Fast Food Workers Launch Strikes Across New York City

[Hum]

Thursday, hundreds of fast food restaurant workers are striking in high-traffic commercial centers in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The strikes, which began at 6 am this morning and will continue throughout the day, will hit some of the world?s biggest fast food chains, including McDonald?s, Wendy?s, Dominos, Burger King, Kentucky Friend Chicken and Taco Bell, and carry an industry-shaking demand: the right to unionize and wage increases to $15 an hour.

Fast food workers in New York City earn just below $9.00 an hour on average, and rarely receive health care, paid sick days or other benefits that make it possible to live in an expensive urban center like New York City. These workers are also often given only 20 or 30 hours of work a week, which keeps their annual income far below the poverty line. According to organizers on the campaign, many workers have to resort to collecting public assistance, eating at their restaurants to save money and sometimes even living in homeless shelters--necessities that not only make their lives incredibly challenging but also put intense strain on the city?s social safety net.

The top companies, meanwhile, have been netting considerable profits; according to The Atlantic?s Sarah Jaffe , Taco Bell and KFC?s profits have risen nearly 50 percent over the last four years, and McDonald?s have jumped a staggering 130 percent. Most troubling, these types of low-wage, low-protection jobs are the majority of positions being created as the economy slowly recovers from the 2008 recession. According to a report by the National Employment Law Project, nearly 60 percent of the jobs added since the recession have been these types of low-wage jobs, particularly in retail sales and food preparation.

The strikes began at six am Thursday morning when 14 of 17 workers walked off the job at a McDonald?s near Grand Central. (The company was forced to call in replacement workers to keep the store open.)

By seven and eight o?clock, workers refused to assume their shifts at fast food restaurants across Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx. Major strikes are scheduled for noon at Penn Station and Downtown Brooklyn, and a 5 pm rally at Times Square outside the McDonald?s is expected to attract hundreds of workers.

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[jkenn99]

I wonder whether Jonathan Westins and the rest are bothering to mention to all these people he's herding that if they are successful, one in every three of them won't have a job any longer...

[Hum]

Oh noes -- first Twinkies, now McDonald's -- how will fat people eat ... :p

[Growled Member]

I wish them well but these corporations will never agree to $15 an hour. For business, it's all about making money now. None of them cares two flicks about their employees. The way it should work is businesses should realize they are part of the community and whatever they do to help their employees helps the company, the employees, and the community. What good is record profits stuck in some bank?

[Hum]

^ $15 an hour would radically boost payroll costs, which would get passed on to the customers, many of which would then avoid fast food.

Businesses would suffer and might go under altogether.

Unions often shoot themselves in the foot.

[RottGutt]

They get paid almost $9 per hour to serve fast food?!?!?! Sign me up!

Tim

[SupportGeek]

Businesses like those simply cannot survive paying $15/hr, the costs of the product would go up over 50%, It already costs about $20 to feed a Family of 3 at McDonalds, business will take a drastic nose dive when the same thing costs $30+

If your "Plan A" was to work at McDonalds to support yourself for the rest of your life as non-management, you REALLY need a "Plan B"

These kinds of jobs are not meant as careers, they were meant to utilize unskilled high school level labor, thats why they have internal training for all the basic jobs. Honestly, unskilled labor simply isnt worth $15/hr

[Growled Member]

^ $15 an hour would radically boost payroll costs, which would get passed on to the customers, many of which would then avoid fast food.

Businesses would suffer and might go under altogether.

Unions often shoot themselves in the foot.

I would agree with you other than the fact that these corporations are making record profits. They pay upper staff millions. Why would they have a need to pass anything on to the customers? The employees helped you make that profit, so share some of it with them.

[Hum]

These kinds of jobs are not meant as careers, they were meant to utilize unskilled high school level labor, thats why they have internal training for all the basic jobs. Honestly, unskilled labor simply isn't worth $15/hr

^ What if your job is to put the pins in hand grenades ? :shifty:

[Guest xiphi]

I don't think these people striking realize just how disposable they are. If they wanted more money, they should do like everyone else and move up to a higher paying position or find a better job. Something people with half a brain would do.

