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'You're trying to go up and you're just going down': Fast-food workers take to streets
CNBC ^ | August 29, 2013 | Jeff Cox

Posted on 08/29/2013 1:05:57 PM PDT by kevcol

"You're trying to go up and you're just going down," said protester Shantel Walker, 31, of Brooklyn who makes $7.25 working at a Papa John's in Manhattan. "All of us are in the same financial crunch. We're trying to take care of our families and our livelihood."

The strikes mark the latest salvo in a nearly year-long battle to get not only higher wages but also an opportunity to unionize without facing retaliation from employers.
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U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas Perez told The Associated Press the strikes were a sign of the need to raise the minimum wage. "For all too many people working minimum wage jobs, the rungs on the ladder of opportunity are feeling further and further apart," Perez said.

Workers are demanding that the $200 billion fast-food industry more than double starting salaries to $15 an hour from the current $7.25 an hour minimum wage and the $8.94 median wage for front-end workers.

(Excerpt) Read more at inplainsight.nbcnews.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; US: New York
KEYWORDS: fastfood; fastfoodforward; hardees; holderspeople; mcdonalds; obamajobs; protest; unions
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To: Ruy Dias de Bivar
I just drove by our local McDonalds. No protest there.

It appears they choose locations close to tv station offices so the crew has a short ride to cover the festivities.

41 posted on 08/29/2013 1:46:59 PM PDT by nascarnation (Democrats control the Presidency, Senate, and Media. It's an uphill climb....)
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To: kevcol

Based upon what I have seen from McDonalds and Burger King, to name a few, most of the people working there don’t even deserve what ever amount they DO get paid.

I mean, aside from the surliness of most of the employees, how much skill does it take to place a hamburger patty or fish filet IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUN?


42 posted on 08/29/2013 1:47:32 PM PDT by Paisan
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Oh yes and also a union forced bathroom attendant and don’t forget the tip for valet parking!


43 posted on 08/29/2013 1:52:33 PM PDT by LibLieSlayer (FROM MY COLD, DEAD HANDS!)
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To: kevcol

I am generally very anti-union, but I actually have some sympathy for these workers. I appreciate that they work hard rather than staying home on welfare and getting much MORE money on the taxpayer’s dime.

In the end the market will decide. If the fast food restaurants can continue to attract competent (or semi-competent) workers at $7.25 and hour, that is what will happen. If not, they will have to pay more.

One thing to keep in mind is that franchise owners have no more “right” to keep their current level of net income than these fast food workers have the “right” to double their current salaries. If the workers are able to get a better deal, and the restaurant owners are unable to pass those costs on to consumers and they net $150,000 or $75,000 per store instead of $300,000 per store, tough luck, that’s Capitalism.

On the other hand, if these workers can be easily replaced by other minimum wage workers, they will need to either continue to work for those low wages, or find jobs that pay better (possibly after developing more marketable skills). That is also Captitalism.


44 posted on 08/29/2013 1:54:32 PM PDT by Above My Pay Grade (The people have the right to tell government what guns it may possess, not the other way around.)
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To: Above My Pay Grade

As Rush said today, these folks will find out the effect of 11 million amnestied workers on their wages.


45 posted on 08/29/2013 1:58:47 PM PDT by nascarnation (Democrats control the Presidency, Senate, and Media. It's an uphill climb....)
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To: kevcol

No tip?
No dip!


46 posted on 08/29/2013 1:59:02 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Paisan
I mean, aside from the surliness of most of the employees, how much skill does it take to place a hamburger patty or fish filet IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUN?

Your statement about the "middle of the bun" is enough to make me want to go postal on most fast food workers. I travel extensively and unfortunately partake too much of their business; although one too many piss-poorly piled burger stack has caused me to RARELY grace a McDonald's or Burger King.

But even worse is the "surliness." These people usually act like I am burdening them with my presence.

The customer service and attitude is what I like about Chick-Fil-A, most Whataburgers and the Freddy's Frozen Custard restaurants. They are always smiling, happy and I get the feeling that they genuinely mean the, "Hello, can I help you?"

At McDonald's I get the feeling that they would much rather state, "What the hell do you want and why the hell did you pick my line?"
47 posted on 08/29/2013 1:59:26 PM PDT by ExTxMarine (PRAYER: It's the only HOPE for real CHANGE in America!)
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To: BunnySlippers
How much is it going to cost me after they double the wages for all the illegals?

An ivory-tower pencil-pusher working on his Master's Thesis, who never worked a day in his life, says 58¢. No joke.

48 posted on 08/29/2013 1:59:36 PM PDT by Cyber Liberty (Uncle Miltie: Obama poisoned race relations for a generation. Everything is racial now.)
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To: kevcol

um... here’s a hint... if you trying to go UP... don’t get a fast food job. Those are meant for kids with no experience or morons who are not capable of doing anything else.

By definition a minimum wage job is the bottom and will always be the bottom.


