8/31/2013 11:49:15 AM

walk out on your tab while youre at it

8/31/2013 11:50:44 AM

oohhhh we back

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-fast-food-workers-strike-20140903-story.html

Quote :

"Fanny Velazquez, 36, said she was participating in the rally Thursday to fight for better wages to support her family. A single mother with three children, ages 11, 14 and 16, she said she struggles to make her $9.34-an-hour pay cover all the bills. The South Los Angeles resident has been working at McDonald's for eight years doing a variety of jobs, usually working 20 hours a week. But lately, Velazquez said, the company has often cut her hours to 15 a week. She also qualifies for child care and food assistance. "It's difficult, it's not enough to pay my bills," she said."

I wish I could work for just 15-20 hours a week and cover all my bills. That'd be great.

9/4/2014 11:13:16 AM

she's not working so few hours by choice, idiot

9/4/2014 11:14:33 AM

she wont be working any soon

9/4/2014 11:17:48 AM

Quote :

"A single mother with three children, ages 11, 14 and 16"

9/4/2014 11:18:37 AM

Quote :

"she's not working so few hours by choice, idiot"

of course she is, idiot. she's choosing to work 1 job that gives her shit hours.

9/4/2014 11:25:39 AM

they should hire less people to work more hours, and if shes one of the best they can keep her

9/4/2014 11:28:39 AM

they can't do that, they would have to pay for health insurance

9/4/2014 11:36:21 AM

this kind of pisses me off. $15/hr. full time comes out to be about $31k a year. That's close to what teachers make in this state their first year ($35k) after they've gotten a college degree and done their student teaching. Unskilled labor is paid low for a reason.

9/4/2014 11:37:46 AM

In America you should be able to survive on 1 full time job. Poverty wages mean the government will be subsidizing them. Overall rising income disparity in the US and concentration of wealth at the top is clear evidence that trickle down has been a monumental failure. It is more like trickle up. In actuality higher wages wouldn't mean all that much of a price increase for shitty fast food. The companies of course would use it as an excuse to raise them more than they need to though.

9/4/2014 1:48:28 PM

^^Just like these fast food workers, teachers know the pay scale they are getting into before pursuing teaching as a career. Like the advice being given to these fast food workers. If you don't like the wage, go back to school and try to get into a better career...

9/4/2014 1:58:27 PM

^^ if society believes that everyone should have some basic quality of life, then why is it not society's responsibility to provide it instead of private employers?

9/4/2014 2:01:33 PM

^ I didn't say everyone should or would have the same quality of life, but we can do better than what we have right now. There is quite a large gap between today's record income disparity and everyone being equal with a lot of room to find something in between. The world is nowhere near ready for a post-scarcity society, I full understand that.

9/4/2014 2:15:15 PM

I'm walking into this conversation blindly -

but


Until these motherfuckers can provide a nearly perfect service of delivering the appropriate order at the drive-through 99.9% of the time, I'll not agree with anyone getting minimum wage raised....they have 1 job to do.

And I tend to agree with Sayer, people who work 1 job at only 15hrs a week are definitely utilizing the system for assistance. Motivated people either: get more jobs to add hours, or get a better job.

9/4/2014 2:16:50 PM

Quote :

" Motivated people either: get more jobs to add hours, or get a better job. "

Motivated people also coordinate a nationwide rally of workers across companies to better the situation for all Americans.

9/4/2014 2:20:09 PM

Quote :

"^ I didn't say everyone should or would have the same quality of life, but we can do better than what we have right now. There is quite a large gap between today's record income disparity and everyone being equal with a lot of room to find something in between."

you've entirely missed the point, i didn't say the same quality of life either (i said some basic quality, i.e. at least some minimum)

why is it a private employers responsibility to provide these things or "do better", why is income disparity a private employer's responsibility to solve? if society decides that these things are bad, shouldn't it be society's responsibility to solve this?

9/4/2014 2:20:15 PM

But Dr. Pepper, can't you see? The system is against these people. It isn't a problem of motivation, as I'm told time and time again. These people are oppressed in more ways than you or I could ever understand or imagine. That is why it would be ok for them to make what some starting teachers in this state make.

9/4/2014 2:21:50 PM

getting a second job isn't always an option since 1) not everywhere has multiple jobs for people to get, 2) working multiple part time jobs is difficult without set hours, 3)the difficulty of item 1 and 2 is often compounded by having to rely on public transportation or ride sharing to get to work

9/4/2014 2:23:22 PM

^^ lol, in this case, the system is against you too most likely.

You don't strike me as someone who naturally understands systems, so I don't expect you to understand this.

[Edited on September 4, 2014 at 2:32 PM. Reason : ]

9/4/2014 2:31:58 PM

What? I was agreeing with you there.

9/4/2014 2:35:03 PM

fast food is bad for you anyway. people should just not work there.

