With Day of Protests, Fast-Food Workers Seek More Pay

[Gerald]

The biggest wave of job actions in the history of America’s fast-food industry began at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday at a McDonald’s at Madison Avenue and 40th Street, with several dozen protesters chanting: “Hey, hey, what do you say? We demand fair pay.”

That demonstration kicked off a day of walkouts and rallies at dozens of Burger King, Taco Bell, Wendy’s, McDonald’s and other fast-food restaurants in New York City, organizers said. They said 14 of the 17 employees scheduled to work the morning shift at the McDonald’s on Madison Avenue did not — part of what they said were 200 fast-food workers who went on strike in the city.

Raymond Lopez, 21, an aspiring actor who has worked at the McDonald’s for two and a half years, showed up at the daybreak protest on his day off. “In this job, having a union would really be a dream come true,” said Mr. Lopez, who said his pay of $8.75 an hour left him feeling undercompensated. “It really is living in poverty.” ”

Hope they stay together.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/30/ny...l?ref=nyregion


Note: November 29, 2012

[GoldenRivet]

Ronald McReagan their asses

you're fired

followed by a sign that says

now hiring all shifts

These kids need to get real... working at McDonald's is not a career unless you plan to work your way up to management, get a degree and move into corporate the long way round.

get your ass back to the fry cooker and shut the hell up

[August]

I gotta agree with GR. Burger flipping was never meant to provide a living wage.

[gimpy117]

never meant to provide a living wage

well isn't that the darnedest thing we complain about people living on "the government tit" yet some jobs don't pay a wage you can live on. What are these people supposed to do? Drop a bunch of money for college that *Might* get them a better job? or should they just use some magic spells to make more cash? Lets face it, Either we subsidize people with government money, or we make minimum wage affordable.

I'm one of the minimum wage people, and I assure you It is NOT easy to live on such a low income I'm going to have to make the choice between Buying Food for next or Buying Gas for my car to drive the 200 miles a week I do to get to class

IMO, Minimum wage is a joke. I knew a guy who was hired into my place of work in 2001 at $9.00/hr, while new hires today make the lowest legal

[joea]

Originally Posted by gimpy117

never meant to provide a living wage

well isn't that the darnedest thing we complain about people living on "the government tit" yet some jobs don't pay a wage you can't live on. What are these people supposed to do? Drop a bunch of money for college that *Might* get them a better job? or should they just use some magic spells to make more cash? Lets face it, Either we subsidize people with government money, or we make minimum wage affordable.

I'm one of the minimum wage people, and I assure you It is NOT easy to live on such a low income I'm going to have to make the choice between Buying Food for next or Buying Gas for my car to drive the 200 miles a week I do to get to class

IMO, Minimum wage is a joke. I knew a guy who was hired into my place of work in 2001 at $9.00/hr, while new hires today make the lowest legal

Exactly, I don't understand why no one sees it.

[AVGWarhawk]

Couple of things here. You agreed to the minimum wage. No one forced your hand to sign. You where probably told it is minimum wage and not a living wage. Whats the problem then? Also, many a hard worker non-college grad worked their way up the ladder. I started minimum wage changing tires. I then learned how to align a car while not busy changing tires. I was moved up with better pay to alignment tech. When I was not aligning cars I watched mechanic complete brake jobs. I moved from alignment tech to technician. I took the ASE tests on my own becoming a certified mechanic. By year 8 in the automotive industry I was given the position of Service Manager with pay raise plus commission. I purchased my first home a few months later. I was 23 at the time. None of this required a college education. Find a job that has mobility within. Work hard. The formula worked for me.

PS. At the same time I was learning and working the automotive field I was also working part time security and full time at school. I worked 2 jobs for the better part of 10 years to keep myself going. We realize minimum wage is horrible. Been there.

[the_tyrant]

Minimum wage where I am is 10.25$, 9.60$ for students.

I do think that it is a respectable amount though, any more and hiring would no longer be worth it. Especially following current trends, considering that supermarkets have self checkout, factories use robots now, and retail no longer needs nearly as many employees as before.

