pays me more because I CAN'T make mistakes. To some of us, a mistake could cause someone to die, cost people thousands of dollars or cut off power to a whole city. That is why some of the workforce is worth more pay than others.
  • Just my two cents, but even after having a degree for a while the only job I could get was a fast food manager. My fiance is still in school, so moving wasn't an option (we live in a smaller town), and it took a LOT of applications to finally get to an office, and then get a second part time bookstore manager job. Bills aren't overly bad since I mostly just pay my loans, for groceries, and for the pets.

    My major was in Writing and Linguistics, w/ a concentration in Linguistics. I studied Arabic and Chinese, and while I'm fairly decent with Chinese, it's not good enough to get the NSA job I want. To get that I'd need more classes (aka more student loans) or to go to China (I want to, but I need to save up for ticket, etc., or try to get into the grad school). Right now those are plans, but not immediate options.

    Long story short - I worked my *kitten* off in fast food. Receive flack from customers (drinks thrown at me, etc), ****ty treatment, all for $8.00 an hour until I finally got my pay raise (about two months after promised, ONLY because I asked daily.) Everyone treats the hamburger flippers like ****, when all they're trying to do is get a paycheck to support themselves.
    You made a bad business decision when you chose your major, then. I know, because I studied Russian language and literature, but was unwilling to relocate to anywhere I might get a job as a translator or interpreter. That was a dumb choice of major on my part. I worked as a temp for a little while, then got an administrative job that had a little bit of supervisory experience, then I moved and did temp work until I got a low-level tech job that required a little bit of supervisory experience, impressed them with the quality of my work, and parlayed that into increasingly-complex tech jobs. So my job has nothing to do with my major. I had to find the place in the market that allowed me entry to a career path that was going somewhere (read: NOT linguistics), and then move in that direction.

    Wouldn't you be saying the same thing to somebody who majored in "Buggy Whip Design"?

    I'm so glad to hear you say that, so many people graduate with a 4-year degree in Byzantine Romantic Prose and wonder where their 50k/year start off job was.

    I myself studied in high school, worked out a lot and got really good at throwing a rock a very far distance, then I went to College and was paid to get a degree in Petroleum Engineering with a minor in Economics (why???? because that paid the most upon graduation) I'm 29 years old, and I made well into 6-figures last year and will for the rest of my life....why? because I made good decisions in life.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    Just my two cents, but even after having a degree for a while the only job I could get was a fast food manager. My fiance is still in school, so moving wasn't an option (we live in a smaller town), and it took a LOT of applications to finally get to an office, and then get a second part time bookstore manager job. Bills aren't overly bad since I mostly just pay my loans, for groceries, and for the pets.

    My major was in Writing and Linguistics, w/ a concentration in Linguistics. I studied Arabic and Chinese, and while I'm fairly decent with Chinese, it's not good enough to get the NSA job I want. To get that I'd need more classes (aka more student loans) or to go to China (I want to, but I need to save up for ticket, etc., or try to get into the grad school). Right now those are plans, but not immediate options.

    Long story short - I worked my *kitten* off in fast food. Receive flack from customers (drinks thrown at me, etc), ****ty treatment, all for $8.00 an hour until I finally got my pay raise (about two months after promised, ONLY because I asked daily.) Everyone treats the hamburger flippers like ****, when all they're trying to do is get a paycheck to support themselves.

    Maybe try a different major?
  • I thought they were striking to have the minimum wage law changed to $15/hr? If not, then your'e correct, they have the ability to strike, and McDonald's should fire them all; I doubt it would be AS extremely unwise of a business decision as doubling the pay of your least skilled workers

    Let's examine this theory, since a number of people are saying how easily McDonalds could replace it's front line workforce.

    Today McDonalds fires all store employees.

    Well first they'd have to close every store. And they'd need to hire people to just to do that. Can't have food sitting around in empty buildings indefinitely. So as of this moment they are generating $0 in revenue and spending money on top of that.