49 posted on 08/29/2013 2:00:09 PM PDT by TexasFreeper2009 (Obama lied .. the economy died.)
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To: Jane Long

Ya, if they can all afford those pre-printed signs and oh, look! Matching T-shirts! Maybe they don’t need a raise after all!

Or, this is all a union designed push to up the minimum wage, so they can push for higher wages on union jobs, and punish THOSE businesses?


50 posted on 08/29/2013 2:00:46 PM PDT by Big Giant Head
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To: Paisan
I tell this to my wife...they have one job in the world—to put the meat in the middle of the sandwich—and they can’t even do that right. She doesn’t think it’s a big deal, but I want to pick up a burger without getting the toppings all over my fingers, or having to re-make the thing before I start.

Most of the time the counter people are so incompetent/inattentive that I wish I could just turn the picture screen around and order for myself. How hard can it be to look at a picture and push it. You don’t even have to read. Hell, most of them don’t even have to swipe the debit card anymore.

I will say, I have noticed some Wendy’s restaurants go out of their way to hire slightly handicapped people (no fault of their own...not the druggy/pierced retards) to man the registers. I appreciate that at least those people are trying to work when so many who are able don’t even try.

51 posted on 08/29/2013 2:00:49 PM PDT by Dexter Morgan (Everyone hides who they are.)
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To: nascarnation

>>>As Rush said today, these folks will find out the effect of 11 million amnestied workers on their wages.<<<

True. Illegal aliens, who flood the market with very cheap, illegal labor and depress wages for unskilled and semi-skilled workers, are already one of the biggest causes of poverty in America, especially among black Americans.


52 posted on 08/29/2013 2:03:22 PM PDT by Above My Pay Grade (The people have the right to tell government what guns it may possess, not the other way around.)
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To: kevcol

Here’s my response -
“Serve me my flippin’ lunch or get the @%$# out of my way!”

Seriously, these lazy morons need to be fired. They haven’t earned what they get now, let alone $15/hour.


53 posted on 08/29/2013 2:06:08 PM PDT by meyer (What would John Hancock do?)
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To: Big Giant Head
Or, this is all a union designed push to up the minimum wage, so they can push for higher wages on union jobs, and punish THOSE businesses?

Yep....and ORGANIZE!!

Never miss an opportunity to collect those union dues.

54 posted on 08/29/2013 2:06:21 PM PDT by Jane Long (While Marxists continue the fundamental transformation of the USA, progressive RINOs stay silent.)
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To: kevcol

Gee, I used to work at McDonalds when I was a lot younger. At no time did think it was anything but a part time job.


55 posted on 08/29/2013 2:06:53 PM PDT by driftless2
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To: kevcol
j52


56 posted on 08/29/2013 2:12:22 PM PDT by Kaosinla (The More the Plans Fail. The More the Planners Plan.)
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To: kevcol
I get it.

Someone is taking all that money away from them... that they do not want to work for.

Someone is taking all that opportunity away from them... that they do not want to put the time in to earn.

Someone is taking their future away.... That is supposed to be handed to them on a silver platter because they are black.

Yes I see it all clearly now. This is simple if you do not like the job you have get another one that pays better. If you are not qualified for a better job go back to school, while still employed, and get qualified. If the better jobs do not exist where you live then move your butt to where the jobs are. Get off your bottom cheeks and take care of your darn self. This is what the white people who pay the vast majority of the taxes have had to do so why should being black make it any different. And no I've never owned a slave you will have to find another sucker to play the race card on.

57 posted on 08/29/2013 2:13:39 PM PDT by oldenuff2no
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To: kevcol
Either no one in this regime understands market economics, or they are purposely trying to destroy the country.

Simple as that.

5.56mm

58 posted on 08/29/2013 2:16:16 PM PDT by M Kehoe
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To: BunnySlippers

How much is it going to cost me after they double the wages for all the illegals?”

On Sunday evening, line 6 muffin cups with pie crust circles, whip up a dozen eggs, add some grated cheese, salt, pepper and crumpled up bacon or bacon bits. Put in 350 oven and bake until set. Cool and place in plastic bags in the refrigerator. Stick one in the microwave to heat just before you go out the door. For about $5.00 you can feed yourself for an entire week.


59 posted on 08/29/2013 2:18:41 PM PDT by Grams A (The Sun will rise in the East in the morning and God is still on his throne.)
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To: All

The bottom line is the FACT that if these people get a double-minimum pay raise, everyone in America will not only DEMAND a significant pay raise, but will HAVE to get one to be able to afford a fast food restaurant.

I got electrician helpers and electrical apprentices that do NOT make $15 an hour! And THAT is hard work, electrician jobs require precise skills and physical labor in hot, cold, rain and snow! But these workers take the $9 to $12 an hour to start because they know within four to five years, with hard work and dedication, they will be making $20 to $25 an hour!

There is no “acquired” skills from working in fast food for three or four years! I mean nothing of great value that would make you worth $15 an hour - and that is AFTER you work there for four or five years.


60 posted on 08/29/2013 2:28:23 PM PDT by ExTxMarine (PRAYER: It's the only HOPE for real CHANGE in America!)
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