Ontopic Thoughts on fast food workers strike and pay demand

Thoughts on Fast Food Workers Money Demands


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Sep 1, 2006
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For those who don't know they are planning another "Fast Food Workers" strike across a good portion of major US cities as well as a few countries. Their demand is places like McDonalds etc up their minimum wage to $15 a hour because the current wage is not sufficient to survive. Mainly because they say the average fast food worker is no longer a high school kid but an over 25 adult typically a single parent.

While I understand their fight and I applaud them for trying my take is if we paid people in that job that amount of money it could have a drastic domino effect. I could see the businesses hiring less people because they are paying more out as well as the obvious cost increase to the consumer. I could also see this have a ripple effect into other businesses. Typically someone in the $15-$20 an hour range in a skilled worker of some sort vs an unskilled minimum wage worker. If we push the unskilled to the skilled range then we will have to pay the skilled ranged higher which could completely wipe out some small business that depend on skilled labor.

What are your thoughts on this topic?
 
Inflation rises at a quicker rate than pay increases, therefore every now and then the workers ha e to resort to striking to have their pay increased to levels that are liveable.
 
Inflation rises at a quicker rate than pay increases, therefore every now and then the workers ha e to resort to striking to have their pay increased to levels that are liveable.

I agree but they are taking a job that isn't indeed to be a livable wage job and trying to make it one.
 
It once was. Plus someone has to work there. There are only so many jobs.

I agree someone has to work there and there are limited jobs but at the same time the entire business model and pricing structure is based on the labor being unskilled. Lets say they get the raise to $15 then the companies are forced to raise prices to compensate for the added cost. Then a cost of a value meal goes from around $5 to say $10. Then they complain because they are pricing people out of the the food. It's a lose lose battle.
 
Even better example let's say you have a lawn care company and you have a staff of 15 workers you pay $15 an hour. What if then you are forced to pay them $30 an hour. You would have to cut half the staff to stay afloat on your current financial model which in turn you would only be able to do half the jobs making less money. It causes a potential downward spiral.
 
I agree someone has to work there and there are limited jobs but at the same time the entire business model and pricing structure is based on the labor being unskilled. Lets say they get the raise to $15 then the companies are forced to raise prices to compensate for the added cost. Then a cost of a value meal goes from around $5 to say $10. Then they complain because they are pricing people out of the the food. It's a lose lose battle.

They are not forced to raise prices that much at all. If anything prices would raise around 20c a burger. Same as with Walmart. If they paid a loving wage to their staff, it would only raise prices around 10c per item. That might even be too much.
 
While I understand their fight and I applaud them for trying my take is if we paid people in that job that amount of money it could have a drastic domino effect. I could see the businesses hiring less people because they are paying more out as well as the obvious cost increase to the consumer. I could also see this have a ripple effect into other businesses. Typically someone in the $15-$20 an hour range in a skilled worker of some sort vs an unskilled minimum wage worker. If we push the unskilled to the skilled range then we will have to pay the skilled ranged higher which could completely wipe out some small business that depend on skilled labor.

What are your thoughts on this topic?

agreed.
 
They are not forced to raise prices that much at all. If anything prices would raise around 20c a burger. Same as with Walmart. If they paid a loving wage to their staff, it would only raise prices around 10c per item. That might even be too much.

How did you come up with those numbers. If I have a staff of say 30 people who cover a 24hour shift and I have to double all of their pay then I would have to raise costs alot more than 20c a burger.
 
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Even better example let's say you have a lawn care company and you have a staff of 15 workers you pay $15 an hour. What if then you are forced to pay them $30 an hour. You would have to cut half the staff to stay afloat on your current financial model which in turn you would only be able to do half the jobs making less money. It causes a potential downward spiral.

I'd love to see a lawn care company that pays $15 an hour :lol:

Non union millwrights (people who fix machine tools) with 5-7 years experience and "own tools" make $9 an hour around here, compare to the unionized positions where you are guaranteed $28.50 and a tool allowance.
 
It once was.
I say bullshit. it was $3.35/hr in the early 80's. I worked at McDonalds in HS part time, then full time for .50/hr more. I also went out and bought a lawnmower and weedeater so I could make more $ mowing lawns. Man, if only someone forced McDonalds to give me enough money so I could go buy the things I wanted to live on.


smh.

There are only so many jobs.

and there will be less if they cost more. You do realize there is a lower percentage of workers in the US now than when our hero was elected right?

I forgot, nothing is his fault. ever.
 
I say bullshit. it was $3.35/hr in the early 80's. I worked at McDonalds in HS part time, then full time for .50/hr more. I also went out and bought a lawnmower and weedeater so I could make more $ mowing lawns. Man, if only someone forced McDonalds to give me enough money so I could go buy the things I wanted to live on.
http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl?cost1=3.50&year1=1980&year2=2014

$3.50 had the same buying power in 1980 as $10.04 in 2014.

Minimum wage btw is $7.25 now.

:lol:
 
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How did you come up with those numbers. If I have a staff of say 30 people who cover a 24hour shift and I have to double all of their pay then I would have to raise costs alot more than 20c a burger.

Actually it probably won't change the price of the food at all. Labour costs don't determine the price of products. Supply and demand does. They will obviously have to readjust to the change, but they will survive and move forward making profits.
 
Actually it probably won't change the price of the food at all. Labour costs don't determine the price of products. Supply and demand does. They will obviously have to readjust to the change, but they will survive and move forward making profits.

this is rich coming from the guy who won't readjust/survive/move forward making profits on his own.

:lol: :lol: :lol:
 
How did you come up with those numbers. If I have a staff of say 30 people who cover a 24hour shift and I have to double all of their pay then I would have to raise costs alot more than 20c a burger.
That would depend on the number of burgers you sell, and the profit margin on each, neither of which is disclosed.