Claiming they should be earning $15 an hour.
Really?
I don't even know where to begin with this latest craze of gimme.
$31,000 a year to flip burgers?
Heck I'll go work at McDonalds!

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Hold my beer and watch this!

Good thing it wasn't a slowdown. Who would know the difference?

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Why duck?? It's a 9mm!

I'll have a Big Mac, fries, and a large Coke.
"That will be 17.95 please".

At some point, a robot capable of flipping burgers will appear. It is never late to work, doesn't ask for time off, and just does what it is told to do. It may be cheaper than a person at $15/hr, and it wont steal food, drink, or money.

Union membership is down and SEIU is trying to recruit new members. At current minimum wage they don't earn enough to be able to afford union dues.

There's hope for us seniors after all...No more working at Wally World as a greeter!!!!!


WuzzFuzz

If we could get them all to go on strike I might be able to stick to my diet. Well them and the employees at Frito Lay.

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Chuck M

McDonald's was researching an automated kitchen as far back as 1990, when I worked at a franchise in a southwestern Ohio town. I have seen varying degrees of automation come and go at various McDonald's: drink dispensers at the drive-thru, a machine that filled fry baskets on demand, etc. About a decade ago, perhaps slightly more, McDonald's completely overhauled the way food is prepared and assembled so that sandwiches are assembled only after they are ordered, a significant departure from the hot bin into which sandwiches were placed and from which they were discarded if they weren't purchased prior to a timed expiration. They were already investigating automated meat cooking at that time.

McDonald's High-Tech With Kitchen, Kiosks - Technology News - redOrbit

I am not privy to the results of these studies, but I surmise that these projects establish(ed) a lower bound on cost. So far, human hands are still more productive (i.e. they create more output per unit of input than the machines). But, raise the wage of a fast food employee to $15/hour, and I predict a flurry of projects to get automation into those kitchens quite quickly since the lower bound of cost may well be surpassed.

Let them strike. And meanwhile let McDy find new employees, those that understand what the job is and what to warn money

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2

I leave news on all day and i have seen and heard this several times. A lot of the folks you see picketing/protesting are hired by the unions. One report said that there weren't many who did not show up for work today.

There are some in this group who will argue that if a woman has two kids and decides to have another she should get a raise.

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Luke 22:36

Up in the patch in Williston, ND they cannot hire burger flippers for $15 when any laborer can make $80-100k per year with all the OT they can stomach.

Maybe they'll close and we will go back to eating at home like we used to.

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Bill
Dis B. Leaf

A little more on the serious side though....I could go somewhat with a larger pay increase...Because...those that have learning disabilities and work at those fast food places, that is all they can make...and still have to either live in a group home, or on assisted living. I see it as a boost for them, to be able to buy some necessity and wants of life.


With the articles that were in the news a few days ago, about those states, that have more on welfare, making more than than those who do work, it might be an incentive for them to get up from the couch and get a job.

I think I'd rather be paying them more for doing something, instead of my taxes, paying some for doing nothing!!!!!


WuzzFuzz

Let's put this into perspective for the Free Stuff Army that thinks they "deserve" $31,000 a year.

Arizona Correction officer starts at:
$32,000

Florence AZ PD starting
$39,520

Phoenix AZ Firefighter:
$37,000
(Also same wage earned by the 19 Firefighters that died in the Yarnell fire this year)

Border Patrol:
$36,658 (GL5)

Army private 1st class:
About $22,000 (E3)

Marine Gunnery Sgt:
$31650 (first year E7)

Army Sgt:
$27,460 (E5 median)

Yeah, I can see how a burger flipping, chicken frying, pimple faced High School senior deserves the same basic pay as those that go into harm's way.

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Hold my beer and watch this!

Let's demand $15 an hour, which will result in McD's raising their prices by 100%, which will result in a 50% decrease in sales, which will result in 50% of employees losing their jobs and the remaining 50% having their hours cut by 25%. Yeah! Let's demand $15 an hour!

