Fast Food Workers Striking?!?!?

jonnythan

I gotta love when a person who works a desk job gets all bent out of shape when minimum-wage part-time employees consider a strike.

What incentive would we have to work hard to improve our lives and get better jobs if all we have to do is beg for more money to get it?
My job is more skilled that a fast food job. I worked harder to get it and I work hard to maintain it. In my opinion, I deserve more money compensation than someone who flips burgers.
I don't have anything against anyone in a minimum wage paying job. But those jobs will always exist and someone will always need to do them. In general minimum wage jobs are for younger people as a stepping stone or older people as a supplemental income. I don't consider them a permanent career.

This is more or less the same logic that anti-vaccine people use. It's the very perks and comfort we as workers enjoy today that allow us to dismiss the hard work and tactics that got you those very perks.

wheird

Costco pays it's employees livable wages, their doing just fine, I'm sure a lot of bigger companies could do the same with their full time workers.

This.

Costco operates on a different business model than most other large companies. They are particularly efficient. It's incredible, really.

kgbenny

I've always thought that if today's youth in America were required to work retail over holidays and in the food industry before graduating high school, there would be a lot more college-educated and responsible people in society. People have messed up priorities and the entitlement issues are a HUGE concern. I have nice things because I worked for them. My stints for a local department store at Christmas and making 8 dollars an hour serving bagels and cream cheese at 5 am paid for my education, which allows me the luxuries I have. They're not necessities... they're luxuries.

I have family members who either work min wage jobs or do not work at all (and receive government assistance). They have smart phones. They go out to bars and play with recreational drugs. They go to Build-a-Bear and create expensive, useless stuffed animals for their entitled children. They throw elaborate catered birthday parties while being evicted from their homes (thus passing the financial burdens onto someone else). They drive nice cars and receive their healthcare for nearly nothing. While healthcare (especially for children) is a necessity these days, the toys, parties, and technology are not.

How many fast food workers (not kids still in school) have iPhones? How many of them have designer clothes, jewelry, or their nails done professionally? I'd love to see a breakdown of what constitutes an actual living wage, and what people just THINK they need to survive.

jonnythan

I have nice things because I worked for them.

The flip side of this is that you probably had to work considerably less for those things than many other people would have to. In other words, it discounts the enormous advantage things like skin color, socioeconomic status as a child, and early childhood education probably gave you. Some 20 year old minority whose mother was a crack addict and got basically no education in elementary school or high school has a much, much, much tougher road than some suburban middle class white girl who went to a decent school.

shazzannon

Something I'm amused about in this thread. The lack of logic. People working in fast food at minimum wage can't afford to even support themselves and their family. So what's the solution being suggested? Get an education. Yes, because people who can't afford to pay rent can certainly afford the thousands of dollars it takes to go to college.

You are obviously unaware of how much assistance is available, and how easy it is to get, for education. Student loans are no problem if you don't qualify for anything else.

And you are obviously unaware of how common it is to rack up thousands in student loan debt and STILL be unable to find a job that pays well. And I'm not just talking about the degrees that are essentially useless, either.

There is a lot to be said about being diligent with your choices, researching market demand, and picking a degree with high demand and forecasted growth.

And I agree wholeheartedly with that. But not every person is suited for the jobs that are in demand. I hate math, for example, so engineering and finance (two jobs that are conceivably always in demand) are not something I could/would pursue. Does that mean I should be regulated to fast food/hospitality? Of course not. I researched my degree and the required further education (MS,PhD etc) needed to get the job I want. I'm not in it for the money, necessarily. I just want a job that I actually enjoy and feel useful in doing. Both parents work at jobs they despise so that their kids wouldn't have to. Spoiler alert: they both currently do. My brother recently graduated from his sheet metal apprenticeship and makes as much as my husband, who is a pharmacist. The only difference is that one of them is 150 grand in debt and the other isn't.

vtmoon

Something I'm amused about in this thread. The lack of logic. People working in fast food at minimum wage can't afford to even support themselves and their family. So what's the solution being suggested? Get an education. Yes, because people who can't afford to pay rent can certainly afford the thousands of dollars it takes to go to college.

You are obviously unaware of how much assistance is available, and how easy it is to get, for education. Student loans are no problem if you don't qualify for anything else.

Suggesting for anyone to go willingly into the financial shackles of Student loans is not good advice at all.

