Fast-food workers threaten global strikes

[neufuse Veteran]

Employees in more than this one industry should follow suite, perhaps things might slowly begin to change.  As for replacing human customer service with machinery; would be very expensive, and might not bolster the same business revenues that humans produce.

Tell that to Sheetz Inc in Altoona, Pa... they are getting bigger and bigger by using that model, all ordering is done on touch screen, you only have people to make the food. They are a multi billion dollar company now and people love it.

[neufuse Veteran]

Those here who are against increasing minimum wage to meet a level standard living have jobs that pays well.  If the shoes were reversed and you were making minimum wage and couldn't afford anything or the means of getting a better job you'll be screaming foul and want an increase.

 

How many of you have someone that does their landscaping or clean their house?  Do you pay them what they are worth being as you say it's a low skill job or is more than minimum wage?

And I could say those of us who don't like this idea are scared that we will continue to work hard and now due to inflation have our work devalued by people that don't work as hard and expect more from it. We are having fast food workers and people like store workers protesting, yet these are jobs that are meant as an intro job or 1st step in a career, not as a career themselves. I work day and night programming, almost 80+ hours a week sometimes... I work hard as heck to get what I make, and I've been told before "you make too much" for what I do by people that work low level service jobs sitting around B.S.ing to each other and joking around like its a playground where they work... maybe when people treat a job as a job i'll change my mind, but when you treat your job as a joke and scream you want more money I have a problem with that... I've fired paid interns for attitudes like that and tell them you can come back when you mature enough to handle the job.

 

but then I get people mad at me because I do my own yard work also... get the same BS lines "you make too much to do that work yourself, hire someone and give them a job!".. why? now people are saying I make to much to not be lazy?...

[+primortal Subscriber²]

I worked those jobs. Don't ever tell me I fell into my position when you do not have any clue the struggle I faced.

 

I could say you've never worked a hard day in your life and have no idea what it takes to deserve that money, doesn't make it true.

 

Then take your own word into account when it comes to people who want an increase in minimum wages case you don't know the struggles they face.  Just because you think Joe Blow doesn't deserve a higher minimum wage for flipping burgers you know his full story just by looking at him and condemn him for wanting more for being greedy.  Maybe this is Joe Blow's 3 third job to pay for medical bills for his wife/daughter/mother.  You don't know everyone story in life stop acting like this increase is going to put you in the poor house or people doesn't deserve if because you say so.  I didn't see any official word in the mail or tv that lists you as the grand poobah.

 

So the price of items are going to increase slightly, BFD.  Prices goes up every single day on everything and no one pisses and moans about it and wants it to stop.  But how dare someone ask for a pay raise that would directly or indirectly hurt my pocketbook/wallet.  Why don't go and complain to the oil companies that increase the cost of a barrel of oil which in turn increases the cost of gasoline the directly effect the prices of food in the grocery store because of some idiot in a oil producing 3rd world country sneezed the wrong way?

[+primortal Subscriber²]

We are having fast food workers and people like store workers protesting, yet these are jobs that are meant as an intro job or 1st step in a career, not as a career themselves.

 

Who says that these intro jobs or the 1st step in a career?  Why are treating these people like sub-humans because they want a better salary so they can get a better job?  You need money in order to get a better job.

 

Are you going to hire someone that dressed in tater clothing and look like they haven't bathed in months because the salary they make doesn't allow them to rent a decent apartment or afford decent clothing to get ahead in life.

[rr_dRock]

Then take your own word into account when it comes to people who want an increase in minimum wages case you don't know the struggles they face.  Just because you think Joe Blow doesn't deserve a higher minimum wage for flipping burgers you know his full story just by looking at him and condemn him for wanting more for being greedy.  Maybe this is Joe Blow's 3 third job to pay for medical bills for his wife/daughter/mother.  You don't know everyone story in life stop acting like this increase is going to put you in the poor house or people doesn't deserve if because you say so.  I didn't see any official word in the mail or tv that lists you as the grand poobah.

