Fast Food Workers Striking?!?!?

Poor McDonald's. Their employees are saying they want better pay. Even though McDonald's can hire all of these other people who want jobs on a temporary basis, they shouldn't have to do that, because they just shouldn't. People striking don't get paid. Since they are all so replaceable, why are we concerned about McDonald's?

Going just on the raise figure alone, do you really believe the CEO is working 14 million times harder than the employees? You could live the rest of your life comfortably on his raise. So no, I'm not worried that his employees have the gall to say that the work they are doing is earning him a cushy life, so they would like to be able to afford rent and food.

Effort in the USA is not necessarily correlated with salaries. Someone mentioned paramedics making $11 a hour. Does that mean they are making what they worth, or are only people who work jobs we consider unimportant making what they are worth?

One person being able to earn a $14 million raise is only possible through people at the top making grossly inflated sums of money, and that's only possible through underpaying the staff. I don't understand why that's just fine with so many people. If you really believe there is a job that pays a living wage available to every able bodied American within the current system (as implied by all the comments stating people just aren't working to better themselves), by the grace of "higher power" go thee. We have influence over where our lives go. If you really believe you have full control, you are in a comfortable illusion. If you start 10 miles behind everyone else but are expected to finish the race at the same time as everyone else, you'd probably wonder if it was possible, or if the race was worth it, and you'd almost certainly be feeling like this freaking race is rigged.

Bolded:

No, he's not working 14,000,000 times harder but the CEOs skills are 14,000,000 million times rarer than the ability to work a fast food shift is. Not just anyone can do it. You have to have the training, experience and talent to pull off this sort of job. You can't just walk in off the street with no background like you can for a McDonalds job.

Apples and oranges, you're comparing them.

Lol CEOs skills are 14,000,00 rarer.

No- not anyone can be a CEO. But you can increase your chances by

a. being born a man. Really, I recommend this. Its useful in almost all aspects of life.
b. be born into a family and circumstance of privilege
c. be white
d. be encouraged to do an MBA or lesser business degree- hopefully paid for by wealthy and supportive parents
e. learn to network real good at the bar with the boys.

Sorry common McDonalds workers! Shoulda tried harder!

And when you do happen to see a CEO who dosen't seem exceptionally bright or exceptionally exceptional- they are prolly just hiding their incredible skills.

a-c sounds like you have a chip on your shoulder. There are women CEOs, ones that weren't born to families of privilege and ones that aren't white.

d You don't think CEOs should have MBAs? Why?

e. Networking is important in many businesses. It is a skill in and of itself. Why do you dislike this?

Bolded: First it's apples and oranges, now it's oversimplification. McDonalds is well known for promoting from within (local managerial positions). If they do work hard, if they do try harder, then can get paid more. It's a great system, rewarding effort instead of something ridiculous like rewarding time in.

Some facts yo

FACT: the minimum wage is not a living wage in most countries, particularly the US. EVERYONE pays the price for a low minimum wage. It is the best way to ensure dependence on welfare. It is the best way to ensure families live in poverty. It is the best way to create an even greater need for higher taxation.

FACT: most workers that end up on the minimum wage are from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Most are women. Lots are migrants.

FACT: When employers have all the power to demand more from their workers, while also failing to keep wages rising at the rate of inflation- we get what you call 'exploitation.' When workers can't take collective action or indeed bargain with employers, you allow exploitation to occur.

FACT: ALL companies can cut costs. THIS DOESN'T NEED TO COME FROM WAGES. There are so many ways to reduce operating costs /overheads before punishing the people that make your business possible. And its the right thing to do. Remember how American Airlines cut hundreds of thousands of dollars per year by putting one less olive in first class passangers salads? Yeah.

Bolded:

No.

You've never run a business have you?

No. Just did an economics degree.

Oh and just grew up in a household where dad owned a business. My stepdad also ownes a business- small business actually. Spent a lot of time learning from them as I grew up.

And ya know- being a union employee representing workers in a number of unstable sectors, I get to speak to workers, employers, government representatives, department heads and community members about how costs can be cut while ensuring we pay workers fairly and provide consistent work. We've done this successfully for lots of workers- whether it be in the steel industry or hairdressers.

It's a great system, rewarding effort instead of something ridiculous like rewarding time in.

Unless you're the CEO. Then it's not about effort, just about being a special snowflake.

I worked hard, am doing what I love, and am able to pay my bills. I'd love more money, but I'm comfortable enough. People who contribute to society-whether you view the work as valuable or not, with the ability for one person to get a $14 million raise, *someone* must be valuing those flipped burgers-shouldn't have to be special snowflakes with the abilities that as defined here are 14 million x rarer anyway in order to survive.