[Hum]

I would agree with you other than the fact that these corporations are making record profits. They pay upper staff millions. Why would they have a need to pass anything on to the customers? The employees helped you make that profit, so share some of it with them.

I agree to some extent, but Unions tend to get more and more greedy.

What if I think $10 an hour is just peachy, but a handful of Union members push for $15, then we all lose our jobs ?

[Growled Member]

I agree to some extent, but Unions tend to get more and more greedy.

And I agree with that too. Unions are their own worst enemy.

[Sandor]

^ $15 an hour would radically boost payroll costs, which would get passed on to the customers, many of which would then avoid fast food.

Businesses would suffer and might go under altogether.

Unions often shoot themselves in the foot.

Just taking one of my former employees as an example. McDonald's.

Cursory glance at wikipedia says net income was 5.5 billion. The wikipedia page states 420,000 employees. Doing a rough example of a 2000 hour work year and doing that for all the employees - $5 an hour raise comes to 4.2 billion.

Not really sure where the "going under" part comes in.

[Xilo]

All this means is higher prices for everyone. If you want higher pay, go find a better job.

[SupportGeek]

Just taking one of my former employees as an example. McDonald's.

Cursory glance at wikipedia says net income was 5.5 billion. The wikipedia page states 420,000 employees. Doing a rough example of a 2000 hour work year and doing that for all the employees - $5 an hour raise comes to 4.2 billion.

Not really sure where the "going under" part comes in.

Stockholders dont tend to like when you gut 4/5ths of your income by giving it away for no return, it means a loss in stock price, and that means stockholders lose money, they sell their shares, and suddenly the comany no longer has enough money to pay back everyone that has money invested in the business.

Hence, they go under.

Its not all about eking out a razor thin margin when you are a publicly traded company.

[tiagosilva29]

Not in America; not a fast food worker. I have an high-risk job and make around USD$4.81 an hour. Cool story, bros.

Businesses like those simply cannot survive paying $15/hr, the costs of the product would go up over 50%, It already costs about $20 to feed a Family of 3 at McDonalds, business will take a drastic nose dive when the same thing costs $30+ If your "Plan A" was to work at McDonalds to support yourself for the rest of your life as non-management, you REALLY need a "Plan B" These kinds of jobs are not meant as careers, they were meant to utilize unskilled high school level labor, thats why they have internal training for all the basic jobs. Honestly, unskilled labor simply isnt worth $15/hr

The American Dream, eh?

[spenser.d]

Just taking one of my former employees as an example. McDonald's.

Cursory glance at wikipedia says net income was 5.5 billion. The wikipedia page states 420,000 employees. Doing a rough example of a 2000 hour work year and doing that for all the employees - $5 an hour raise comes to 4.2 billion.

Not really sure where the "going under" part comes in.

It also wouldn't affect all workers. They're asking for this in NYC because of the cost of living there.

It is funny to me that the same people who lash out at these people that are striking for a reasonable wage based on cost of living would also lash out at them for reaping entitlement benefits from the government, which at $9/hr part time in NYC, they most certainly need just to get by.

That said, I do agree with SupportGeek jn that McDs isn't really a viable career choice and shouldn't be thought of as one. These days though, you can get stuck with that for a little while.

[Sandor]

Stockholders dont tend to like when you gut 4/5ths of your income by giving it away for no return, it means a loss in stock price, and that means stockholders lose money, they sell their shares, and suddenly the comany no longer has enough money to pay back everyone that has money invested in the business.

Hence, they go under.

Its not all about eking out a razor thin margin when you are a publicly traded company.

which kinda highlights a lot of the problems with current society and economics wouldn't you say?

[Lord Method Man]

which kinda highlights a lot of the problems with current society and economics wouldn't you say?