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Misty

Gunslinger808, no disagreement from me of what you say.....I guess it's just going to take someone smarter than me, to come up with a solution. But there are just so many jobs of those you list, but a whole lot more of the burger flippers...

When jobs like you list do come up, look at how many apply for those jobs...

Here, or near by...when there was openings for police officers at a larger PD over 1000 applied for 20 jobs.


WuzzFuzz

I'm sorry but flipping burgers and/or being a kitchen helper (basicly pulling KP) is just not worth $15 per hr.

AND ANOTHER THING...What burns me, is kids around here could get $20 to $50 to mow a yard...But that's manual labor...It's tough to get some kids to even do that....Cash money to boot!!!!!!


WuzzFuzz

I read that the major organizer of this action was a group once called
"Acorn"

This is the start of the slippery slope, so a person that has zero skills pretty much get $15.00 per hour, whats a skilled tradesman worth, $65.00?

I really dislike the term "living wage".

When I didn't have enough money, I did this crazy far out thing, I worked more, moonlighting, a second job etc.

The idea that you should have a 40 hour work week, a minimum wage job and support a family is a strange concept to me. I think its just another example of the entitlement attitude that is so pervasive today.

This is what I'm wondering. I'm asking because I don't know. Whats to keep any of these companies from firing all the people that go out on strike & replacing them? It sure seems to me that not showing up for work would be grounds for dismissal!

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Lounge Lizard Extraordinaire

A reporter from a major radio station in Los Angeles did what reporters used to do, and asked some questions. 16 of the 17 people she questioned at the protest were not fast food worker but were SEIU union stooges brought in to create the appearance of a larger protest.
Fast food is already pretty expensive for how unhealthy it is, if I see price increases because they cave to the unions I will stop buying from them.

Hours cut = No company benefits. Insurance cost are gonna kill working people.

These people are clueless. I think we should raise the voting age to 30+

I don't eat at those places.

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Dum vivo cano

I don't think any of those people work at Chic-fil-a.

That's my favorite "fast food" place- cause they are fast, clean and hot.

The benefits of a privately owned organization cannot be underestimated.

Could also do like a former governor did, and just close up shop. Wouldn't hurt my feelings.

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Lost it all in a boat accident

My last job paid $15.00 per hour. I have a college degree and advanced training and was required to maintain proficiency by earning continuing education credits. I had to pay for my CEC's. And I only worked 32 hours a week so the boss didn't have to pay benefits. Oh yea I had to pay for my own professional license (agencies do pay for the renewal). I was a addiction counselor; that was pretty much the standard wage in the region.

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Carpriver.

If fast food joints automate then just do you think will get your order wrong?

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Retired Marine Gunny

It's pretty simple. If they want to earn $15 an hour, just work 80 hours a week.

All you do is work so you don't spend any money. You can a bundle pretty quick!

I make a pretty good wage for my area. But, I am also on salary.

If you took my weekly pay and divided it up by how many hours I actually worked a week.....some weeks I bet I hit $15 bucks an hour.

I've worked fast food. I've even done it as an adult for extra money ( both my daughters and wife's braces were financed by making burgers).

You have to start somewhere and you have to work hard and take it seriously.

You have to learn and grow. Gain experience and gain "value" to an employer. Always learning and acquiring new skills.

This nation is becoming a nation of slugs.

I gain the respect of my employees by:
A) getting to work before they do
B) leaving work after they do
C) out working them while I am there

Lead by example. It leaves them no excuses.

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Wake me when it's over...

It enrages me that they think they deserve that much. I can see it: "Hey Jimmy, don't go to college! Go straight to McDonalds and make $30,000 a year!"

The truth is, most fast good jobs are jobs, NOT careers. You shouldn't go into fast foo and think "I'm set for life". Unless you're ambitious and hope to manage or run a franchise.

