Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Oakland Kids Get A Raise From The New Minimum Wage
NPR ^ | March 25, 2015 | by SAVANNAH ROBINSON

Posted on 03/29/2015 8:41:47 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

Eighteen-year-old Alicia Donaldson works at a busy McDonald's in East Oakland. Her job is more complicated than anyone might think.

"When you do the grill and the chicken by yourself, it's not easy," she admits. "You have to put down the meat on the grill, and then put chicken in the grease. People get burned a lot."

That's a lot of pain for only $9 an hour. Today it's still hard work, but now Alicia is making $12.25 instead.

"When I worked 56 hours my check was about $480," she remembers.

This month the highest minimum wage in the nation went into effect in Oakland, Calif. Today if she works those same hours, Donaldson estimates she'd make about $170 more every two weeks. Laughing with a dreamy look in her eyes, Alicia says that for her the extra money could mean a few new toys.

"I'd buy an iPhone 6," she laughs. "I couldn't buy that before, but I'd definitely buy that now."

Opponents to the increase are concerned that it will slow job creation and that businesses will reduce hours. The Oakland City Auditor's report on the financial impact of the new law notes that the increase could force the city to reduce its workforce training programs, which would leave more youth unemployed.

For Alicia Donaldson at McDonald's, she's already seeing shorter shifts.

"I do think it's because of the pay that they're cutting hours," she says.

That means she may have to save a little longer to get that iPhone 6.

(Excerpt) Read more at npr.org ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: economics; liberalism; minimumwage; money; obamanomics; socialism; wallstreetjournal; wsj
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-55 next last

1 posted on 03/29/2015 8:41:47 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

There are lots of unemployed people in Oakland, dreaming of having one of those increasingly rare jobs — “Man, if I got me one of those minimum wage jobs, I would rush out and get me the fanciest phone evuh! An iPhone6! Maybe a 7 or a 8!”


2 posted on 03/29/2015 8:45:41 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy ("Victim" -- some people eagerly take on the label because of the many advantages that come with it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

For Alicia Donaldson at McDonald’s, she’s already seeing shorter shifts.

“I do think it’s because of the pay that they’re cutting hours,” she says.

Smart kid. She better save for when she’s unemployed.


3 posted on 03/29/2015 8:47:16 AM PDT by headstamp 2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

Hope folks enjoy their $15 small fries and $20 small hamburgers in Oakland.


4 posted on 03/29/2015 8:49:52 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Resist We Much)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: headstamp 2
Not that smart. Before long she may be out of a job.

Maybe instead of saving for that IPhone, she should out that money toward some higher education, even if it's a trade school.

5 posted on 03/29/2015 8:50:46 AM PDT by fatnotlazy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

Eighteen-year-old Alicia Donaldson works at a busy McDonald’s in East Oakland. Her job is more complicated than anyone might think.

“When you do the grill and the chicken by yourself, it’s not easy,” she admits. “You have to put down the meat on the grill, and then put chicken in the grease. People get burned a lot.”


Yeah boy, that’s a lot more complicated than wiring a breaker box or welding pipes.

I bet you could only find 200 million people capable of doing that whole grilled chicken thing. Most of them who aren’t paralyzed, comatose, or amputees anyway.


6 posted on 03/29/2015 8:51:33 AM PDT by angryoldfatman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: fatnotlazy

put

Should lean to proofread.


7 posted on 03/29/2015 8:53:14 AM PDT by fatnotlazy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: fatnotlazy

Well, she seems to have put 2 and 2 together and she’s still young yet. She’s building wisdom.(grin)

That is until she meets a liberal college professor.


8 posted on 03/29/2015 8:53:33 AM PDT by headstamp 2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: fatnotlazy
put

Should lean to proofread.

Indede.

9 posted on 03/29/2015 8:54:26 AM PDT by Texas Eagle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

Well, there’s always the Obamaphone..


10 posted on 03/29/2015 8:55:23 AM PDT by ken5050 (If Hillary is elected president, what role will Huma Abedin have in the White House? Scary, eh?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ClearCase_guy
"When I worked 56 hours my check was about $480," she remembers.