If a a CEO can make 14 million dollars in a raise because he is 14 million times rarer, then by definition you are actually proving that not everyone can achieve what he did. We can't all be rare. That's why we should all be able to afford to feed ourselves when we put in the labor.

Either way, going to bed now, because my company isn't on strike and like I said, couldn't afford to join them if they were.

Some facts yo

FACT: the minimum wage is not a living wage in most countries, particularly the US. EVERYONE pays the price for a low minimum wage. It is the best way to ensure dependence on welfare. It is the best way to ensure families live in poverty. It is the best way to create an even greater need for higher taxation.

FACT: most workers that end up on the minimum wage are from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Most are women. Lots are migrants.

FACT: When employers have all the power to demand more from their workers, while also failing to keep wages rising at the rate of inflation- we get what you call 'exploitation.' When workers can't take collective action or indeed bargain with employers, you allow exploitation to occur.

FACT: ALL companies can cut costs. THIS DOESN'T NEED TO COME FROM WAGES. There are so many ways to reduce operating costs /overheads before punishing the people that make your business possible. And its the right thing to do. Remember how American Airlines cut hundreds of thousands of dollars per year by putting one less olive in first class passangers salads? Yeah.

Bolded:

No.

You've never run a business have you?

No. Just did an economics degree.

Oh and just grew up in a household where dad owned a business. My stepdad also ownes a business- small business actually. Spent a lot of time learning from them as I grew up.

And ya know- being a union employee representing workers in a number of unstable sectors, I get to speak to workers, employers, government representatives, department heads and community members about how costs can be cut while ensuring we pay workers fairly and provide consistent work. We've done this successfully for lots of workers- whether it be in the steel industry or hairdressers.

Your economics degree is not serving you well in your previous comment then nor did your experiences with your father's business.

The steel industry as a whole would not agree with you nor the automobile industry. Really, most industries with heavy union influence, haven't weathered very well over the past two decades. Detroit is a great example. I guess your claim that companies can ALWAYS cut costs without it affecting workers is a bit ridiculous since a lot of companies have gone under trying to satisfy the ever increasing demands of their workers. It's a bit like the snake eating its own tail.

I'm glad that unions are on the decline in the private sector and it's a shame that they're on the rise in the government sector. It was a great asset to workers 1940 and before but pretty terrible after.

And then, why is ok for CEOs to just give themselves raises for whatever they want, it's perfectly ok for corporate executives to hand themselves millions and sometimes billions in bonus checks, but it's horrible that an employee should be paid enough money that they can afford a place to live and food to eat?

Some facts yo

FACT: the minimum wage is not a living wage in most countries, particularly the US. EVERYONE pays the price for a low minimum wage. It is the best way to ensure dependence on welfare. It is the best way to ensure families live in poverty. It is the best way to create an even greater need for higher taxation.

FACT: most workers that end up on the minimum wage are from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Most are women. Lots are migrants.

FACT: When employers have all the power to demand more from their workers, while also failing to keep wages rising at the rate of inflation- we get what you call 'exploitation.' When workers can't take collective action or indeed bargain with employers, you allow exploitation to occur.

FACT: ALL companies can cut costs. THIS DOESN'T NEED TO COME FROM WAGES. There are so many ways to reduce operating costs /overheads before punishing the people that make your business possible. And its the right thing to do. Remember how American Airlines cut hundreds of thousands of dollars per year by putting one less olive in first class passangers salads? Yeah.

Bolded:

No.

You've never run a business have you?

No. Just did an economics degree.

Oh and just grew up in a household where dad owned a business. My stepdad also ownes a business- small business actually. Spent a lot of time learning from them as I grew up.

And ya know- being a union employee representing workers in a number of unstable sectors, I get to speak to workers, employers, government representatives, department heads and community members about how costs can be cut while ensuring we pay workers fairly and provide consistent work. We've done this successfully for lots of workers- whether it be in the steel industry or hairdressers.

Your economics degree is not serving you well in your previous comment then nor did your experiences with your father's business.

The steel industry as a whole would not agree with you nor the automobile industry. Really, most industries with heavy union influence, haven't weathered very well over the past two decades. Detroit is a great example. I guess your claim that companies can ALWAYS cut costs without it affecting workers is a bit ridiculous since a lot of companies have gone under trying to satisfy the ever increasing demands of their workers. It's a bit like the snake eating its own tail.

I'm glad that unions are on the decline in the private sector and it's a shame that they're on the rise in the government sector. It was a great asset to workers 1940 and before but pretty terrible after.

