Fast Food workers declare minimum wage "unlivable"

Point well taken and it makes sense.

 

The bold I am not convinced in any way that they are possible. Can a machine taste test the food they are cooking? People thought farming would be completely mechanized/automated by now, but guess what? Some things people can do better than a machine/robot.

This desire to demean, vilify, and demonize workers is ridiculous. People having jobs and working is what keeps the economy flowing, elimination of jobs is counterproductive.

Have your robot burgers , I'll still be making mine the old fashioned way, hand made at home, on a grill, just like nature intended, with fresh veggies, cheese, bacon, toasted buns, and expertise only human hands can duplicate.

If you are making $10-12 an hour you are making minimum wage, comparable to wages that were made 30-40 years ago, except the cost of living is considerably higher, even if you want to try and sugar coat it with inflation and other voodoo economics irrational psychobabble. This country needs jobs that pay better on the bottom rung, or it will not survive. Those are the facts.

 

Do you work for the government?

 

Just one of the reasons I never visit a Macky D's or comparable trash food outlet. That and the food isn't even food any more, it's chemical preservative mystery meat I wouldn't serve my dog. When we have reached the point where they can't even categorize their meat, as meat, or have a disclaimer that says 100% of the beef in the mystery meat "is" beef (wink,wink), something is completely out of whack, and having a machine cook the mystery meat for you doesn't sound any more appetizing/appealing.

 

Unlikely to happen. Most people don't want their food cooked in a vending machine, especially since it's difficult to maintain quality control, etc.

They'll pay the extra 15 cents for a burger in a well lit, air conditioned/heated store with clean bathrooms and a place to sit down and enjoy their meal; not standing in line with 30 other people waiting to get their food. That of course is if the machine doesn't malfunction, or roaches do not spill out of the machine when they open the door to restock it. Seriously, you guys need to start getting real here.

 

I think its the convenience factor that keeps fast food alive. There are simply times I'd rather hit the drive through than sit down and have a real meal. I am under no illusions that the 'food' has any redeeming qualities except I'm not as hungry when I'm done consuming it...

 

You want me to stop being partisan for calling out liberal ideology for what it is?

All the while those same liberals throughout this thread tell republicans and conservatives they are greedy, lack empathy, and are the reason why people are poor... and you say nothing?

Nice objectivity there bud.

Because the constant liberal "fix" that you are talking about, typically just causes MORE issues down the road. That is half the problem. The liberal desire to "progress" typically has unintended consequences that result in regressive circumstances.

THIS is probably the biggest detriment to our society. This type of thinking right here. The lack of responsibility and accountability. Its almost unreal the sheer amount of people incapable of understanding the importance of being accountable.

Yes. It does matter.

Yes, it should be considered why somebody is only capable of earning $8 per hour, and why the rest of us are expected to sustain them. Simply looking the other way and saying "well, lets fix it" only reinforces people making the same decisions and in the least being unaccountable for their actions and inaction.

 

Liberals: "since he can't afford rent, we should pay him more for sweeping those floors".

Common sense thinkers: "we should help him improve his abilities and in turn his value, so he can earn more".



If people earning minimum wage qualify for welfare.... then they need to rethink the requirements for welfare.

 

Referring to Geddon's post as well, I want to point out one more massive fail of the Obama Admin.

Cash for Clunkers.

http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2011/10/cash-for-clunkers-two-years-later.html

Took 677,000 cars "off the road" to spur the sale of new cars. And then they destroyed those 677,000 cars. Because they were supposedly "environmentally unfriendly", which was part of qualifying to be a "clunker".

To destroy those cars was stupid beyond belief. It was a liberal thing ............... dumber than (*)(*)(*)(*). Destroying tangible assets in a down-economy. How many lower income folks could have used one of the cars ? Maybe charge them $300 for each to cover basic rehab for one (tuned-up, oil changed, title fees). Instead, the government drained the oil and blew the engines. More than half of those cars were quite serviceable. We could have helped so many people.

More stupid Obamanomics. $3 billion to put good cars on the junk heap.

One other net result. Destroying so many used cars caused the price for a used car to go up. Further hurting the lower classes.

 

It depends on how much a franchise owner makes in profit. Top locations might make 4-500k a year, but on average fast food franchises are under 200k. Your 80k bump just made 40% of the owners paycheck disappear. Seems like good motivation to consider a change.