Join one of the branches of the armed forces would be better.

Getting an education is possible if you don't have a family but if you do, it is a very hard sell.

1: Good degree without student loans > good degree with student loans > no degree without student loans.

2: I agree. And then use your g.i. bill to pay for college. Like I said, a lot of assistance available.

3: While it may be hard, it is not impossible. Things worthwhile in life are seldom easy. My first boss out of college decided he was tired of supporting his wife and kids on whatever work he could find with his high school diploma. So he went to school and went all the way through his masters in computer engineering. With a family. While it may have been hard, it was definitely worth it to improve his situation.

Oh I'm agreeing with your side of the equation, I believe the government protects the poor too much, I personally think they should fend for themselves.

I also thing charity organizations undermine the free market, those people working for McDonald's shouldn't get any help and should be left to fend for themselves that way they can strive to do better. And if they can't make ends meet then they end up homeless and harsh winter would take care of them. That way they can open space for a new wave of workers who know the consequences of failing to make better choices.

Also, if we start them early they can learn to climb the ladder sooner, I say we abolish child labor laws.

WhisperAnne

How can you blame people for wanting more than 7.25 an hour? not everyone is meant for big paying careers you know. People with disabilities work at thrift stores and fast food places. They deserve to be paid more than 7.25! I heard minimum wag is supposed to go up to 14.25 by 2016, guess we will wait and see.

TheSlorax

Something I'm amused about in this thread. The lack of logic. People working in fast food at minimum wage can't afford to even support themselves and their family. So what's the solution being suggested? Get an education. Yes, because people who can't afford to pay rent can certainly afford the thousands of dollars it takes to go to college.

You are obviously unaware of how much assistance is available, and how easy it is to get, for education. Student loans are no problem if you don't qualify for anything else.

I do not qualify for student loans and neither do my parents (if they were willing to cosign for me, that is). I am unable to get them. while college students used to be seen as a strong credit risk a few years ago, with the high volume of recent college graduates unable to find work and, as a result, defaulting on their loans, lender requirements for student loans have become much more stringent. also, here in California, tuition at even state schools is much, much higher than the amount of financial aid available and federal loans amounts do not cover the amount I'd need. full ride scholarships are very rare and they are generally not awarded to someone of average intelligence and accomplishments like myself. unfortunately going to college (and paying for it) is not as cut and dry as it appears.

vtmoon

I've always thought that if today's youth in America were required to work retail over holidays and in the food industry before graduating high school, there would be a lot more college-educated and responsible people in society. People have messed up priorities and the entitlement issues are a HUGE concern. I have nice things because I worked for them. My stints for a local department store at Christmas and making 8 dollars an hour serving bagels and cream cheese at 5 am paid for my education, which allows me the luxuries I have. They're not necessities... they're luxuries.

I have family members who either work min wage jobs or do not work at all (and receive government assistance). They have smart phones. They go out to bars and play with recreational drugs. They go to Build-a-Bear and create expensive, useless stuffed animals for their entitled children. They throw elaborate catered birthday parties while being evicted from their homes (thus passing the financial burdens onto someone else). They drive nice cars and receive their healthcare for nearly nothing. While healthcare (especially for children) is a necessity these days, the toys, parties, and technology are not.

How many fast food workers (not kids still in school) have iPhones? How many of them have designer clothes, jewelry, or their nails done professionally? I'd love to see a breakdown of what constitutes an actual living wage, and what people just THINK they need to survive.

We want the poor to have nice things, cause it promotes crimes between each other and helps fill up the prisons which are a great stock to own, you pretty much get china price workers while the government pays for them.

WhisperAnne

And believe me financial aide for college is not as easy as you may think. I have had a lot of issues getting aide. It freaking sucks.

jenifr818

Something I'm amused about in this thread. The lack of logic. People working in fast food at minimum wage can't afford to even support themselves and their family. So what's the solution being suggested? Get an education. Yes, because people who can't afford to pay rent can certainly afford the thousands of dollars it takes to go to college.

You are obviously unaware of how much assistance is available, and how easy it is to get, for education. Student loans are no problem if you don't qualify for anything else.

Suggesting for anyone to go willingly into the financial shackles of Student loans is not good advice at all.

Join one of the branches of the armed forces would be better.

Getting an education is possible if you don't have a family but if you do, it is a very hard sell.