Oh please 'ever increasing demands of workers.' Don't you just hate it when your workers want a fair wage that keeps up with inflation, along with decent working conditions and minimum health and safety standards!

Companies don't go under because of workers. Companies go under because they are producing too much of something/any amount of something without sufficient demand. Also because of more complicated things like illegal trade dumping (which is significant in my country due to our reliance on China's boom.)

Firstly, needing to cut costs is different to going under. If a company is going under, its going under.

If a company is experiencing a temporary squeeze they can cut costs without hurting workers.

I think its great that unions, who in the past successfully fought for the 40 hour work week and minimum safety standards, are now doing things in the private sector like ensuring that we have domestic violence clauses in agreements to help victims cope with the impact of domestic violence. I'm also a big fan of our campaigns for better paid maternity leave.

I also think its great that unions are campaigning for a better deal for people in insecure work. Casualisation has had a massive impact globally and its a big challenge we need to face.

If you don't care about working people then there is nothing more that can be said. I've never had it in me to look at disadvantage and exploitation and feel comfortable about it. I never will.

Some facts yo

FACT: the minimum wage is not a living wage in most countries, particularly the US. EVERYONE pays the price for a low minimum wage. It is the best way to ensure dependence on welfare. It is the best way to ensure families live in poverty. It is the best way to create an even greater need for higher taxation.

FACT: most workers that end up on the minimum wage are from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Most are women. Lots are migrants.

FACT: When employers have all the power to demand more from their workers, while also failing to keep wages rising at the rate of inflation- we get what you call 'exploitation.' When workers can't take collective action or indeed bargain with employers, you allow exploitation to occur.

FACT: ALL companies can cut costs. THIS DOESN'T NEED TO COME FROM WAGES. There are so many ways to reduce operating costs /overheads before punishing the people that make your business possible. And its the right thing to do. Remember how American Airlines cut hundreds of thousands of dollars per year by putting one less olive in first class passangers salads? Yeah.

Bolded:

No.

You've never run a business have you?

No. Just did an economics degree.

Oh and just grew up in a household where dad owned a business. My stepdad also ownes a business- small business actually. Spent a lot of time learning from them as I grew up.

And ya know- being a union employee representing workers in a number of unstable sectors, I get to speak to workers, employers, government representatives, department heads and community members about how costs can be cut while ensuring we pay workers fairly and provide consistent work. We've done this successfully for lots of workers- whether it be in the steel industry or hairdressers.

Your economics degree is not serving you well in your previous comment then nor did your experiences with your father's business.

The steel industry as a whole would not agree with you nor the automobile industry. Really, most industries with heavy union influence, haven't weathered very well over the past two decades. Detroit is a great example. I guess your claim that companies can ALWAYS cut costs without it affecting workers is a bit ridiculous since a lot of companies have gone under trying to satisfy the ever increasing demands of their workers. It's a bit like the snake eating its own tail.

I'm glad that unions are on the decline in the private sector and it's a shame that they're on the rise in the government sector. It was a great asset to workers 1940 and before but pretty terrible after.

Oh please 'ever increasing demands of workers.' Don't you just hate it when your workers want a fair wage that keeps up with inflation, along with decent working conditions and minimum health and safety standards!

Companies don't go under because of workers. Companies go under because they are producing too much of something/any amount of something without sufficient demand. Also because of more complicated things like illegal trade dumping (which is significant in my country due to our reliance on China's boom.)

Firstly, needing to cut costs is different to going under. If a company is going under, its going under.

If a company is experiencing a temporary squeeze they can cut costs without hurting workers.

I think its great that unions, who in the past successfully fought for the 40 hour work week and minimum safety standards, are now doing things in the private sector like ensuring that we have domestic violence clauses in agreements to help victims cope with the impact of domestic violence. I'm also a big fan of our campaigns for better paid maternity leave.

I also think its great that unions are campaigning for a better deal for people in insecure work. Casualisation has had a massive impact globally and its a big challenge we need to face.

If you don't care about working people then there is nothing more that can be said. I've never had it in me to look at disadvantage and exploitation and feel comfortable about it. I never will.

That 'fair wage', increasing the minimum wage, is one of the greatest drivers of inflation. Please tell me you know how inflation works.

I care about people. Increasing the minimum wage is a like putting a band-aid on a cut jugular. It's ineffective and in many cases, detrimental to accomplishing your stated goal of helping the disadvantaged.

Bolded: Not the responsibility of the worker's place of work.