No.

[Rippleman]

They get paid almost $9 per hour to serve fast food?!?!?! Sign me up!

Tim

here in Alberta, night time shift worker at Mcdonalds is $20+/hr, and for those that don't have transportation, they even come pick you up for work.

[dead.cell]

Not in America; not a fast food worker. I have an high-risk job and make around USD$4.81 an hour. Cool story, bros.

The American Dream, eh?

How is that? I thought minimum wage was $7.25? Or is that state regulated? :huh:

Also, I make $8.26 as a sales associate at Best Buy... I'd love to get paid $15 an hour hahah.

[Rippleman]

isn't really a viable career choice and shouldn't be thought of as one. These days though, you can get stuck with that for a little while.

When I moved to the city in 1997 when i was 22 years old I had 2 offers to me, a salesman job at a Nissan dealership or swing manager at Mcd's. I WISH i would have took the McD's psoition instead. The guy that was hired the same time I was for McD's is now in Calgary looking after 7 McD's and getting paid $250k a year. :)

Lets just say i am not at Nissan anymore and i do not make $250 k a year. regrets can be a bitch.

[SupportGeek]

which kinda highlights a lot of the problems with current society and economics wouldn't you say?

Highlights nothing for society, the economics of it work just fine, if I invest money into a business, I want it to grow, Im not lending them money because Im a nice guy, if your profits as a business fall by 4/5ths it shows that your company is being terribly mismanaged, and as an investor, I would certainly not keep my money there either, chances are, that will be mismanaged as well (or already has been)

Bear in mind the scenario was only for a straight $5/hr increase, which in and of itself likely causes catastrophe for the company, these people also want healthcare benefits, thats going to cost FAR more per employee than a mere $5/hr increase in pay. Even at a modest 10k per employee (and that is VERY low) suddenly they are in the hole 42 billion$ Thats not just a collapse, thats a disaster.

Business owners are not, and should not be required to pay a wage that the employee feels they are worth especially after said employee agrees to work for an offered wage.

If the employee doesn't like working for $9/hr, then they should never have agreed to take that job, its not like they hire you THEN tell you what you will be making, keep looking for another job.

If they cant find a job making more than $9 an hour, then they need to develop a skillset that appeals to employers offering a better wage, or get a second job.

[Hum]

How is that? I thought minimum wage was $7.25? Or is that state regulated? :huh:

I believe Federal is $7.25 -- but some states like California have a higher minimum.

The minimum wage is $8.00 per hour for most employees in California, with exceptions for tipped employees, some student workers, and other exempt occupations.

But I guess with higher costs of transportation, they wouldn't really be getting more than Fed min. wage. :/

[pack34]

Highlights nothing for society, the economics of it work just fine, if I invest money into a business, I want it to grow, Im not lending them money because Im a nice guy, if your profits as a business fall by 4/5ths it shows that your company is being terribly mismanaged, and as an investor, I would certainly not keep my money there either, chances are, that will be mismanaged as well (or already has been)

Bear in mind the scenario was only for a straight $5/hr increase, which in and of itself likely causes catastrophe for the company, these people also want healthcare benefits, thats going to cost FAR more per employee than a mere $5/hr increase in pay. Even at a modest 10k per employee (and that is VERY low) suddenly they are in the hole 42 billion$ Thats not just a collapse, thats a disaster.

Business owners are not, and should not be required to pay a wage that the employee feels they are worth especially after said employee agrees to work for an offered wage.

If the employee doesn't like working for $9/hr, then they should never have agreed to take that job, its not like they hire you THEN tell you what you will be making, keep looking for another job.

If they cant find a job making more than $9 an hour, then they need to develop a skillset that appeals to employers offering a better wage, or get a second job.

They should, however, be forced to pay livable wages. The current federal minimum wage is not a livable one in most, if not all, states. In a place like New York, the price of living will be much higher which would require a higher wage to be able to afford necessities like an apartment and food.