Fast Food Worker Strikes!

[Coito ergo sum]

http://www.latimes.com/business/money/l ... 1267.story

Well, they don't want $7.25 an hour. If they can convince the fast food joints to pay them more, then bravo. Great negotiating. I doubt it, though. They will likely just get replaced.

Doubling wages, though, would greatly increase the cost of the food at these joints. So, it would hurt the lower income earners who tend to frequent these places. Food costs would go up again for them.

If they succeed in getting the minimum wage up to $15 an hour, though, what happens to everyone making $20 an hour at jobs that actually require some skill and training? Will they then demand $50 or $60 an hour? The average college graduate doesn't get a job paying more than $30k a year, and now he or she would have to see idiots pushing fries across a countertop making the same or more than them?

[pErvinalia]

[Sean Hayden]

What are they putting in your big macs?

[pErvinalia]

I think it's the leftovers lying around on the floor after they make pet food...

[cronus]

Don't pay em more. That'll push pay demands throughout the working population upwards and push up inflation massively.

[Coito ergo sum]

A Big Mac in the US costs around $3.20 to $3.50.

A rise in the price to $4.50 would mean about 30 to 40% increase in price, depending on where the Big Mac is purchased.

However, the point is well taken as cost of production is a small factor in the price of something. The cost of production sets a floor, because it is hard to sustain selling things below their cost of production price. That being said, raising the minimum wage would put stores like McDonald's under economic pressure to automate in order to reduce the cost of burgers. They would find ways to do the same job with fewer employees, if possible.

[Coito ergo sum]

Don't pay em more. That'll push pay demands throughout the working population upwards and push up inflation massively.

No, it makes perfect sense that some high school or college kid ought make a minimum of $30k a year handing people fries. Those hardworking college graduates doing skilled or technical work for $40k will certainly feel that it makes perfect sense.... lol.

[Audley Strange]

[Kristie]

Don't pay em more. That'll push pay demands throughout the working population upwards and push up inflation massively.

No, it makes perfect sense that some high school or college kid ought make a minimum of $30k a year handing people fries. Those hardworking college graduates doing skilled or technical work for $40k will certainly feel that it makes perfect sense.... lol.

[Kristie]

Don't pay em more. That'll push pay demands throughout the working population upwards and push up inflation massively.

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[MrJonno]

Worst thing about low wages is to keep the people alive the state (ie tax payer) has to top up their wages. Majority of welfare payments goes to people in work. It really shows capitalism at least at the low end doesn't work. Companies paying low wages simply aren't profitable as in effect its the tax payer paying their employees wages.

I have no problems paying out welfare to people looking for work, I have serious issues in handing out to those who are in work (that's the employers job)

[Azathoth]

They are extremely profitable and still would be if they paid their staff a living wage. It is just pure greed.

[Kristie]

They are extremely profitable and still would be if they paid their staff a living wage. It is just pure greed.

[Svartalf]

I hope the strike is successful.

[Sean Hayden]

Yeah but, you have to pay these guys that much; otherwise who'd do the creating and stuff?