I don't work minimum wage though, I got my Comptia A+, Network +, Security + certifications. I make 11$ an hour in the office, 35$ per house call.

[Takeda Shingen]

Originally Posted by gimpy117

never meant to provide a living wage

well isn't that the darnedest thing we complain about people living on "the government tit" yet some jobs don't pay a wage you can't live on. What are these people supposed to do? Drop a bunch of money for college that *Might* get them a better job? or should they just use some magic spells to make more cash? Lets face it, Either we subsidize people with government money, or we make minimum wage affordable.l

All of which makes one wonder when we recall statements like this:

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics...e-for-college/

Okay, so institutions of higher education are indoctrination centers and should be avoided, but just don't expect a livable wage from the employment options that come without a bachelors degree, because we're not doing anything about the minimum wage. Shut the hell up and get back to the fryer.

And people wonder why the GOP is losing traction with the voting public.

[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen

All of which makes one wonder when we recall statements like this:

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics...e-for-college/

Okay, so institutions of higher education are indoctrination centers and should be avoided, but just don't expect a livable wage from the employment options that come without a bachelors degree, because we're not doing anything about the minimum wage. Shut the hell up and get back to the fryer.

And people wonder why the GOP is losing traction with the voting public.

And all these freeloaders who are on welfare and Medicaid need to get off their lazy ass and get a job. But the ones who do have a job that pays them so little that they have to be on welfare and Medicaid need to shut the hell up and go back to the fryer.

Screw you for trying to fight to better your place in life. To hell with you for angling for the best deal possible. Don't you know how un-American that is?

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen

All of which makes one wonder when we recall statements like this:

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics...e-for-college/

Okay, so institutions of higher education are indoctrination centers and should be avoided, but just don't expect a livable wage from the employment options that come without a bachelors degree, because we're not doing anything about the minimum wage. Shut the hell up and get back to the fryer.

And people wonder why the GOP is losing traction with the voting public.

I would say there are some colleges that do influence people other than educationally. It does not belay the fact that one can get ahead without college. I have several family members and in-laws working behind a desk doing very well. Better than some who did obtain a degree. I understand that they can not take away your good name and education. We should also add a good work ethic. If someones aspirations go no higher than the fry vat then so be it.

My 17 year old daughter applied to a kennel/animal day care just before Thanksgiving. They needed holiday help as many drop their pets for care over the holiday. She was hired for seasonal work only. This is the busy time at the kennel. She started two weeks ago at minimum wage. She worked hard, listened and went above what was expected without supervision. Last week she was offered a full time position(when she turns 18) with a bump in pay. To add to this tale of good work her aspirations in making a career is become a veterinarian tech. Now, would this experience in a kennel handling animals of all shapes and sizes play nicely on a resume down the road when applying to veterinarian clinics?

Yes, lets subsidized the low wage earner. Another incentive to stay at the fry vat.

[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

Yes, lets subsidized the low wage earner. Another incentive to stay at the fry vat.

We are subsidizing them.

This study found that the average Wal-Mart worker required $730 in taxpayer-funded healthcare and $1,222 in other forms of assistance, such as food stamps and subsidized housing, per year to get by. Why should the taxpayer pay that? Why shouldn't the employer pay that?

[Stealhead]

I am not sure I really agree with these people you can only pay a person so much such a basic job really.Yes some jobs pay low but nothing is stopping you from getting a better job.I think there should be a limit to what someone gets as a minimum wage.The whole point is you either say "I like this job so I will put forth effort and by doing so I will be offered a better paying position" or "This job sucks I should try to find a better job (or use this as inspiration to well in school so that I will be able to get myself a better job)."

One of my cousins is in college and she got hired at a Zaxbys restaurant in September she was such a good employee that she got offered an assistant manager position after only a month working.