9/4/2014 2:37:35 PM

I am an MD and barely make $15 an hour at this stage. Not to mention the astronomical debt I have taken on as well. Maybe I should have an ER walk-out next shift.

9/4/2014 3:05:20 PM

I'm sure there are quite a few GP's out there that are struggling to stay afloat.

9/4/2014 3:21:17 PM

Raising the minimum wage for these no-talent ass clowns completely devalues the labor force that currently earns a wage above the minimum. In this example, these fast-food workers are basically saying to anyone currently making $15 that their labor is just as valuable, which is complete horse shit.

9/4/2014 3:22:35 PM

you unaware of a little thing called inflation?

9/4/2014 3:26:18 PM

you unaware that it doesn't apply in this situation? it'd be one thing if we were talking about adjusting everyone's compensation to adjust for inflation. But we're not, we're talking about adjusting the compensation for the lowest skilled labor on the market. If you artificially raise that level, you just compress the value of wages and compensation for all skill levels of labor above that, thereby devaluing it.

9/4/2014 3:30:20 PM

what about the cities who have raised their minimum wage/adjusted for inflation and not seen their economy collapse?

9/4/2014 3:32:03 PM

if these loser burger jockeys get their pay doubled for having a middle school education and not even being able to assemble a big mac properly, then when do I get my pay doubled for having an MBA? oh wait, no one is clamoring for raises for people that actually deserve them, the middle class.

9/4/2014 3:37:27 PM

^

9/4/2014 3:39:28 PM

you have the same right to protest that they have

9/4/2014 3:43:54 PM

when you only work 15 hours a week you have a lot of time to protest

9/4/2014 3:46:04 PM

Quote :

"what about the cities who have raised their minimum wage/adjusted for inflation and not seen their economy collapse?"

The effects of inflation aren't seen within 2 months tard.

My mom is a bank teller. Not the toughest job, but she is responsible for thousands of dollars in transactions daily, and is forced to meet a sales quota quarterly referring customers to financial advisers. She makes ~$11.50 an hour.

Its a legitimate question as to what we do with those who make $10-$15 an hour. Do they now make the new minimum of $15 as well? They then will be considered minimum wage employees on the same scale as someone who drop fries into a fryer. Teachers are another good example. They have invested in themselves for a college education and would make the same wage as a job a monkey could do.

[Edited on September 4, 2014 at 3:48 PM. Reason : .]

9/4/2014 3:47:40 PM

Quote :

"this kind of pisses me off. $15/hr. full time comes out to be about $31k a year. That's close to what teachers make in this state their first year ($35k) after they've gotten a college degree and done their student teaching. Unskilled labor is paid low for a reason."

Surely you're familiar with the concept of a negotiation...

Quote :

"I am an MD and barely make $15 an hour at this stage. Not to mention the astronomical debt I have taken on as well."

You didn't take out the debt to earn $15/hour dummy.

Quote :

"I'm sure there are quite a few GP's out there that are struggling to stay afloat."

...because they're not good with money

Quote :

"these motherfuckers"

Quote :

"no-talent ass clowns"

Quote :

" loser burger jockeys"

Tell us how you really feel guys.

[Edited on September 4, 2014 at 3:49 PM. Reason : Damn it smells like Rush Limbaugh ITT...]

[Edited on September 4, 2014 at 4:11 PM. Reason : It's not pleasant ]

9/4/2014 3:48:22 PM

These people just want to renegotiate their wage and are excercising their right to organize to help apply pressure to their employer. God forbid an employee actually advocate for themselves and their colleagues. Methinks that $15/hour might be knocking on a few too many people's doors ITT. Hard to look down on scummy fast food workers and build your ego when they are earning the same wage as you.

9/4/2014 4:03:11 PM

Quote :

"My mom is a bank teller. Not the toughest job, but she is responsible for thousands of dollars in transactions daily, and is forced to meet a sales quota quarterly referring customers to financial advisers. She makes ~$11.50 an hour. Its a legitimate question as to what we do with those who make $10-$15 an hour. Do they now make the new minimum of $15 as well? They then will be considered minimum wage employees on the same scale as someone who drop fries into a fryer. Teachers are another good example. They have invested in themselves for a college education and would make the same wage as a job a monkey could do. "

1) your mom is an unskilled laborer, she would be properly classified with her peers in the food service industry, also making minimum wage (who also deal with thousands of dollars in transactions daily...)
2) although they asking for $15, they likely are just doing this as a negotiating tactic and would accept a lower amount
3) your mom, and others in her situation are currently being shafted too, and should be upset. You can't begrudge fast food workers for trying to better themselves just because your mom and her cohorts are too lazy to advocate for their own raises
4) It's hilarious people are suggesting min wage earners shouldn't earn more, because they'd be paid more than teachers. The simple and obvious solution is to pay teachers more, not to keep turning the screws on poorer people

You people against workers standing up for their rights need to think for yourselves and realize this is all part of the same machinery that has massively grown income inequality in the united states, for the first time our middle class is not the wealthiest middle class in the world (Canada recently overtook us), and this inequality doesn't just affect poor people, it affects the middle class too.

