Posted on 06/09/2016 9:29:35 AM PDT by C19fan
Labor activists have long claimed that working conditions at New York City's car washes are the worst of the worst. In the Big Apple, an estimated 5,000 men scrub and vacuum other people's vehicles for a living. A decade ago, it was common for these so-called carwasheros, many of whom are illegal immigrants from Mexico and Latin America, to earn $3 per hour plus tips, with no extra pay for overtime. Straight cash, off the books.
When demand peaked in the winter months, they would often put in 12 hours a day, six days a week. Regulators paid little attention, so by and large car wash operators ignored labor laws.
(Excerpt) Read more at reason.com ...
Rose Royce *ping*
“Mark my words that a typical fast-food restaurant can essentially be made self-opening, self-cooking, self-cleaning, and self-closing within the next five years. That technology will not be difficult at all.”
Indeed. Much, probably most, of the technology already exists, or is in development, and/or simply needs to be downsized from large food factories.
It won’t be long until drop-in, fully-automated mini-food factories will be installed in most fast-food restaurants.
Really, the only holdup is economics, that is, the cost of automation still exceeds the current labor cost model. But shortly after those cost models shift the other way, we’ll see full-blown automation set in, and $15.00/hr minimum wage, continuous employee lawsuits, and voluminous, onerous labor regulations will all accelerate when the shift occurs.
Wendy’s has already committed to order automation in all of its restaurants. The rest of the industry will soon follow on that one as soon as they see how it goes for Wendy’s. This piecemeal automation will continue, replacing individual tasks, such as frying, with individual robotic units. Eventually we’ll see full automation.
Ultimately, automation will provide more consistent and higher-quality output, a safer and more pleasant dining experience, and robots won’t spit in your food as often as human employees.
In my neck of the woods, waitresses were paid less than minimum wage.
"...Ultimately, automation will provide more consistent and higher-quality output, a safer and more pleasant dining experience, and robots won’t spit in your food as often as human employees..."
They raided some car washes in the bay area for labor law violations. Then the car washes got more expensive.
I tried a search, but didn’t come with much. The government defines tipped employee as someone who regularly receives more than $30/month in tips.
I want to know what workers receive tips in common practice.
Waiters, bartenders, valet parkers. I always tip cabdrivers and hairdressers.
I imagine doormen in fancy apartment buildings get at least minimum wage even if they get generous tips as well. Concierges? I think many hotels use independent contractor concierges and may not pay them at all.
According to the US Dept of Labor, “the tip credit claimed by the employer cannot exceed the amount of tips actually received by the tipped employee.” The maximum tip credit is the difference between minimum required cash wage (2.13/hr) and minimum wage (7.25/hr).
That would mean that if someone like a washero averages only $2/hr in tips, the employer would have to make up the difference and pay 5.25/hr, not 2.13. Not that an illegal alien is likely to bring suit.
For young workers under 20 y.o., like camp counselors, an employer may pay only 4.25/hr for the first 90 consecutive days of employment.
The Chik-fil-A situation is very interesting. If you were to put up a sign that said “Help wanted, particularly Christians” you would be in some mighty deep stuff with the EEOC and nine yards of aggrieved parties. But, simply have a policy of being closed on Sundays and you have no problem. From my experience dining in Chik-fil-A restaurants over the past 22 years, the employees are a real cut above. They draw from a much better talent pool than the average fast food joint.
So, the lesson is, while you cannot discriminate in the employment process on the basis of [a very long list of characteristics, including religion] you can accomplish proxy discrimination by changing the game. Resulting in much better employees and much more satisfied customers.
A grocery store owner in a certain small town would never announce job openings, he just put an ad on the bulletin board of his local Mennonite church.
One or two men would work there doing the heavy lifting, the rest were Mennonite girls wearing the head covering and long dresses, and he seemed to pick them for good looks. If you struck up a conversation they were friendly enough, and always invited you to one church function or another. But I also noted that any girl who got too relaxed around the customers, disappeared instantly and permanently.
No one got social justice on him about his hiring practices, and people really liked shopping there. His church thrived.
yes and more automated crop machines when they can’t get cheap illegal help.
it amazes me why most liberals want more unskilled and semiskilled workers refugees illegals etc, when the economy is being technologized rapidly and skills will be needed. if they can’t work who is going to support them?
And unemployment for Americans with less than a high school diploma is around 33%. We have plenty of unskilled unemployed people HERE. No need to import more.
"...From my experience dining in Chik-fil-A restaurants over the past 22 years, the employees are a real cut above..."
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.