Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Labor groups protesting for $15 wage Wednesday
Chicago Tribune ^ | 4-15-2015

Posted on 04/15/2015 6:22:31 AM PDT by Citizen Zed

Fast-food labor organizers have planned a handful of protests throughout the country Wednesday as they push for $15 an hour and unionization, including a demonstration in the afternoon at University of Illinois at Chicago.

Organizers expect to bring together 60,000 protesters in major cities across America and in more than 40 countries, as well as at more than 170 college campuses.

The plans are a continuation of a campaign that began in late 2012.

The push is being spearheaded by the Service Employees International Union and has seen marches nationwide to build public support for raising pay for fast-food and other low-wage workers, although turnout has varied.

Last year, the campaign reached the entrance gate of McDonald's headquarters in Oak Brook before protesters were arrested after declining to leave the property a day before the company's annual meeting.

Kendall Fells, organizing director for Fight for $15, noted that while the push began as a fast-food worker movement, it has morphed into a broader push for low-wage workers and is now shifting into a social justice movement with the involvement of Black Lives Matter activists joining in April protests.

(Excerpt) Read more at my.chicagotribune.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS:
I would also like to join this protest as a representative of Michelle Obama's Let's Move movement. I demand they remove meat and fried foods from all fast food menus because Black lives matter!
1 posted on 04/15/2015 6:22:31 AM PDT by Citizen Zed
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Citizen Zed

I SUPPOSE I could compromise my position and support them getting $15 on Wednesdays - but ONLY on Wednesdays.


2 posted on 04/15/2015 6:26:52 AM PDT by WayneS (Barack Obama makes Neville Chamberlin look like George Patton.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Citizen Zed

Socialists always end up getting around to wage and price controls and the result is always the same.


3 posted on 04/15/2015 6:27:43 AM PDT by circlecity
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Citizen Zed

I’ve had people come in my shop, reeking of pot, stone-eyed, saying: “hey man, ya’ll hirin?”
I’ve had applications that did not have a single word spelled correctly.
I’ve had interviews with people that come in dressed one step above pajamas, plot down in the chair and lay on their back in the chair, answer every question with “huh?”
I’ve seen people at fast food counters that have a blank stare, checking their phone in front of customers, say ‘huh?’ and “a’ight”. They can’t spell change much less do the math to get it right... and these are the ones that were selected above other applicants.

And they say they are worth $15 per hour?
I guess a mildly intelligent high school grad that can stand up straight, pronounce actual words and say ‘yes sir’ should be worth about $70grand.


4 posted on 04/15/2015 6:37:50 AM PDT by envisio (I ain't here long... I'm out of napalm and .22 bullets.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Citizen Zed

Communists demanding the working class to turn over more of their money to the Marxists.

Pray America is waking


5 posted on 04/15/2015 6:37:52 AM PDT by bray (Cruz to the WH)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Citizen Zed

Since their demands have no basis in reality, why stop at $15? They should demand $100 an hour and a pony


6 posted on 04/15/2015 6:42:41 AM PDT by rightistight
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Citizen Zed

If you want $15 an hour, then become worth $15 an hour. Those folks are not even worth what they are getting paid because their employers have to be forced by law to shell it out.


7 posted on 04/15/2015 6:52:56 AM PDT by all the best
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Citizen Zed

There will be $30/hr jobs...maintaining the machines that do what the $10/hr workers used to do.


8 posted on 04/15/2015 6:53:15 AM PDT by bigbob (The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly. Abraham Lincoln)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: WayneS
I could compromise my position and support them getting $15 on Wednesdays - but ONLY on Wednesdays.

Obama would then sign an Executive Order declaring every day to be Wednesday.

9 posted on 04/15/2015 6:53:45 AM PDT by Poison Pill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: bigbob

Insight! good post


10 posted on 04/15/2015 6:55:04 AM PDT by nascarnation (Impeach, convict, deport)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Poison Pill

Good point!


11 posted on 04/15/2015 6:58:53 AM PDT by WayneS (Barack Obama makes Neville Chamberlin look like George Patton.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Citizen Zed

I say, would you like some Gray Poupon with that?


12 posted on 04/15/2015 7:01:40 AM PDT by DungeonMaster (The Word of God is sexist, so I am too.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: envisio

I’ve had people come in my shop, reeking of pot, stone-eyed, saying: “hey man, ya’ll hirin?”
I’ve had applications that did not have a single word spelled correctly.
I’ve had interviews with people that come in dressed one step above pajamas, plot down in the chair and lay on their back in the chair, answer every question with “huh?”
I’ve seen people at fast food counters that have a blank stare, checking their phone in front of customers, say ‘huh?’ and “a’ight”. They can’t spell change much less do the math to get it right... and these are the ones that were selected above other applicants.

Just wow!


13 posted on 04/15/2015 7:03:32 AM PDT by DungeonMaster (The Word of God is sexist, so I am too.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Citizen Zed

This has been caused by Obamacare. That is, lots of low level employees have been terribly squeezed because their employers *have* to limit the number of hours they can work, or else *has* to pay exorbitant fees to the federal government.

So, “thanks, Obama”.

The most effective way to deal with this is to come up with some way of slashing these employees’ rents, which is their biggest single expense. Rents ‘float’ based on the local economy, to consistently amount to around half of the net income of those who rent there. Very inflated for what you get.

A group of small businesses could get together and basically buy and refurbish an apartment building for their employees, and only their employees, to live in. This must be done carefully, because if you rent to someone at substantially lower rents than are found in the area, the IRS will tax you for the rents you *could* have made.

So there will have to be a lot of number crunching involved, to come up with a good deal both for the businesses, that can then pay a lower wage, and the employees, who will at the same time make *more* money than if they were paid $15/hr.


14 posted on 04/15/2015 7:08:04 AM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy ("Don't compare me to the almighty, compare me to the alternative." -Obama, 09-24-11)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: yefragetuwrabrumuy
Walmart has less greeters, self checkout

McDonalds will have automation.

15 posted on 04/15/2015 7:57:59 AM PDT by scooby321
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: scooby321

I’m not betting on hamburger automation, because it has been repeatedly tried, decades ago, and after a brief novelty period, not only did people stay away in droves, but it turned out to require *more* labor to keep the machines clean and functioning.


16 posted on 04/15/2015 8:45:06 AM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy ("Don't compare me to the almighty, compare me to the alternative." -Obama, 09-24-11)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Citizen Zed

Funny you should mention that; here in the NYC metro area the $15 minimum wage folks are hitting the streets at the same time as anti-cop protestors are disrupting traffic (though I don’t think there are many of either group).

This is 1936 Spain; the borderline-unemployable and the unassimilated minorities are rising. As in 1936, they already have the government on their side, which is aligned against the middle class and the faithful.


17 posted on 04/15/2015 9:06:39 AM PDT by kearnyirish2 (Affirmative action is economic warfare against white males (and therefore white families).)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: yefragetuwrabrumuy

McDonald’s is already in trouble as educated people increasingly shun fast food; many of these protesters (mainly black & Hispanic) are now blocking traffic in NYC because they realize all the strikes accomplished was causing black & Hispanic children to go hungry. Like the Ferguson protests, blocking traffic for People That Matter is the often the only way People That Don’t Matter are noticed at all. I hope these cities hit by these demonstrations see more People That Matter leave (along with their jobs).

The people they are trying to squeeze for $15/hour don’t eat McDonald’s, and simply save money if workers don’t show up.


18 posted on 04/16/2015 4:10:06 AM PDT by kearnyirish2 (Affirmative action is economic warfare against white males (and therefore white families).)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson