Fast Food Workers Striking?!?!?

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  • Posts: 7,512 Member

    I would really like to see the math you did... Rent must be REALLY cheap where you live. Here's how I managed at 32 hours on $8 an hour. That is approximately $1,110 per month before taxes.

    My net pay ended up being about $950 per month.
    My rent was 550 per month for a small, very old studio apartment-it was the cheapest place I could find.

    That leaves me with $400 a month for everything else.

    I spent about $125 on food.

    That leaves me with $275.

    My auto insurance was about $30 per month.

    $245.

    A monthly bus pass cost me $90 a month.

    $155.

    I had a $10 per month phone plan. This was a necessity in case work could offer me more hours.

    $145.

    Electric cost me around $50. It was around $35 in spring through fall and around $70-$80 in winter.

    That brings the rest of my money down to $95.

    My monthly insurance premium was $46. I have a couple of medical conditions where I NEED to see a doctor.

    This leaves me with $49 at the end of each month.

    A copay for a prescription that I NEED for asthma is $30 per month.

    This left me with $19 a month.

    I still have a $345 payment for student loans. I couldn't get myself even a very old car +auto insurance to give me reliable transportation to work. Explain to me how that $19 will cover whatever copays I have for my doctors visits? How will that allow me to get a new pair of pants for work because the cheap pair I got from good will for $3 has a hole now... which is against company dress code? How does that let me save up for an emergency? If I got hurt at work and had to miss a month for recovery... how would that allow me to keep my crappy apartment and pay my electric bill?

    I would VERY much like to see the math you did where you discovered a single person can live off of $7.50 an hour.

    That's about what I figured...do you remember how much of your tax return if any you got back?
  • Posts: 688 Member

    To be acurate, a person making 7.50 hr isnt going to pay taxes. Hell they will probably get back more than they paid in because of the earned income credit.

    I paid taxes a a similar wage and yes, I got it back at the end of the year... and do you know where that $700 went?? My student loans that I couldn't afford to pay all year because I made about $13,000 a year.

  • Strikes are effective tools of a unified workforce when negotiating a contract. (Think coal miners.) These fast food workers are not under contract. Even if they succeed now, the company will simply replace them on the company's own time table with employees earning a an actual *market* wage. Their "bargaining power" now is nothing more than that of a hostage taker...and when the hostages are freed, their leverage completely disappears.

    AHA! Heisenberg here actually knows what the hell he's talking about!
  • Posts: 2,712 Member
    i was a high school student worker. As a senior I had no classes from 10am on. Most schools offer a student worker program that lets a student have a free class period or 2 to work. These work periods are not all in the afternoon either.

    But high school students are part time workers. So fast food would hire other part time to fit the schedule. Not all that hard.
    Oh yeah, I forgot I did that too! (the school I went to was in a "disadvantaged" neighborhood, so there were lots of us looking for that opportunity) And guess where I worked? Fast food jobs! But apparently taking advantage of that opportunity while others didn't has nothing to do with my later success.
  • Posts: 395 Member

    I see your knowledge of grammar is about as strong as your knowledge of the legal protections of striking workers.


    haha, I am quite glad you can not win arguments that you have to revert to person attacks.

    article-1296566313439-024c0bb5000005dc-32670_636x404.jpg

  • you do realize that 18 and 19 year olds are by and large out of high school correct??

    So your bright idea is to staff McDonalds with nothing but 18-19 year olds? You realize that it's a giant organization with tons of franchises? That's a real narrow window of employees they'd be seeking out. And apparently none of them could be there for longer than a year.

    So who has the next bad idea that would allow this giant company to pay people next to nothing? Because it's clearly very important to some of you that these people not earn a decent wage.
  • Posts: 2,232 Member

    I am a little bit, yeah. I posted on my wall a little while ago that privilegd white folk who think they attained their position in society through nothing but their own darned hard work have joined people who don't vaccinate their kids on my list of people who make me unreasonably angry.

    You know what makes me angry? People who would rather live in a stereotype than bust through it.

    You are correct, McDonald's can't "just" fire these people, but if people don't show up for a job, I'm sure those who stuck around will gladly take the OT hours handed to them.

    Circling back to the point of this thread, if they are unhappy with their wages they can look for another job. Some jobs may not be easy to come but, but working hard and learning a thing or two is what builds chracter and a good resume. Going on strike because you feel entitled to better pay doesn't advance you any further into a career path. Not only that, but they should be happy to even have a job if it's they are as hard to find as some people make it out to be.
  • Posts: 183 Member

    Because they aren't very bright, plain and simple.

    They are the ones saying, "You could replace all of them tomorrow with no problem!" When it's shown to them that in reality that's not the case they switch to, "Well..you know..keep some of them...most of them really..then just get some high school kids."

    As stated earlier (by someone else who did a great job of tricking me with sarcasm) how are these high school employees supposed to serve lunch and breakfast? Typically the most profitable times for fast food. Ohhh I thought that's what these jobs were designed for?! High school kids, right?