The reason they pay low wages is they are zero-skill jobs. Anyone without a disability can walk in and be trained in a few days. Since the skill set required is so low, the potential employee pool is very high, so wages are low.

What bothers me the most is that these people have no desire to better themselves and think they should be paid more than some college grads for doing much simpler work than the grads.

I'm sorry, but those jobs just aren't important.

(I'm very anti fast food in general, by the way.)

Wellsaid MrJT, you are 100% correct, the skill set is just above........ I can't think of anything it is above other than standing in line for a free check!!!

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Retired Marine Gunny

UAW workers at the gigantic ford plant just south of Chicago now start at $14-$15 an hr.. I live across the street from Purdue Univ. It's an engineering school. 2/3rds of the kids going there are Chinese and other foreign students. The other 1/3rd are home grown kids looking to continue school and extend their stay with mom n dad as long as possible. That 1/3rd are tomorrows McDonald's employees.

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SOS USA

This all relates to "the dumbing-down of AmeriKa". When younger, the fast-food jobs were for after-school money, retirees supplementing their incomes and some folks wanting to make money for Christmas shopping or a big purchase. Some used these jobs to earn money while in college getting an education to get a better paying job. Now, they expect to raise a family on the income. Huh?

Guess that the new economics classes taught in the schools did not relate that wages are proportionate to the product being sold. Manufacture a car that sells for $40,000 and make $25 per hour via the union. Sell $3 burgers, make $8 per hour. Simple economics. So, double your wages and the owner has to double the product pricing. Wow, that is hard to decipher! Better tell them that when the price of a burger is double, the clientele will cut their purchases in half and then the owner has to lay-off or lessen the hours worked. Simple economics. Guess I am from another generation.

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GA Carry member
Vietnam Vet

They are complaining that a family of 4 can't live on fast food wages...here's a news flash...they aren't supposed to!!!!! You shouldn't be starting a family until you can afford one...but you won't hear any of the Sharpton/Moore ilk spouting that.....

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

and given the environment .. it would be self lubricating by default

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it just needs more voltage

This angers Rintimtin. Im so mad I am speaking in the third person.

I would fire every one of them. there are people out there who would love to get paid MW.

That really does put things into perspective...

Unless you are in management or own a franchise, working at McDonalds is not a career. It's a part time job that requires at most, unskilled labor. I worked at McDonalds for a year back in the 70's, you could train a chimp to do the work...

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"Shall not be infringed"

It's all about victims. The "victim" mentality is rampant in this country and is being fostered at every turn in a young persons life. We can't give a student a failing grade if he/she fails a test, what about their self esteem? We can't keep score in sports because someone will loose. What about their self esteem? We can't have "losers". Let's give everyone a trophy just for showing up... We can't say everyday words like "citizen" and "brown bag" because someone may be offended. We can't pay minimum wage for entry level jobs, it's not fair. They wake up in the real world shocked, "It's just not my fault that I'm poor, lazy, and stupid". You build self esteem and success by winning! We need to encourage and reward "victors", not enable "victims". My two cents.

De Oppresso Liber

at 67 years of age , I get a small increase in social security each year. that increase in promptly offset by an increase in medicare premiums.

this is cruel and unjust....how am I suppose to afford that next S&W revolver I have to buy.....

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There's nowt so queer as folk

Hamburger making machine.

If they can program a robot to build cars, they can certainly do the same for hamburgers.

These people don't realize that they are going to price themselves right out of jobs.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

The founding fathers were on to something when the limited the vote to property owners. Not that we should go that, but maybe it would make sense to require people to actually pay taxes in order to vote.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

So would they then mandate that everyone gets a 100% pay increase? The net result of any increase to the minimum wage is a devaluation of the dollar.

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Even older, even crankier....

This may be me being bias since I have gone to college, but you sacrifice EVERYTHING to further your education. Be it through the military, university, or tradesmanship you do it at any cost! Nowadays with grants, scholarships, community colleges etc. there really is no good excuse to not further yourself. Heavens, I don't even make that much on my stipend for teaching at the University!