 

So the price of items are going to increase slightly, BFD.  Prices goes up every single day on everything and no one pisses and moans about it and wants it to stop.  But how dare someone ask for a pay raise that would directly or indirectly hurt my pocketbook/wallet.  Why don't go and complain to the oil companies that increase the cost of a barrel of oil which in turn increases the cost of gasoline the directly effect the prices of food in the grocery store because of some idiot in a oil producing 3rd world country sneezed the wrong way?

 

 

Joe Blow who's working three jobs is too busy working to support his family to partake in this nonsense. Just like OWS, this protest is mostly backed by people who just want something for nothing. It's quite apparent in watching news stories, and reading articles, speaking with people like you who support their cause.

I never said everyone is the same, just the majority.

 

Again, if you're in such bad straits that you need to work 3 jobs to support yourself and your family, you made bad choices somewhere along the road, and are now paying for them. There is NOTHING that can stop someone from being successful if they really want to put their minds to it. nothing. Not one single thing. You can spout off about medical bills, environment, etc all you want. But the fact is, people do it every day. Every single day someone breaks out of poverty and succeeds. Why is it so difficult for these people?

 

There is always a way that the government, or the people can help you, but you have to be willing to help yourself first.

 

 

 

 

Who says that these intro jobs or the 1st step in a career?  Why are treating these people like sub-humans because they want a better salary so they can get a better job?  You need money in order to get a better job.

 

Are you going to hire someone that dressed in tater clothing and look like they haven't bathed in months because the salary they make doesn't allow them to rent a decent apartment or afford decent clothing to get ahead in life.

 

 

You don't need more money from your current employer to get a better job. That's the most ridiculous thing you've said all day. Why should your current employer pay you to get another job? The lack of pay is supposed to be the incentive.

 

If you're living in that kind of squalor I doubt you have a job to begin with, and you're probably an individual that doesn't care about personal hygiene anyway. Clothes are extremely cheap at Value Village, thrift stores.  Running water is provided ANYWHERE you live, and if it isn't then you should MOVE to somewhere better.... I don't know why you still believe these are the only jobs these people can take, and their current situation is the only one they can be in. It is their choice, not mine, not their employers. If they want to be ###### people, that's on them.

[Sandor]

My opinions come from knowing how business works (having come from a family that owned a small business that was quite successful) and from dealing with this super socialist pandering for too long. 

 

I am better than a lot of people, and I deserve to be paid better. That's as simple as it gets.

 

The simple fact is, I will continue to achieve greatness

 

instead of just looking for handouts.  And so do the people that manage to get themselves out of these situations every single day. It's possible, you just actually have to try.

 

I don't know why we support those who do nothing, yet tax the hell out of anyone who actually contributes to society.  It makes no sense to me. Everyone is not equal, everyone should NOT be paid the same, some people SHOULD be considered more valuable than others.

 

Man that was spectacular stuff. Do you own this business you speak of? How long have you run it for? If you are running it, did you inherit it by any chance? That would quite funny given the rest of your rambling about "earning it".

 

Greatness indeed. Your post certainly is in terms of the comedy factor.

 

Also people aren't asking to paid the same...simply to be paid a fair and living wage. There is nothing particularly devious about it. It's frankly astounding that some people believe others should be paid buttons for their labour. The interesting bit of the whole subject, which you seem to have missed, is that by paying folks this sort of wage you can then actually re-balance the tax system and welfare/tax credits that are already paid out to them. It would probably help you, Greatest Business CEO, by meaning less of your taxes get redistributed to these filthy peasants you seem to hate.

 

It's easy to cast aspersions about how everyone working in a McDonalds is a lazy loser who should do better but that's quite a myopic view of the world. It's intellectually unsound too.

[+primortal Subscriber²]

Again, if you're in such bad straits that you need to work 3 jobs to support yourself and your family, you made bad choices somewhere along the road, and are now paying for them. There is NOTHING that can stop someone from being successful if they really want to put their minds to it. nothing. Not one single thing. You can spout off about medical bills, environment, etc all you want. But the fact is, people do it every day. Every single day someone breaks out of poverty and succeeds. Why is it so difficult for these people?