9/4/2014 4:25:29 PM

Quote :

"Its a legitimate question as to what we do with those who make $10-$15 an hour. Do they now make the new minimum of $15 as well? They then will be considered minimum wage employees on the same scale as someone who drop fries into a fryer. Teachers are another good example. They have invested in themselves for a college education and would make the same wage as a job a monkey could do."

i missed the rule that fast food workers have to be the least paid profession. the other jobs you listed are always welcome to fight for higher wages too.

9/4/2014 4:25:45 PM

Quote :

"A single mother with three children, ages 11, 14 and 16"

Daily reminder that Humans are so nearsighted that they think a $6 raise will solve the issue of being single and having 3 children under the age of 18. Fucking unbelievable.

Quote :

"Unskilled labor is paid low for a reason."

Right. High school, college kids and people with no valuable skills. It is your responsibility to take care of yourself. Fail to plan, plan to fail.

I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

[Edited on September 4, 2014 at 4:34 PM. Reason : You have to take a test to drive a car but not raise a human :^)]

9/4/2014 4:29:29 PM

the "well they should fight for a higher wage as well but they are too lazy" comments are ridiculous.

Its all relative. The median income in the US is ~$45k? Lets use $50k as an example since that is what we offer someone with 2yrs of experience and college degree for financial analyst.

$50k x .85 = $42,500 after tax, divided by 251 working days and 8hrs = $21 per hr.

So you think someone who presumably worked hard for good grades to get into college, pay for it, and showed enough initiative to get a job above median income should only make $6 more per hour than the minimum wage?

I'm not saying we shouldn't raise the min wage at all, but $15 is insane. And its legitimately impossible for ALL workers in the US to get a relative wage increase. Min wage jobs are min wage for a reason, because its a low skill position employed by a company that seeks to offer low priced services (fast food, grocery stores, etc). Those positions are meant to be a stepping stone to higher pay through hard work and effort, not a lifetime at low pay.

9/4/2014 4:40:58 PM

we are all being oppressed by a capitalist system that restricts profits to the few at the top, it's not ridiculous to point out that getting mad at other people for asking for higher wages is dumb when you should be asking for them too

[Edited on September 4, 2014 at 4:46 PM. Reason : .]

9/4/2014 4:45:24 PM

Speak for yourself. I don't make a ton of money but for a single male in my early 20s that did mediocre in school I think I make a fair amount of money that I am mostly irresponsible with. If you want to talk about the cost of higher education and the amount of debt your average 21 y/o grad has then that is different story.


I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

9/4/2014 4:59:25 PM

Off the Charts: Higher Profits, Lower Wages

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/08/09/business/economy/Higher-Profits-Lower-Wages.html

Okay, i can't link the images directly, but you need to read that link.


Also, this:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/23/upshot/the-american-middle-class-is-no-longer-the-worlds-richest.html

Quote :

" The American middle class, long the most affluent in the world, has lost that distinction. While the wealthiest Americans are outpacing many of their global peers, a New York Times analysis shows that across the lower- and middle-income tiers, citizens of other advanced countries have received considerably larger raises over the last three decades. "

This whole issue has nothing to do with people being lazy or getting more than they deserve, it's a problem with the way our economy has developed over the past 20 years.

[Edited on September 4, 2014 at 5:10 PM. Reason : ]

9/4/2014 5:07:05 PM

[Edited on September 4, 2014 at 5:10 PM. Reason : moron removed his charts]

9/4/2014 5:09:43 PM

Quote :

"While the wealthiest Americans are outpacing many of their global peers, a New York Times analysis shows that across the lower- and middle-income tiers, citizens of other advanced countries have received considerably larger raises over the last three decades"

No shit. Thats what the whole Occupy movement was about

I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

9/4/2014 5:16:04 PM

He asked the man for what he could spare with shame in his eyes.
Get a job you fuckin' slob is all he replied.

9/4/2014 5:28:24 PM

I live in Santa Monica which has a $15/hr minimum wage--people still eat fast food and economy has not collapsed.

9/4/2014 5:28:31 PM

My brother lives off Rose ave. That whole foods has some dope burgers. Why don't they have that shit here

I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

9/4/2014 5:31:28 PM

And some great fucking barbecue, whiskey, and beer if you're into that.

9/4/2014 5:33:56 PM

Whole foods here pays $12 per hour btw. That's actually standard for that industry for long term employees.

I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

9/4/2014 5:38:27 PM

Quote :

"I live in Santa Monica which has a $15/hr minimum wage--people still eat fast food and economy has not collapsed."

Quote :

"The effects of inflation aren't seen within 2 months"

9/4/2014 5:43:44 PM