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Still just a kid at heart

For each action there is a opposite and equal reaction.
Blessings

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TEXAS, by GOD

As mentioned this is all driven by labor unions. Their numbers have been in steady decline for years with no concern for McD or Walmart workers it's really about themselves. I don't think anyone that takes a lower level job expects a pay increase of 50%.

It's like shooting .22lr's....sure they're a ***** to replace, but rest assured they'll make more.

If someone comes into my office and demands a 100% raise, they will be fired on the spot. No negotiations. No conversation. I'm not going to remind them of our employment procedures and rules or what was agreed upon when they were first hired. Nuthin'. Wish them well and take their keys.

It is a no win situation for the employer. Give them the raise and the flood gates will open and everyone will be hitting you up. If you don't give them the raise or even if you give them a portion of the money requested, they will never think they are properly compensated and their work will show it.

Fire them and place an ad. Rest assured they will make more employees.

BTW, I give reviews and raises once a year. I give health care as negotiated, annual bonuses, profit sharing and retirement. If they "kick the snot" out of a job, I will give them a paid day off or a gift card or some sort of thanks for a job well done.

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paws for friendship

$15 per hour is a no-go for me. BUT ... I do think that MW employees should be given a small incentive for being able to speak and understand English, for consistently getting orders right, and for being able to make correct change.

A very insensitive

Charlie

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SWCA # 2294

When the minimum wage was first instituted, some found it a shock. They got over it. If the minimum wage is updated to a current equivalent, some will be shocked. They will get over it.

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<><

If I had to pay those wages, I would only hire people who graduated from culinary school with at least two quarters of college algebra. Then they'll know the difference between a quarter, dime and nickel.

Speaking of that, I payed at a place that will remain unnamed, with a half-dollar in my change.

The feller behind the counter said "we don't take Canadian money."

I got mad and said at the top of my voice, "Ok professor. Just exactly which famous Canadian do you think is on the front of that coin?"

He just shrugged his shoulders.

"Everyone knows it's Basile Baptiste, you know- the feller that swung a big axe."

A couple of folks in line chuckled at me talking to this chucklehead.

I gave him a couple of quarters. I should have went to the bank, and got rolls of pennies and gone back and ordered.

If it'd a been my place, I'd a fired him.
If you can't tell me who is on your money, how in the world are you to know if it's real or not???

Rant off.

Oh...great idea!

Just pay these folks that are striking in monopoly money- they'll never know the difference!!!

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Lost it all in a boat accident

I firmly believe this is an attempt to unionize fast food workers. Some will think it is a good idea to sacrifice some of their wages for the promise of more, but I doubt unions could get them $15/hr. If they unionize then there will be a lot fewer fast food joints. Government rules prohibit firing someone for trying to organize a union.

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Luke 22:36

$15 per hour for fast food workers? - ridiculous. Healthcare workers, other than nurses, frequently make less than that. I put myself and my wife through college working at $0.75 per hour. No loans, no subsidies. The ratio of minimum wage to tuition was pretty much the same as today for a state university.

We had nothing but each other and ate a lot of not much, but we made it. Somehow we even had our first child with no insurance. Hard work and a lot of worry but it was worth it.

70% of Fast food workers are over age 20, and the average age is 27.

If minimum wage had kept pace with inflation, it would be about $10.75 per hour. Instead it's $7.25.

We end up subsidizing low wage workers with food stamps, Medicaid, and other government programs for the needy, so it is false economy for our scoiety to pay these workers low wages--we end up paying money to them from taxes. I'm sick and tired of the paradigm of mean spiritedness that pervades in threads about people trying to survive in modern civilization.

There is no connection between money making ability and human worth--money is a human creation that exists outside of the realm of nature, and bears no resemblance to anything in nature. People are just so used to dealing with money that in infects their thought processes on how to interact with living, breathing humans.