 

If you have to work 3 jobs to support your family, you made bad choices somewhere along the line. There is always a way that the government, or the people can help you, but you have to be willing to help yourself first.

 

So they are paying for them; we've all mad bad decisions in our lives so your philosophy is to condemn them for their bad descisions?

 

There are plenty of things that can stop someone from being successful; injury, physical handicap, bias etc.

 

There are those in life that got dealt a bad hand in life and you can't tell me that's not true.

[rr_dRock]

Man that was spectacular stuff. Do you own this business you speak of? How long have you run it for? If you are running it, did you inherit it by any chance? That would quite funny given the rest of your rambling about "earning it".

 

Greatness indeed. Your post certainly is in terms of the comedy factor.

 

Also people aren't asking to paid the same...simply to be paid a fair and living wage. There is nothing particularly devious about it. It's frankly astounding that some people believe others should be paid buttons for their labour. It's easy to cast aspersions about how everyone working in a McDonalds is a lazy loser who should do better but that's quite a myopic view of the world. It's intellectually unsound too.

 

Actually it was sold to my uncle when my father passed away. Hence the past tense "owned" in my previous post. This is where reading comprehension is important.

I watched carefully when I was younger, and made sure to take note of the ways the business was run, and the things that didn't work, so I could be successful like my father when I was older, and not a pile of scum waiting on government handouts.

 

 

Fair for who? The consumers that have to pay the increases out of their hard earned dollars? No thanks, How is that considered fair for me or others that pay these peoples ways, through elevated taxes (currently at %47 here), which goes to social assitance, student loans, etc? The people making $15/hr now that won't see their wages doubled, but still have to pay the price of these peoples idiocy? No.

 

Again, how about some reading comprehension, I asserted that the majority of this was backed by losers, and the lazy. Not everyone is in that boat.

 

Oh, and greatness is correct. I may be an excellent comedian, but I'm even better at everything else I do.

 

 

So they are paying for them; we've all mad bad decisions in our lives so your philosophy is to condemn them for their bad descisions?

 

There are plenty of things that can stop someone from being successful; injury, physical handicap, bias etc.

 

There are those in life that got dealt a bad hand in life and you can't tell me that's not true.

 

I can actually tell you that, as there are cases of people being dealt ####. Abusive parents, childhood rape, injuries, that went on to be extremely successful. Please tell me more about how the handicapped are useless, and can't do anything.

 

If their choices were to forgo school, or any effort in life and work as a burger flipper/server/cleaning staff instead of doing something productive, when they were given every opportunity to be a success, I do condemn them, yes.

 

 

In case you haven't noticed, I don't have empathy for people that don't have any ambition to better themselves.

 

 

If all of these people, as you suggest, are working towards bettering themselves, how do they have all this time to protest, and to complain, and to tell me I'm wrong for being successful?  Why aren't they putting that time and effort into, oh I don't know, bettering themselves? I barely have time to go out for a meal with my girlfriend, with studying for my MCS, working, and the on the side work I do.

 

If people put as much effort into making their situation better as they did into bitching and complaining about it, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

[+primortal Subscriber²]

Actually it was sold to my uncle when my father passed away. Hence the past tense "owned" in my previous post. This is where reading comprehension is important.

I watched carefully when I was younger, and made sure to take note of the ways the business was run, and the things that didn't work, so I could be successful like my father when I was older, and not a pile of scum waiting on government handouts.

 

 

Fair for who? The consumers that have to pay the increases out of their hard earned dollars? No thanks, that's not what I'd consider fair for me or others that pay these peoples ways? The people making $15/hr now that won't see their wages doubled, but still have to pay the price of these peoples idiocy?

 

Again, how about some reading comprehension, I asserted that the majority of this was backed by losers, and the lazy. Not everyone is in that boat.