    Logic escapes some people. They're too busy patting themselves on the back for being smarter than fast food employees.

    ^^^This^^^ And just this.
  • Posts: 688 Member

    Living wage is enough to pay rent, utilities, own an old POS car and afford basic insurance and just enough money to save each month in case of an emergency. I lived with $19 left over after my bills but I had to leave my $345 student loans unpaid each month. THAT is not a living wage. I had a $10 monthly cell plan so work could call and offer me more hours. I didn't havea smart phone or internet or cable or even a vehicle. I used public transportation... which at $90 for a monthly pass was barely affordable for me. Living wage is what somebody actually needs to live.
  • Posts: 2,712 Member
    So who has the next bad idea that would allow this giant company to pay people next to nothing? Because it's clearly very important to some of you that these people not earn a decent wage.
    It isn't to me. I say more power to 'em. If they can convince the owners that they must pay a higher wage because it makes economic sense to do so, good for them. It means higher prices for consumers, but I can live with that; it's not like I spend tons of money on fast food now anyway. I tend to spend it in restaurants that have wait staff. I like to give decent tips to people who take good care of me for the time that I am in their care. I also treat them with courtesy and respect. Not coincidentally, wait staff generally reciprocate in kind. Imagine that! Fair exchange of value!
  • Posts: 3 Member
    Sorry-new to posting. Comment deleted:
  • Posts: 395 Member
    just proving that not all fast wood workers are striking, look at the photo, fast food places are not stuff down, not everyone is striking. There fore, not everyone would be fired if the people who skipped work to strike are fired. Just to prove the point that not everyone would be fired and they would not have to start over.

    http://news.msn.com/us/fast-food-strikes-return-amid-push-for-wage-hikes?ocid=ansnews11&stay=1
  • Posts: 611 Member

    I want to be the Hamburglar! ...
  • Posts: 3 Member
    There's so much anger in this thread. I think we all collectively need to take a deep breath, go get a Big Mac, drink a few beers, and relax :drinker: :drinker:

    Or, alternatively, eat a snickers. You become an angry capitalist when you're hungry.
    Hilarious :happy:
  • Posts: 395 Member

    So your bright idea is to staff McDonalds with nothing but 18-19 year olds? You realize that it's a giant organization with tons of franchises? That's a real narrow window of employees they'd be seeking out. And apparently none of them could be there for longer than a year.

    So who has the next bad idea that would allow this giant company to pay people next to nothing? Because it's clearly very important to some of you that these people not earn a decent wage.

    If making minimum wage was so bad, why not push to fix minimum wage? its not the companie's fault they required labor rates.

  • I am a little bit, yeah. I posted on my wall a little while ago that privilegd white folk who think they attained their position in society through nothing but their own darned hard work have joined people who don't vaccinate their kids on my list of people who make me unreasonably angry.

    If their employment is "at will" that means that McDonalds can fire their employees for any reason and they can quit for any reason. Hence the "at will". It's not illegal. As far as I know there is no contractual agreement between McDonalds and their employees. THAT would make it illegal for McD's to decide to fire someone as it would be a breach of contract.

    Says the girl who worked in Insurance for 13 years and provided Employment Practice Insurance to some of the largest companies in the US and has had to read handbooks and pretty much know the ins and outs of what is legal and what isn't.
  • I completely agree
    Hilarious :laugh:

    den1eser, you have hands down made my favorite posts in this thread.
  • Posts: 608 Member

    You know what makes me angry? People who would rather live in a stereotype than bust through it.

    You are correct, McDonald's can't "just" fire these people, but if people don't show up for a job, I'm sure those who stuck around will gladly take the OT hours handed to them.

    Circling back to the point of this thread, if they are unhappy with their wages they can look for another job.
    This is what choice is about^^^
  • Posts: 395 Member

    If their employment is "at will" that means that McDonalds can fire their employees for any reason and they can quit for any reason. Hence the "at will". It's not illegal. As far as I know there is no contractual agreement between McDonalds and their employees. THAT would make it illegal for McD's to decide to fire someone as it would be a breach of contract.

    Says the girl who worked in Insurance for 13 years and provided Employment Practice Insurance to some of the largest companies in the US and has had to read handbooks and pretty much know the ins and outs of what is legal and what isn't.

    So if an employee(s) intentionally skips their work shift could they be fired?
  • just proving that not all fast wood workers are striking, look at the photo, fast food places are not stuff down, not everyone is striking. There fore, not everyone would be fired if the people who skipped work to strike are fired. Just to prove the point that not everyone would be fired and they would not have to start over.

    http://news.msn.com/us/fast-food-strikes-return-amid-push-for-wage-hikes?ocid=ansnews11&stay=1

    No one ever said they all were striking. It was said multiple times that they could all be fired and replaced tomorrow.
  • Posts: 1,410 Member
    I don't understand why this is over complicated.
    Working in the fast food industry sucks. I think we can all agree to that.
    I did it myself when I was in high school and it sucked.
    So, instead of complaining about it, I bettered myself.
    I couldn't afford college and my parents were not going to pay for it.
    What is a boy to do?
    I joined the Army.
    The pay STILL sucked but, at least I got an education.
    And, more importantly, I got the G.I. Bill.
    I went to college while in the Army and, once I got out, I finished college.
    Now, I make quite a bit more then I did flipping burgers but, if for some reason I feel I deserve more, I have two choices:
    1: Ask for a raise
    2: find another job.