1: Good degree without student loans > good degree with student loans > no degree without student loans.

2: I agree. And then use your g.i. bill to pay for college. Like I said, a lot of assistance available.

3: While it may be hard, it is not impossible. Things worthwhile in life are seldom easy. My first boss out of college decided he was tired of supporting his wife and kids on whatever work he could find with his high school diploma. So he went to school and went all the way through his masters in computer engineering. With a family. While it may have been hard, it was definitely worth it to improve his situation.

Oh I'm agreeing with your side of the equation, I believe the government protects the poor too much, I personally think they should fend for themselves.

I also thing charity organizations undermine the free market, those people working for McDonald's shouldn't get any help and should be left to fend for themselves that way they can strive to do better. And if they can't make ends meet then they end up homeless and harsh winter would take care of them. That way they can open space for a new wave of workers who know the consequences of failing to make better choices.

Also, if we start them early they can learn to climb the ladder sooner, I say we abolish child labor laws.

Part of me wants to :laugh: at what I'm *relatively sure* is your sarcasm. Part of me wants to :sad: because I'm well aware that there are people that actually genuinely believe that to the core.

ObstacleRacer

There in entitlement at play here. It's just the opposite of what everyone is claiming.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/business/jan-june13/makingsense_06-21.html

It's a very good study. Especially the tests done with a Monopoly board game. Two players, one given a bunch of advantages and the other not. (One player gets to roll 2 dice, the other just one; The player rolling 2 dice starts with $2,000, the other $1,000; the advantaged player made more money for passing go, etc.)

In the study it showed that players with all the advantages, that were given to them randomly and not in any way earned, felt they deserved to win. Even though the game was completely rigged in their favor they felt they won through their own hard work.

People here are no different, raised with every advantage they still want to look down on others for not being as well off as they are. Completely disregarding that the biggest advantage they've received is the pure luck of where they were born and to how well off a family they were born into.

mank32

Working fast food should be a stepping stone to getting a better job... not a career position. :bigsmile:

Yeah, because everyone has that choice in life. Not.

Everybody DOES have a choice.you made that choice. We all have similar opportunities in life.

i "chose" to develop fibromyalgia, suffer crippling chronic pain and accompanying depression, and drop out of college halfway thru my degree, curtailing my 'shot at a better life', damaging my resumee, and saddling myself with crushing debt. i'm sure everyone knows what this is like, because we all go through the same things in life.

i'm personally tired of working my *kitten* to the bone 40 or more hours per week so i can BARELY survive (not even to make a pititful attempt at climbing out of my debt hole) and hearing that i'm not contributing to society nor deserving of compassion.

sarahfullagrace

So the gov't should just let people starve? No way jose.


So you view the government as your nanny. Pathetic.


i make well over minimum wage. I do not view the government as a nanny. However there are thousands of starving children and families that are already suffering with government aide. If that were taken away many would die. who do you think you are?

wiscck

Fast food and other minimum wage jobs are meant for high school and college students to earn a bit of spending money while their parents pay for all of their big expenses, which is why fast food restaurants and retail stores are only open after school, on weekends, and during school holidays.

dmpizza

I am not a fan of the concept of the "living wage", I think there is a place for low pay, but that said.............

35 years ago, I was making minimum wage and got about $4.75 an hour.
Today my son's minimum wage job pays $7.50 an hour.
Something wrong with this.

In addition, many fast food workers simply aren't local teens anymore. More often than not, they are recent immigrants.
It doesn't mean they deserve more, but it shows a changing dynamic.

DrMAvDPhD

Anyone who's upset because he can't get his Big Mac because the people who make it actually want a fair wage is a tool.

$15/hour is not a fair wage for the work.

ObstacleRacer

Fast food and other minimum wage jobs are meant for high school and college students to earn a bit of spending money while their parents pay for all of their big expenses, which is why fast food restaurants and retail stores are only open after school, on weekends, and during school holidays.

I'm trying to tell if you're joking...not easy online. I really hope you are.

jonnythan

Fast food and other minimum wage jobs are meant for high school and college students to earn a bit of spending money while their parents pay for all of their big expenses, which is why fast food restaurants and retail stores are only open after school, on weekends, and during school holidays.

:laugh:

At first I was like "where the eff do you live?"

Then I got it. Well played.

TheSlorax

changed my mind