 

 

Ahh the curtain is pulled away.  So basically you where handed down the business and was taught to you by your family how to run it.  Basically a silver spoon in the mouth.  There are not many people in the world that have the benefits you had so they wind up working in a low paying job to make end meet as they work their way up the corporate latter.  Hence the attitude of those people being looser.  Explains a lot...

 

So you would rather pay their government handouts out of you hard earn dollars than not shop in stores that paid a higher minimum wage?

[rr_dRock]

Ahh the curtain is pulled away.  So basically you where handed down the business and was taught to you by your family how to run it.  Basically a silver spoon in the mouth.  There are not many people in the world that have the benefits you had so they wind up working in a low paying job to make end meet as they work their way up the corporate latter.  Hence the attitude of those people being looser.  Explains a lot...

 

So you would rather pay their government handouts out of you hard earn dollars than not shop in stores that paid a higher minimum wage?

 

Reading comprehension.

 

It was sold. I do not have anything to do with it. I wasn't handed anything. I was taught a certain aspect of business, just like everyone else has the opportunity to do.  It was an insurance company btw, which had absolutely zero to do with my current job in education, it only taught me how to do business properly. Which you can learn by reading on the internet.  Jesus. You'd think I wrote it in Latin.

 

Your jealousy is really seeping through now.

 

And as stated before. I'd prefer we pull the plug on all social services and let them all die off. We managed for 150,000 years before, we can manage it again.

[Sandor]

I'd prefer we pull the plug on all social services and let them all die off.

LOL@U

 

Yes...you're clearly the voice of rational, reasoned arguments. Anyone else with half a notion wanting to have a go?

[+primortal Subscriber²]

Reading comprehension.

 

It was sold. I do not have anything to do with it. I wasn't handed anything. I was taught a certain aspect of business, just like everyone else has the opportunity to do.  It was an insurance company btw, which had absolutely zero to do with my current job in education, it only taught me how to do business properly. Which you can learn by reading on the internet.  Jesus. You'd think I wrote it in Latin.

 

Your jealousy is really seeping through now.

 

And as stated before. I'd prefer we pull the plug on all social services and let them all die off.

 

Point taken.  But you were afforded the opportunity others don't in that you were taught first hand the aspects of business at a young age and all the jaded aspects as well hence labeling lesser workers as loosers and hand outs.

 

So you're for genocide of the lesser by letting social services die off?

[rr_dRock]

LOL@U

 

Yes...you're clearly the voice of rational, reasoned arguments. Anyone else with half a notion wanting to have a go?

 

It's not necessary. It wasn't for 150k years. Why is it so necessary now?

 

It is rational. Why should my success be used to fund other peoples problems?

 

I don't think that all social services are bad, but to get back to where we need to be as a society all of them need to be cut, and we need to restructure, and figure out what is really important to our country. Socialism is not a good thing. I do not enjoy paying for every one else. I should only have to worry about me. That's it. If I want better education (as in, outside of a regular degree, MSc, PhD, etc. And I only mention this because certain people in Canada have their entire educations paid for no questions asked, while the rest of us are paying off student loans for 20 years), I'll pay for it. If I want good healthcare, I'll pay for it. If I don't want to work, why should you pay for it? That's not a nice thing to do.

[rr_dRock]

Point taken.  But you were afforded the opportunity others don't in that you were taught first hand the aspects of business at a young age and all the jaded aspects as well hence labeling lesser workers as loosers and hand outs.

 

So you're for genocide of the lesser by letting social services die off?

 

I could be a bit jaded, and a bit privledged, but I also went through struggles with drug addiction, alcoholism, mental instability. So I know first hand the factors that create and sustain poverty. I spent my time doing the dirty, out of school, working at call centers, banquet serving (minimum wage jobs). It took me, myself and I to get out of that funk. Not anyone else could have helped me. I made the choice to quit, and to make something more out of myself.

But I saw many other people who didn't have that opportunity to learn as I did, and faced the same obstacles as I did, succeed to points I couldn't even dream of achieving.  The point is that I made a decision to be interested and learn about it, It wasn't forced upon me, and the same information is publicly available online or in books.(now anyways). You just have to put in the effort.