This month the highest minimum wage in the nation went into effect in Oakland, Calif. Today if she works those same hours, Donaldson estimates she'd make about $170 more every two weeks.


either gross or net I can't see the numbers working if she's working 56 hrs a week or 56 hours over 2 weeks.
am I math challenged ?
11 posted on 03/29/2015 8:56:35 AM PDT by stylin19a (obama = Eddie Mush)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Texas Eagle

Oh boy am I dumb. LOL

Thanks


12 posted on 03/29/2015 8:57:53 AM PDT by fatnotlazy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: fatnotlazy

Heh. Been there, done that.


13 posted on 03/29/2015 8:58:55 AM PDT by Texas Eagle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

No, it is NOT harder than we think.

Many of us worked similar jobs in our youth, for a lot less money. It was a stepping stone to learn scheduling, budgeting, and personal responsibility.

Those jobs then were a way for a high school student to make some spending money. If you wanted a career, you worked your way up to manager. If not, you still worked hard, got some experience, and moved on.

Welcome to the ‘new normal’ - where entry level jobs are now dead end careers...


14 posted on 03/29/2015 9:05:14 AM PDT by BlueNgold (Have we crossed the line from Govt. in righteous fear of the People - to a People in fear of Govt??)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: stylin19a

9x40 = 360
13.50x16 = 216
Total = 576
17%tax = 98
Residual check net = 478

Works for me in that bracket...


15 posted on 03/29/2015 9:09:57 AM PDT by BlueNgold (Have we crossed the line from Govt. in righteous fear of the People - to a People in fear of Govt??)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

Just two weeks ago in “CBS SF Bay Area.” Liberals “help” a few, destroy many others, and declare victory. Same old broken record, over, and over, and over...

Minimum Wage Hike Hits Oakland Chinatown Shop, Restaurant Owners Hard

OAKLAND (CBS SF) — Some shop owners in Oakland’s Chinatown say business is down, and they are struggling to stay afloat after the city’s minimum wage increased to over $12-an-hour, making it the highest in the country.

Chinatown restaurant Vien Huong owner Daniel Tran has been trying to look at the glass as half-full, but has had to raise his prices and slash hours for his workers.

“As you can see I’m the only one working,” Huong told KPIX 5.

According to leaders at the Oakland Chamber of Commerce, nearly a dozen restaurants and grocery shops that were already closed won’t reopen because of the minimum wage hike that went into effect this month.


16 posted on 03/29/2015 9:12:17 AM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom (For those who understand, no explanation is needed. For those who do not, no explanation is possible)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

 Her job is more complicated than anyone might think.

“When you do the grill and the chicken by yourself, it’s not easy,” she admits. “You have to put down the meat on the grill, and then put chicken in the grease. People get burned a lot.”


Wow. That is complicated. No wonder they hire only rocket scientists for this job.


17 posted on 03/29/2015 9:13:03 AM PDT by lowbridge
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

“For Alicia Donaldson at McDonald’s, she’s already seeing shorter shifts.”

So shes back where she started. Only now her job is hanging by a thread.


18 posted on 03/29/2015 9:15:43 AM PDT by lowbridge
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

An 18 year old is not a kid! At 18 I was called up for the draft during the Vietnam War. I ended up enlisting in the US Air Force and was sent to Texas for basic training. A job that was 24 hours a day for 7 days of the week. I likely earned about 31 cents an hour (during basic)........... When I rotated back to the States in 73 I got hired as a Correctional Officer at our County Prison at $2.65 an hour. Sorry you are such a whiney ass but sometime life is a little rough...


19 posted on 03/29/2015 9:20:15 AM PDT by SECURE AMERICA (I am an American Not a Republican or a Democrat.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ClearCase_guy
Man, she's got no ambition at all. When I was working a part-time job in high school, I was saving up for a brand-new Pontiac Trans Am.

30 years later, I'm still saving up for that Trans Am. LOL.

20 posted on 03/29/2015 9:21:18 AM PDT by Alberta's Child ("It doesn't work for me. I gotta have more cowbell!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-55 next last

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
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

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