Poor McDonald's. Their employees are saying they want better pay. Even though McDonald's can hire all of these other people who want jobs on a temporary basis, they shouldn't have to do that, because they just shouldn't. People striking don't get paid. Since they are all so replaceable, why are we concerned about McDonald's?

Going just on the raise figure alone, do you really believe the CEO is working 14 million times harder than the employees? You could live the rest of your life comfortably on his raise. So no, I'm not worried that his employees have the gall to say that the work they are doing is earning him a cushy life, so they would like to be able to afford rent and food.

Effort in the USA is not necessarily correlated with salaries. Someone mentioned paramedics making $11 a hour. Does that mean they are making what they worth, or are only people who work jobs we consider unimportant making what they are worth?

One person being able to earn a $14 million raise is only possible through people at the top making grossly inflated sums of money, and that's only possible through underpaying the staff. I don't understand why that's just fine with so many people. If you really believe there is a job that pays a living wage available to every able bodied American within the current system (as implied by all the comments stating people just aren't working to better themselves), by the grace of "higher power" go thee. We have influence over where our lives go. If you really believe you have full control, you are in a comfortable illusion. If you start 10 miles behind everyone else but are expected to finish the race at the same time as everyone else, you'd probably wonder if it was possible, or if the race was worth it, and you'd almost certainly be feeling like this freaking race is rigged.

Bolded:

No, he's not working 14,000,000 times harder but the CEOs skills are 14,000,000 million times rarer than the ability to work a fast food shift is. Not just anyone can do it. You have to have the training, experience and talent to pull off this sort of job. You can't just walk in off the street with no background like you can for a McDonalds job.

Apples and oranges, you're comparing them.

Lol CEOs skills are 14,000,00 rarer.

No- not anyone can be a CEO. But you can increase your chances by

a. being born a man. Really, I recommend this. Its useful in almost all aspects of life.
b. be born into a family and circumstance of privilege
c. be white
d. be encouraged to do an MBA or lesser business degree- hopefully paid for by wealthy and supportive parents
e. learn to network real good at the bar with the boys.

Sorry common McDonalds workers! Shoulda tried harder!

And when you do happen to see a CEO who dosen't seem exceptionally bright or exceptionally exceptional- they are prolly just hiding their incredible skills.

a-c sounds like you have a chip on your shoulder. There are women CEOs, ones that weren't born to families of privilege and ones that aren't white.

d You don't think CEOs should have MBAs? Why?

e. Networking is important in many businesses. It is a skill in and of itself. Why do you dislike this?

Bolded: First it's apples and oranges, now it's oversimplification. McDonalds is well known for promoting from within (local managerial positions). If they do work hard, if they do try harder, then can get paid more. It's a great system, rewarding effort instead of something ridiculous like rewarding time in.

You need this: http://whatever.scalzi.com/2012/05/15/straight-white-male-the-lowest-difficulty-setting-there-is/

That doesn't change my responses to a-c.

Massive sigh. There is no chip on my shoulder. Thanks to being a straight white woman who went to an expensive private school and what we call 'sandstone university'. As a result I have jumped rungs in my career ladder, am paid well for someone my age and have had opportunities to leave my mark in the world that I never expected at this age.

Sure, I've worked hard. I've worked more 7 day weeks than 5 day weeks. I'm no stranger to a 12 hour work day and I network like a boss. But I'm sure there are a lot of people who weren't as lucky as me that would do the exact same if their circumstance had allowed them. I have the skills that I do, not just because I work hard, but because I was born into relative privilege.

The reason that the overwhelming number of CEOs are straight white men (I never, ever suggested that there were no women or members of a minority amongst the top 500) is because privilege exists- not because CEOs are necessarily brilliant or gifted or superhuman.

I would argue the most brilliant people with the most impressive intellectual skills are often in academia or the arts. But the highest paid public servant in most US states is the college baseball/basketball/football/hockey coach.

So raising the minimum wage will stick it to the privileged white man how? Will it remove privilege?

Doesn't matter if privilege is part of it or not. The CEOs making more money in a month than I'll make in a year still have skills that are equal to their pay. If they didn't, then their board of directors would put them out. Self interest, those of the board of directors and the most influential shareholders are going to make sure that their money is being well spent.

Bolded: :laugh: You based this one what exactly? How would you possibly quantify this assertion?

And also because George Bush.

Not one day of unions has been good for America. Not one. They bombed and shot their way into the American workplace. They were terrorists as they are now.

And also because George Bush.

LOLsigh

:huh:

Quick question: Has the percentage of the population in poverty grown in the past 20 years?

Not one day of unions has been good for America. Not one. They bombed and shot their way into the American workplace. They were terrorists as they are now.