Fast food workers strike: ‘I can’t afford my shoes or rent’

[p]MSNBC ^ | July 29, 2013 | Ned Resnikoff

[kevcol]

“We’re building a movement of fast food workers in a way that has never really existed in the fast food industry,” said Jonathan Westin, an organizer for New York Communities for Change, who noted that this week is the first time the strikes have been coordinated across cities.
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The Congressional Progressive Caucus launched a campaign called “Raise Up America” which has taken efforts to associate itself with the fast food workers. Several members of the caucus, including its co-chair, Democratic Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota, were present at Monday’s actions in New York.
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Similarly, Brooklyn-based McDonald’s employee Kareem Starks said he has little to lose by going out on strike.

“I don’t make much,” Starks said. “I get treated like crap. At he end of the day, should I stand up or take this? Should I stand up or live like this? … I can’t afford my shoes or afford my rent. Is that how you’re supposed to be living?”

[dragnet2]

You evaded the questions below...

The people in the article were complaining about not being able to afford basic things like shoes and rent... Not new cars, Hawaiian vacations etc.

Why work if you're not even paid enough for the most basic things?

Do you consider shoes and rent luxuries or lavish?

BS ... my wife was a pharmacy tech making $13 with an AA degree.

It's what I am talking about...They're paying your wife 1990s wages...Since then, nearly everything has doubled or tripled except the wages. No?

[clamper1797]

No ... entry level is entry level. I pumped gas at minimum wage when I got back from Nam. It gave me the incentive to better myself and to learn to be frugal and to conserve. What's next ... my mow and blow guy at $100 an hour or my house keeper at $150. No !!! let the market decide ... you know that capitalism thingy. If Bugger King wants to pay these clowns $15 a hour ... twice their present wages, more power to them. They however will have to charge twice as much for their product. I personally would not pay for a $10 whopper ... or they lay off most of their employees and the customer gets the service of an OVERPAID UNION member. So consequently ... Bugger King joins Detroit in bankruptcy ... you remember what this kind of crap did in Detroit don't you.

My point is that Bugger King should not be forced to pay these clowns anymore than they want to pay ... like what the MARKET WILL BEAR ... or don't you believe in capitalism

[PapaBear3625]

Why robots could soon replace fast food workers demanding higher minimum wage

[dragnet2]

You evaded the question multiple times.

Do you consider paying for shoes and rent luxuries or lavish?

[Atlas Sneezed]

This is not a career job morons.

Whoops

______________________________________________________

Just ask the 62,000 new employees who joined our team through our first-ever National Hiring Day. Drawn by opportunities like innovative training programs and the chance for a lifelong career

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The entry level jobs they are hiring for give the “chance” to progress to a job that can be considered a career.

[Atlas Sneezed]

I never have to wait very long at Chick Fil-A. The workers are always REALI never have to wait very long at Chick Fil-A. The workers are always REALLY nice, they speak English, they are clean looking.. they wear belts. The food is always fast and Hot- and I have never gotten a wrong order.LY nice, they speak English, they are clean looking.. they wear belts. The food is always fast and Hot- and I have never gotten a wrong order.

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Same at In-n-Out.

[dragnet2]

Yeah, if ya want a job that pays for luxuries like shoes and rent, ya need a degree...

[clamper1797]

Sorry I don't grace stupid asinine questions with obvious answers. AND I don't think burger flipping warrants a job that pays for "lavish" rent. Get a roommate or two ... live in a dorm ... live at home ... I did until I got a better job. I worked midnight till 8:30AM stocking shelves in a grocery store at close to minimum wage all thru my college years. I dropped out of high school to join the military starting at $50 or so A MONTH. I now have multiple degrees but my parents or no one else gave me one thin dime for it ... other than GI bill which I earned in Nam.

Bottom line ... I found a way working at minimum wage to live and put myself thru college. I didn't have Nikes, (and I did use duct tape) I didn't go out, I ate Top Ramen, I didn't start a family until I could afford it, and I had roommates. The job was uncomfortable and the pay really sucked BUT it gave me the incentive to do and be more. So take your STUPID questions and "file them". I for one do NOT agree with coddling people who want to do low end jobs at high end wages. If you do go tell it to the Marines cause neither you nor those strikers will get any sympathy or support from me.

[dragnet2]

Do you consider paying for shoes and rent luxuries or lavish?

The above did not require a wordy evasive multi-paragraph response...

I don't think burger flipping warrants a job that pays for "lavish" rent.

So rent for someone working at McDonald's is to be considered a lavish extra?

Living above their means?

These stupid working people should shut their mouths and feel fortunate McDonald's is paying them enough to drive to work.

[gogeo]

“I don’t make much,” Starks said. “I get treated like crap. At he end of the day, should I stand up or take this? Should I stand up or live like this? … I can’t afford my shoes or afford my rent. Is that how you’re supposed to be living?”

Well hey...why don't you get a real job?

[gogeo]

I read the article.

They have a problem...they want to live like adults, but work at an entry-level job.

Fast food jobs are not meant to provide a living wage.

Pay is based upon what you are worth, not what's required to support your chosen lifestyle.

Get a real job, and the problem solves itself.

And, BTW...stop voting for politicians who push policies that drive up the cost of housing.

[Pan_Yan]

A couple of years back we had a union bus in homeless people and pay them a couple of bucks and a sandwich to picket in front of our building. They also handed our flyers calling us unamerican rats for hiring not union drywall hangers and carpenters.

Two problem arose. First, one of the people they were protesting by name was a major donor to the homeless shelter they lived in. Second, one of them started screaming obscenities at a woman from our office. That was when the lawyers got involved.

Of course the only reason they were at our building was location, location, location to get the maximum attention.

[Pan_Yan]

The entry level jobs they are hiring for give the “chance” to progress to a job that can be considered a career.

I worked at McDs when I was a teen. A guy from our store started out flipping burgers and after McD paid for his college he ended up VP of European Sales. If you show any initiative at all you can get promoted fast. My sister in law (not the brightest bulb) was district manager over a dozen stores of a national chain by her late 20s.

[clamper1797]

Yup

[clamper1797]

I took the bus and walked to work for years. You need to call an waaaambulance

[discostu]

I did 6 years working in fastfood, mostly McD, it didn’t pay crap then and is doesn’t pay crap now. And it shouldn’t. When the job is taking 25 cents worth of material and turning it into a 39 cent hamburger you’re just not adding a lot of value to the company and subsequently they aren’t going to pay you much. Making your ends meet in fastfood is all about roommates and/ or spouses, and if they don’t like it (which I didn’t) then they need to go get some skills that will allow them to add value to a company so they can make money (which I did). We always pitied the “lifers” that weren’t working up the chain, they had allowed themselves to get trapped at the bottom, if you’re in fastfood you either need to be working on getting promoted or working on getting out, or accept your fate, because the world isn’t going to be paying $8 for a BigMac so you can make a “living” wage.

[clamper1797]

The Rolling Stones...The best rock band ever

Well ... at least we agree on something

[sagar]

First of all, I do not believe in wholesale jailing of non violent people due to the prison industrial complex. Second, once a (violent) convict has been established a criminal, they have ceased their rights as free men/women and deserve to be punished without mercy.

[Mr. K]

they certainly don’t look like they have been exactly starving to death

And where’d they get the money for a bullhorn and professionally printed signs?

[MarkL]

Second, once a (violent) convict has been established a criminal, they have ceased their rights as free men/women and deserve to be punished without mercy.

There are LOTS of non-violent convicted felons, in jails and prisons, and back in society, after having "paid" their "debt to society."

Mark