And you're significantly overestimating the cost of automation. You can automate for under $80k, not counting the resale value of the machines you free up or extra revenue from re-purposing unused kitchen space. You can break even the first year and then see substantially increased profits as early as the next.

Not saying it's easy or painless, but with Obamacare and now rising minimum wage on the horizon smart folks are going to be exploring all the angles and this angle does make financial sense.



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Some people can do better than a robot. Those people won't work for minimum wage.

We build machines that assemble complicated devices to exacting specifications, they can construct a burger quite easily. Unlike unskilled low paid human workers, the machine will slice each tomato or pickle to within a millimeter of the correct thickness seconds before applying it to a paddy made of freshly ground meat cooked exactly the right number of seconds at exactly the right temperature.

At the end of the day, what's easier to clean? A single, self contained robotic device or a whole kitchen? Which is likely to track less germs into the preparation area: a robot that never leaves it or teenager?

I'm not demonizing people, but I do want to point out the benefits available through technology. And no, the country does not need unskilled workers who are doing exactly the same job that was done 30-40 years ago to be given more money. It needs them to become more productive, so we as a nation can offer all the things those unskilled workers want to consume — things that didn't exist 30-40 years ago. Robots can do the burgers, people need to step up to greater challenges.

The problem isn't that we're not handing out money fast enough, it's that too many of us feel entitled to a 2013 lifestyle while making only a 1950's contribution.



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Do you belong to our society? If not, get out. If you do then you are obligated for what society does. I am sure that you probably don't believe that. So what?

Oh, I see that you have bought Big Business spiel

I read the post but I don't not accept Big Business lie.

Have you accept that International Businesses are the problem? Here some suggestions: threaten them that they can not do business in the US if they ship jobs overseas just for their profits, tariffs on certain imported goods, tax them for sending jobs overseas and for god sake don't let them write off moving expenses, make them pay taxes for offshore entities right now and don't wait for them to bring the profits home. You probably don't like these suggestions but we need to make it unattractive for International Businesses to ship jobs overseas. Oh, I would rewrite every Free Trade agreement to make them more about Fair Trade.

Look at you. You can't wait to defend Big Business. You think taxpayers paying for the safety net is better that Big Business paying for its employees' safety net?

BTW, I have been justifying minimum wage and safety nets throughout this thread. You just ignore it.

You shouldn't let your religious feeling get in the way of your thinking.

You keep thinking that workers have a choice. Why would they choose to loss money over the last 30 years?

You really like this idea even though it is false.

 

Prove it by showing my comment. Sorry, you do lie.

 

Really they just keep repeating the same lies and hope that some dumb..... will believe them. They have nothing new. just repeat the same lies over and over.

 

MY theory is that minimum wage is indeed unlivable. If fast food companies can't stay in business paying a living wage, they should shut down. FDR was right.

 

I'm sure many will find ways to stay in business.



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Aren't you cute. Because I mistakenly left off the "per hour", you thought you could score a point.

Who are "they"? Certainly not the workers. Back to my original question, do you think a person is only worth $7.25 per hour?

Yes. Actually Big Business has kept it $7.25 for a long time. Damn, how money influences votes.

Yes, it is. You only see class warfare when people are demanding more of the wealth. They worked for that right. The last 30 years Big Business has ignore that right. Throwing up class warfare when at least 80% of American are demanding more is just elitist. I will just ignore your solutions because they are not based on reality.

Of course not. I know who the people are who foolishly defend Big Business against workers.

Explain how you want to validate Big Businesses not having to pay for their own employees' benefits and also want to not help those same people? Never made sense to me.

I would say that your deceit in refusing to understand my points is somewhat mind boggling.

 

Speaking of not having a point.

 

It is pretty clear that the right gets it but wants to ignore reality.

 

Yes, keep imagining that Americans fast food fever want it out of a machine. I will set up my business right down the road from your machines and price my menu for less. Just imagine.

 

A person is worth whatever they agree to work for. Sadly the government forced a ridiculously high minimum wage down everyone's throats that creates a challenge for businesses that isn't helping to create new jobs...

 

Folks said the same thing about every product that is now built by machines. At the end of the day no one cares how their products were made or even where they were made — just that the job gets done. Our current trade deficit is proof of that.

If you can make it better or cheaper with your hands, go right ahead. I think the whole point though is Obamacare and minimum wage hikes will likely make it impossible for you to keep that promise.



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Stop with being reasonable. "They" hate that.

 

Damn, I agree with that.

 

I know. The truth hurts some times.