 

I also saw the people who had no drive, no ambition fail. And then blame the system when really it was only their fault. And that really struck a chord with me, being as I had been at the lowest of the low. Seen the worst in people, and knew that you can succeed, if you try hard enough.

 

Not genocide. But I think we need to cull the herd for sure, and reduce the amount of people dependent on the government, and other people instead of themselves. People need to be educated.

 

I should alter my previous statement to say free post secondary education for every single citizen should be mandated. That's the only social service I support. Beyond that, you're on your own.

 

I have no issue with asking for help. It's asking for handouts that's the problem.

[Sandor]

It's not necessary. It wasn't for 150k years. Why is it so necessary now?

 

It is rational. Why should my success be used to fund other peoples problems?

 

I don't think that all social services are bad, but to get back to where we need to be as a society all of them need to be cut, and we need to restructure, and figure out what is really important to our country. Socialism is not a good thing. I do not enjoy paying for every one else. I should only have to worry about me. That's it. If I want education, I'll pay for it. If I want good healthcare, I'll pay for it. If I don't want to work, why should you pay for it? That's not a nice thing to do.

I think you should move south of the border. You'll be happy there.

[rr_dRock]

I think you should move south of the border. You'll be happy there.

 

Not with Obamacare. Lmao.

 

Sometimes you need to go farther than you intend, to get people on board with the middle ground, because then those changes are less radical than the alternative. Does that make what I'm doing more clear and less insane?

 

[+primortal Subscriber²]

I could be a bit jaded, and a bit privledged, but I also went through struggles with drug addiction, alcoholism, mental instability. So I know first hand the factors that create and sustain poverty. I spent my time doing the dirty, out of school, working at call centers, banquet serving (minimum wage jobs). It took me, myself and I to get out of that funk. Not anyone else could have helped me. I made the choice to quit, and to make something more out of myself.

But I saw many other people who didn't have that opportunity to learn as I did, and faced the same obstacles as I did, succeed to points I couldn't even dream of achieving.  The point is that I made a decision to be interested and learn about it, It wasn't forced upon me, and the same information is publicly available online or in books.(now anyways). You just have to put in the effort.

 

I also saw the people who had no drive, no ambition fail. And then blame the system when really it was only their fault. And that really struck a chord with me, being as I had been at the lowest of the low. Seen the worst in people, and knew that you can succeed, if you try hard enough.

 

Not genocide. But I think we need to cull the herd for sure, and reduce the amount of people dependent on the government, and other people instead of themselves. People need to be educated.

 

I should alter my previous statement to say free post secondary education for every single citizen should be mandated. That's the only social service I support. Beyond that, you're on your own.

 

I have no issue with asking for help. It's asking for handouts that's the problem.

You have to understand not everyone is asking for handouts, just a fair increase.  Don't lump everyone together because of a few bad apples.  Majority of those people could be where you were and need a chance.  When you were in the predicament you were I bet the cost of living was no were near as high as it is now so you were able to make do with the salary you made at the time.  Today it's quite different.

 

They are not coming after you purse strings unless you purchase something from a store that support the increase and like I said before the price of just about everything goes up almost everyday.  Do you complain about that?  Or just this because you know why the price increased your complaining?

[rr_dRock]

You have to understand not everyone is asking for handouts, just a fair increase.  Don't lump everyone together because of a few bad apples.  Majority of those people could be where you were and need a chance.  When you were in the predicament you were I bet the cost of living was no were near as high as it is now so you were able to make do with the salary you made at the time.  Today it's quite different.

 

They are not coming after you purse strings unless you purchase something from a store that support the increase and like I said before the price of just about everything goes up almost everyday.  Do you complain about that?  Or just this because you know why the price increased your complaining?

My situation was within the last decade.... or so. Prices are still comparable (although have you seen the price of milk recently, holy ####!)

