ISTOOK: Get ready for super-priced burgers due to NLRB decree

The Washington Times ^ | July 30, 2014 | Ernest Istook

[jazusamo]

Once again, one man has dictated a major change of federal law that can cost American families dearly.

It may double the price of your Big Mac, Whopper, fried chicken, donuts or other purchases at your local fast-food restaurant.

Where’s the beef coming from? Surprise! This time it’s neither President Obama nor Attorney General Eric Holder who is twisting the law like a pretzel from Auntie Anne’s. It’s Obama appointee Richard Griffin, the president’s hand-picked choice for the all-powerful position as general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Mr. Griffin has declared that millions of Americans who work for franchise restaurants aren’t merely employees of the business owners, regardless of what their paychecks and the tax records say. Reversing decades of clear legal precedents, he declares that from now on they are the “joint” employees of McDonald’s and the other big franchise companies as well as the local store owners.

Now the big labor bosses no longer would face the challenge of trying to organize each separate restaurant into a local bargaining unit. They can go after all staff at all the Pizza Huts, all the KFC’s or all the Starbucks at the same time.

Never mind that local franchisors hire and fire their own people. Mr. Griffin treats the operations as though they are identical photo-copies from a FedEx Kinko’s franchise.

The unions’ top goal is to double starting pay from the minimum wage of $7.25 a hour to $15 an hour. Expect the price of a burger and fries to be super-sized along with the wages. The Service Employees International Union and United Food and Commercial Workers already have extensive multimillion-dollar corporate pressure campaigns up and running, which they call the Fight for 15.

[Myrddin]

I've been using the Ziosk tablets since last September. Sometimes I have to snitch a battery from another table when my unit has been prematurely stripped of the battery when the table was considered "closed" for the evening. I only use it to pay my bill. It saves waiting to flag down and server and losing physical control of your credit card.

[combat_boots]

So, you’re OK with using it, then?

[EBH]

That is true...but what no one is talking about is that consumers will rediscover hamburger/ground meat in the grocery store and that will drive prices up there as well.

[Myrddin]

I've had no problems running my own check. The day they rolled out the devices, I had my smart phone in the store. I had the MAC id of every device in the store and ran nmap scans to look for open ports. They have the devices pretty well locked down. It wasn't a full scale pen test, but good enough that I'm not overly concerned.

[Balding_Eagle]

he declares that from now on they are the “joint” employees of McDonald’s and the other big franchise companies

There are even Freepers who believe this.

[combat_boots]

Good to know. I think I’ll find a place with one of those.

[Kackikat]

I cook and eat at home for the most part, avoiding the nonsense at restaurants....only rarely will you see me out there putting up with such behavior...the food industry has a huge left participation.

I avoid airports like the plaque.

[Kackikat]

Please read comment #10 to which I replied, that way you have context for my comment. Vote buying is always in everything.

[Kackikat]

Yes, and that is why we have a Teachers Union, and our public school students get a lousy education.

[jimt]

“You say you want a revolution, well you know, you better free your minds instead.”