    Look, making minimum wage is impossible to live on alone. That is why there are roommates out there.
    That is why some people work two jobs (I have done that too).
    I don't feel sorry for minimum wage workers because they are working in a start up job.
    Seriously, if they are unhappy with the pay, climb, scratch, fight, or run to get out of the job and into a better one.
  • Posts: 395 Member

    No one ever said they all were striking. It was said multiple times that they could all be fired and replaced tomorrow.

    if you are referring to what I said. I stated to strikers could be replaced and that the entire work force was not striking.
  • Posts: 611 Member
    So if everyone finds a better job that's not fast food, who's going to supply me with McChickens?

    Not everyone has the money, skills, and/or smarts to go to college or learn a trade (Yeah, you have to have a decent amount of brain power to fix cars or build a house, w/o it falling apart ...) ... Society needs ALL kinds of people, to do ALL kinds of jobs ...

    ETA: Not to be mean, but menial jobs are all some people are capable of doing ...
  • Posts: 688 Member

    That's about what I figured...do you remember how much of your tax return if any you got back?

    If I recall, it was about $700. I didn't get all of it back and what I did get back went right to my student loans that I couldn't afford during the year. It never even made it to my bank account since the loans were in default. And I was CONSTANTLY looking for a second job... but nobody was hiring. I had to make sure it was at a time when the buses were running... since I had no car.

    EDIT:: Didn't mean to put the auto insurance in there... I didn't have it yet. That's a current bill. But still, $49 a month leftover for random necessities is not enough.
  • I don't understand why this is over complicated.
    Working in the fast food industry sucks. I think we can all agree to that.
    I did it myself when I was in high school and it sucked.
    So, instead of complaining about it, I bettered myself.
    I couldn't afford college and my parents were not going to pay for it.
    What is a boy to do?
    I joined the Army.
    The pay STILL sucked but, at least I got an education.
    And, more importantly, I got the G.I. Bill.
    I went to college while in the Army and, once I got out, I finished college.
    Now, I make quite a bit more then I did flipping burgers but, if for some reason I feel I deserve more, I have two choices:
    1: Ask for a raise

    2: find another job.

    Look, making minimum wage is impossible to live on alone. That is why there are roommates out there.
    That is why some people work two jobs (I have done that too).
    I don't feel sorry for minimum wage workers because they are working in a start up job.
    Seriously, if they are unhappy with the pay, climb, scratch, fight, or run to get out of the job and into a better one.

    And that's what they're doing.

    Why do you feel that you're entitled to rights that they aren't?
  • Posts: 2,712 Member
    I don't understand why this is over complicated.
    Working in the fast food industry sucks. I think we can all agree to that.
    I did it myself when I was in high school and it sucked.
    So, instead of complaining about it, I bettered myself.
    I couldn't afford college and my parents were not going to pay for it.
    What is a boy to do?
    I joined the Army.
    The pay STILL sucked but, at least I got an education.
    And, more importantly, I got the G.I. Bill.
    I went to college while in the Army and, once I got out, I finished college.
    Now, I make quite a bit more then I did flipping burgers but, if for some reason I feel I deserve more, I have two choices:
    1: Ask for a raise
    2: find another job.

    Look, making minimum wage is impossible to live on alone. That is why there are roommates out there.
    That is why some people work two jobs (I have done that too).
    I don't feel sorry for minimum wage workers because they are working in a start up job.
    Seriously, if they are unhappy with the pay, climb, scratch, fight, or run to get out of the job and into a better one.
    I described a similar situation, but we're not welcome here, apparently.
  • Posts: 395 Member

    And that's what they're doing.

    Why do you feel that you're entitled to rights that they aren't?

    They are not asking, they are demanding. that is the difference. He worked his *kitten* to improve, what are they people doing? They are saying pay me or else.
  • Posts: 2,712 Member

    And that's what they're doing.

    Why do you feel that you're entitled to rights that they aren't?
    Asking for a raise while refusing to work seems like the world's stupidest way to ask for a raise. Maybe crapping on their desk and defiling their household pets would make it worse...
  • Posts: 395 Member
    I described a similar situation, but we're not welcome here, apparently.

    anyone with the opinion that you need to work to better yourselves apparently.
  • A business can't pay a worker more money than they can produce. You can't arbitrarily pay somebody 15 dollars an hour when their job only produces 6 dollars an hour of value. If you do that for any extended period of time, the business will go out of business, then nobody makes any money at all (business, employees, suppliers, etc).

    If you want a better job that pays better than "living wages" - get yourself some skills that are worth something to society. Flipping burgers is not a skill - sorry.
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