 

If they have the means to prove that they are doing something to better themselves (applications for student loans, housing allowances, scholarships, benefits through work, etc) I will support them, with time, and knowledge, but not by forcing their wages up, and in turn making life more difficult, and more expensive, for everyone else (which would also mean higher pay grades for CEOs as the increase would be based on what the market can handle, not what is actually being paid out.)

 

I believe the non taxable income should be increased for those making under $30K a year, and social services be cut back considerably. (it's a good start anyway) Oh and free post secondary, much like what K-12 do now. (That in itself would make the country 100x better, just in workforce ability, which would reduce poverty, cut down on crime, and bring in more tax income for us.)

 

 

I do complain about the price increases every day actually. Lol if you can tell I'm not someone who likes getting ####ed at the register, so I take my concerns up frequently, only to be met with "labour costs, transportation costs, building erosion" etc etc.

[LaP]

No one forced them to work at McDonalds.

Get a government student loan, (they are readily available in the US to low income folks) get a better paying job.

 

If everyone would do that the better paying job would pay less.

[rr_dRock]

If everyone would do that the better paying job would pay less.

 

Not necessarily. Your dollar would probably be worth less though. But with a higher educated population your countries economic condition would improve (due to its ability to produce, whether thats high end defense technology, better manufactured products, research and development contracts, intelligence outsourcing etc) and that means less tax increases, and more money in your pocket (higher taxes for you, but really it ends up working out in your favour in the end). It's actually really beneficial to the entire populous to have education available to everyone.

[xrobwx71]

The other problem about livable wage is that its always going to vary depending on city. $15 / hr as a min I could see for places like New York/Boston/LA/San Francisco, however for other cities not so much.

Very, very good point. I have a friend that lives in New York. He stated a small 1 room, shabby apartment was upwards of $1000+ a month. Here in PCB Florida, the same would be about $300-$400 per month. 

[LaP]

Those CEOs manage HUGE corporations, and deserve every penny for making the business profitable.

 

 

The problem is they get paid millions in bonuses even if the business is not profitable.

[FloatingFatMan]

And I could say those of us who don't like this idea are scared that we will continue to work hard and now due to inflation have our work devalued by people that don't work as hard and expect more from it. We are having fast food workers and people like store workers protesting, yet these are jobs that are meant as an intro job or 1st step in a career, not as a career themselves. I work day and night programming, almost 80+ hours a week sometimes... I work hard as heck to get what I make, and I've been told before "you make too much" for what I do by people that work low level service jobs sitting around B.S.ing to each other and joking around like its a playground where they work... maybe when people treat a job as a job i'll change my mind, but when you treat your job as a joke and scream you want more money I have a problem with that... I've fired paid interns for attitudes like that and tell them you can come back when you mature enough to handle the job.

 

but then I get people mad at me because I do my own yard work also... get the same BS lines "you make too much to do that work yourself, hire someone and give them a job!".. why? now people are saying I make to much to not be lazy?...

 

If you think flipping burgers for 6-8 hours a day in a stifling hot kitchen, with maybe only a 2 minute pee break a couple of times a day is an easy job, I suggest you give it a try.

[rr_dRock]

The problem is they will get paid millions in bonuses even if the business is not profitable.

Not really. The business has a vested interest in being profitable. The board and CEO are still held responsible when things go south.

 

For instance, Steve Ballmer.

 

 

 

If you think flipping burgers for 6-8 hours a day in a stifling hot kitchen, with maybe only a 2 minute pee break a couple of times a day is an easy job, I suggest you give it a try.

 

That's the exception not the rule. When I was in highschool, McDonalds was the slackest job you could have, with actual restaurants only being slightly more tedious.

 

As a chef, yes life is difficult, but not as a burger flipper, or fry master.

[ATLien_0]

Very, very good point. I have a friend that lives in New York. He stated a small 1 room, shabby apartment was upwards of $1000+ a month. Here in PCB Florida, the same would be about $300-$400 per month. 

 

What I wonder is what it would take for McDonalds lets say keep workers wages at the minimum wage level, but adjust it for cost of living differences. I know a lot of retailers do this already.