Honestly I dont really have much pity for those working at at fast food joint that want more pay because most of the time I look around in such a place and only 2 or 3 employees are really putting in a good effort at working.I worked at a restaurant in high school and this was the case for most of the employees.I thought the the job was lousy and the pay but it inspired me to bust my ass at work and to try my hardest. When I got out of school I joined the Air Force and I advanced pretty quickly because I spent the time to know my job and I started studying for the two advancement tests for Staff Sargent as a result I earned the grade in only 4 years some people dont even get promoted once in 4 years if they enlisted at E-3 which many people do now a days.If you really try at something you will succeed.My advice to any fast food worker if they like that work is to go to culinary school and work from there.


What if they did form a union? Then they would complain about the union dues which can be $50 or $60 a month my sister is in a teachers union and she pays $100.00 for her it is worth it but for a really low wage job it is not and it would only encourage unambitious people to stay in a unionized burger joint at the low wage job.The reason for this is that some people will settle for a certain level and just stay at that point even if they could do better.

I can agree with a coal miner having a union and I agree with trade unions generally speaking they can do good things for people and also allow an employer that needs skilled tradesmen and women that they will get people of a given standard and this type of union promotes a pride in being part of a group a professional.Like anything else human beings do things can go too far though but that street goes both ways.

@moookiemookie a study from Berkeley a super liberal school I would not trust anything coming from that school to have a neutral point of view I find that as trust worthy as a report from Fox News being read by Glenn Beck.

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

We are subsidizing them.

This study found that the average Wal-Mart worker required $730 in taxpayer-funded healthcare and $1,222 in other forms of assistance, such as food stamps and subsidized housing, per year to get by. Why should the taxpayer pay that? Why shouldn't the employer pay that?

I was refering to gimpy117 comment. I know some of these folks are subsidized. Many are not. Not all minimum wage earns are on food stamps. Some are. Others get tax credit every April. It would seem hard work and using one's head to get ahead is not in the cards for some folks. Welcome to the entitlement zone.

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

I am not sure I really agree with these people you can only pay a person so much such a basic job really.Yes some jobs pay low but nothing is stopping you from getting a better job.I think there should be a limit to what someone gets as a minimum wage.The whole point is you either say "I like this job so I will put forth effort and by doing so I will be offered a better paying position" or "This job sucks I should try to find a better job (or use this as inspiration to well in school so that I will be able to get myself a better job)."

One of my cousins is in college and she got hired at a Zaxbys restaurant in September she was such a good employee that she got offered an assistant manager position after only a month working.

Honestly I dont really have much pity for those working at at fast food joint that want more pay because most of the time I look around in such a place and only 2 or 3 employees are really putting in a good effort at working.I worked at a restaurant in high school and this was the case for most of the employees.I thought the the job was lousy and the pay but it inspired me to bust my ass at work and to try my hardest. When I got out of school I joined the Air Force and I advanced pretty quickly because I spent the time to know my job and I started studying for the two advancement tests for Staff Sargent as a result I earned the grade in only 4 years some people dont even get promoted once in 4 years if they enlisted at E-3 which many people do now a days.If you really try at something you will succeed.My advice to any fast food worker if they like that work is to go to culinary school and work from there.

And this is yet another testament to what is call "hard work" and "working smart".

[Stealhead]

Also people forget that unions have rules as well if they vote to strike you can not work that job you can not do someone elses job in a union shop if you are a diesel mechanic for a rail road and you try to do the job of a carrepairman you will be punished usually by two or three days without pay and perhaps termination if you do it again.In unions the most senior workers get the best hours and best overtime choice.

Some people feel that a union might allow them to do what they want or that it makes the job easier or less stressful.In alow paying the job the primary benefit of a union would better workers protections and benefits the pay most likely would not go up very much after collective bargaining and for a low skill job it would nearly impossible to get a company agree to going 100% union
when they get not benefit unlike in a skilled trade type job.So in the end they would not be making much more money and some of it would go back in dues.Most of these people seem to want more which means getting a more skilled higher paying working more or working more than one low wage job and the one kid should give up on acting as a way to earn money it leads nowhere for 90% of people not be harsh or anything but if after two years you have nothing that is a hint hint that you are not very good or you are not trying very hard.