    All the supplies they have planned for future sales are wasted. All the questionable beef, all the dehydrated onion bits, all of it is a loss for the company.

    As far as public relations goes their image, that they spend millions to maintain, has taken a giant hit. You can't put into numbers what something like this would do to the company.

    McDonald's will remain shut down for weeks or longer, as they attempt to find, hire, and train millions of new employees. All without any former employees there to guide them. In many ways they'd be starting from scratch as a company. No revenue is being generated and massive expenses are being racked up.

    The losses would reach into the billions, they honestly might never recover.

    All because some of you find these front line employees to be useless jackholes who can be replaced in a day. You sure about that?

    Well first of all McDonalds would give the an ultimatium of go back to work or you are replace.

    I bet over half the works are BSing this strike and just piggy backing it for more money and would go back to work or else be out of work.

    They they hire more while working on reduced staffs at minimum wage. It is not all the complicated. People will crumble over the pressure of losing their job if they truly need it.

    Isn't teenage unemployment in the 20%'s? isn't black teenage %'s in the 30%'s? these people couldn't fill those positions making $7.25/hr? living with roommates or mom and dad?

    I have no idea what you are saying.

    i meant to quote the guy who said that McDonald's couldn't replace their workers if they all went on strike, I was saying A) they wouldn't ALL go on strike, B) yes they could, from the hugely unemployed numbers of teens
  • Moosycakes
    Moosycakes Posts: 258 Member
    Every job worked at full time hours should pay a living wage.

    I agree with this. Any other wage is pretty sick in my opinion.
    I reckon striking is a basic human right, to be honest.
  • SteveJWatson
    SteveJWatson Posts: 1,225 Member
    I thought they were striking to have the minimum wage law changed to $15/hr? If not, then your'e correct, they have the ability to strike, and McDonald's should fire them all; I doubt it would be AS extremely unwise of a business decision as doubling the pay of your least skilled workers

    Let's examine this theory, since a number of people are saying how easily McDonalds could replace it's front line workforce.

    Today McDonalds fires all store employees.

    Well first they'd have to close every store. And they'd need to hire people to just to do that. Can't have food sitting around in empty buildings indefinitely. So as of this moment they are generating $0 in revenue and spending money on top of that.

    All the supplies they have planned for future sales are wasted. All the questionable beef, all the dehydrated onion bits, all of it is a loss for the company.

    As far as public relations goes their image, that they spend millions to maintain, has taken a giant hit. You can't put into numbers what something like this would do to the company.

    McDonald's will remain shut down for weeks or longer, as they attempt to find, hire, and train millions of new employees. All without any former employees there to guide them. In many ways they'd be starting from scratch as a company. No revenue is being generated and massive expenses are being racked up.

    The losses would reach into the billions, they honestly might never recover.

    All because some of you find these front line employees to be useless jackholes who can be replaced in a day. You sure about that?

    Well first of all McDonalds would give the an ultimatium of go back to work or you are replace.

    I bet over half the works are BSing this strike and just piggy backing it for more money and would go back to work or else be out of work.

    They they hire more while working on reduced staffs at minimum wage. It is not all the complicated. People will crumble over the pressure of losing their job if they truly need it.

    Except they can't can they, because if they did and the workers stayed out they would be screwed. hence the barganing position of the workforce, hence why striking is an effective barganing tool. If they could be replaced, they would, McDonalds are not holding onto them out of some sense of civic duty. Why must this point be repeated over and over and yet still people dont get it.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I thought they were striking to have the minimum wage law changed to $15/hr? If not, then your'e correct, they have the ability to strike, and McDonald's should fire them all; I doubt it would be AS extremely unwise of a business decision as doubling the pay of your least skilled workers

    Let's examine this theory, since a number of people are saying how easily McDonalds could replace it's front line workforce.

    Today McDonalds fires all store employees.

    Well first they'd have to close every store. And they'd need to hire people to just to do that. Can't have food sitting around in empty buildings indefinitely. So as of this moment they are generating $0 in revenue and spending money on top of that.

    All the supplies they have planned for future sales are wasted. All the questionable beef, all the dehydrated onion bits, all of it is a loss for the company.

    As far as public relations goes their image, that they spend millions to maintain, has taken a giant hit. You can't put into numbers what something like this would do to the company.

    McDonald's will remain shut down for weeks or longer, as they attempt to find, hire, and train millions of new employees. All without any former employees there to guide them. In many ways they'd be starting from scratch as a company. No revenue is being generated and massive expenses are being racked up.

    The losses would reach into the billions, they honestly might never recover.

    All because some of you find these front line employees to be useless jackholes who can be replaced in a day. You sure about that?

    Well first of all McDonalds would give the an ultimatium of go back to work or you are replace.

    I bet over half the works are BSing this strike and just piggy backing it for more money and would go back to work or else be out of work.

    They they hire more while working on reduced staffs at minimum wage. It is not all the complicated. People will crumble over the pressure of losing their job if they truly need it.

    Isn't teenage unemployment in the 20%'s? isn't black teenage %'s in the 30%'s? these people couldn't fill those positions making $7.25/hr? living with roommates or mom and dad?

    My daughter is 16 and has been having trouble finding a minimum wage job. :ohwell:
  • NinjadURbacon
    NinjadURbacon Posts: 395 Member
    I thought they were striking to have the minimum wage law changed to $15/hr? If not, then your'e correct, they have the ability to strike, and McDonald's should fire them all; I doubt it would be AS extremely unwise of a business decision as doubling the pay of your least skilled workers



    Let's examine this theory, since a number of people are saying how easily McDonalds could replace it's front line workforce.

    Today McDonalds fires all store employees.

    Well first they'd have to close every store. And they'd need to hire people to just to do that. Can't have food sitting around in empty buildings indefinitely. So as of this moment they are generating $0 in revenue and spending money on top of that.

    All the supplies they have planned for future sales are wasted. All the questionable beef, all the dehydrated onion bits, all of it is a loss for the company.

    As far as public relations goes their image, that they spend millions to maintain, has taken a giant hit. You can't put into numbers what something like this would do to the company.

    McDonald's will remain shut down for weeks or longer, as they attempt to find, hire, and train millions of new employees. All without any former employees there to guide them. In many ways they'd be starting from scratch as a company. No revenue is being generated and massive expenses are being racked up.

    The losses would reach into the billions, they honestly might never recover.

    All because some of you find these front line employees to be useless jackholes who can be replaced in a day. You sure about that?

    Well first of all McDonalds would give the an ultimatium of go back to work or you are replace.

    I bet over half the works are BSing this strike and just piggy backing it for more money and would go back to work or else be out of work.

    They they hire more while working on reduced staffs at minimum wage. It is not all the complicated. People will crumble over the pressure of losing their job if they truly need it.

    Isn't teenage unemployment in the 20%'s? isn't black teenage %'s in the 30%'s? these people couldn't fill those positions making $7.25/hr? living with roommates or mom and dad?

    I have no idea what you are saying.

    i meant to quote the guy who said that McDonald's couldn't replace their workers if they all went on strike, I was saying A) they wouldn't ALL go on strike, B) yes they could, from the hugely unemployed numbers of teens


    gotcha, I agree :glasses:
  • SteveJWatson
    SteveJWatson Posts: 1,225 Member
    Every job worked at full time hours should pay a living wage.

    I agree with this. Any other wage is pretty sick in my opinion.
    I reckon striking is a basic human right, to be honest.

    Of course it is - you are not a slave, you are not obliged to go to work. Withdrawing your labour is your perogative. Organising the workforce to collectively do this at the same time to attempt to redistribute wealth downwards however, seems to be seen as criminal by some.