This blog will be used by Mrs. Wilsher's AP class to post coherent, logical, informed, and well-written responses to topics related to the class. You will also respond to comments from other students. Many college professors in all areas of the curriculum require students to participate in online discussions or blogs. The AP Lang. Blog requirement will help prepare you for college courses, while improving your writing skills.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Strike for 15
Fast-food workers in about 100 cities will walk off the job today in a push for higher pay. Do you agree with the article we read in class arguing that these efforts are futile, or with the workers that are hoping to make $15 an hour?
In my point of view, the minimum hourly wage should be increased due to many reasons, especially for the people who are living on the bottom of society. First of all, it is good for the family. Raising the minimum wage would raise the income of thens of millions Americans. Women who are tended to get lower paid than men would benefit from this. And raising the minimum hourly wage is also helpful in recovering national economy. Waiters and waitresses working in restaurants are people who really make the money directly for the society. Higher wage would drive up their motivation to work harder. As the productivity goes up, it brings more profits for the companies and, to some degree, saves the country’s economic condition as well. Therefore, “hijacking” their base workers is not a beneficial method to earn more money. Thirdly, increasing minimum wage would help people get out of debt more rapidly. The existence of debts not only profoundly drags the national economy behind and negatively influences the rate of financial recovery, but also declines the happiness index of citizens. People are usually unpleasant when they live under the pressure of paying off the debt they have every month. In order to meet the basic living condition, restaurant workers have to get vehicles for transportation to get to the workplaces and buy, or rent mostly, apartments with their low payments which place them in a stressful circumstance in regard to paying their monthly loans. The feelings of stressfulness and unhappiness are bad for the social and economic development for the country. Last but not least, we need to establish justice for the working class who is holding the least treasure in the society while wealthy people gain the most. To raise the minimum wage is what we could do for those who have suffered in the economic crisis.
Personally, I believe that raising the minimum wage for workers has more negative repercussions than positive. By doubling the hourly wage of a job considered for entry level workers, it would lessen the value of wages for jobs such as aircraft service technicians or construction engineers who earn only twenty five dollars an hour. (According to: http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-1875-Who-is-Hiring-20-Jobs-That-Pay-25-per-Hour/) Should a job that does not need nearly as much schooling or intricate skills be worth only ten dollars less than one that does? By increasing the amount of money needed to pay those on the lower side, even more money is needed to suffice those of higher wages. This is a cause of inflation and raised prices and will push the economy further into recession. Perhaps if it were not to double the wage, but to increase it by a small and efficient amount, it would seem to be a more reasonable means of giving the working class the money they earn.
I'm sure most of us are going to say that the minimum wage should be raised because all of us will probably have a minimum wage job soon. That being said, I think the minimum wage should be raised, but not to $15; especially not for fast food.
Because I haven't worked in a fast food joint, (restaurant doesn't seem right) I can only assume that working at one does not require much effort or skill to do well; at least compared to jobs that currently pay $15+ an hour. In chapter three of Schlosser's book, he explains that fast food companies are making cookers that require little to no training. It seems a little selfish to ask for $15 an hour for asking "How may I help you" while pushing corresponding buttons.
While $15 an hour is too much in my opinion, $9-10 minimum does seem reasonable; especially considering inflation over the past few decades. A McDonalds worker 30 years ago may have made maybe $6, but that $6 went much farther than it does today. Secondly, a major issue in the US's economic system is the growing gap between rich and poor classes (the rich get richer and the poor ask for a raise in this case). If McDonalds discovers an innovative way of making food cheaper or getting more business, the extra revenue goes directly to executives rather than to minimum wage workers who have to deal with the extra business.
One of the major arguments is that many McDonalds workers have kids to care for and should therefore get a raise. I don't see how having a child while not economically stable earns you more money. McDonalds didnt ask you to have three kids.
I'm sorry I posted before you Edward. But to make it up to you, I just want to let you know that I agree with your comment. Edward stated what I was thinking, but couldn't quite express. We are all from an area that is feeling economic hardship, so we all know that it's hard out there for a pimp. It's understandable to want to pay employees more for their labor, but if it's going to jack up prices of food that is unhealthy and plain gross, then it's not worth that drastic of a change.
I want you to know that I forgive you Aidan and I am glad that you agree with some of my opinions. To make up for the fact that you felt the need to apologize, I am going to let you copy my writing style. I noticed that you said Incouldnt quite express my thoughts, but I want you to know that my writing is just on a level that most can't comprehend.
I'm glad you understand the struggle of a pimp and I think I know what you were trying to say in your second paragraph. While I won't pay you more, I do think that fast food workers should be paid a bit more for what they do all night.
I agree with Edward, minimum wage should be raised. I work for minimum wage and I would love the raise! However, a raise of $15 an hour is way too much for a job at a fast food place. I work at Dunkin Donuts, making minimum wage hourly and paying someone $15 dollars for what the workers do behind the counter is an excessive amount of money for a job that doesn't require any skill but being quick and the week training they give. Minimum wage does need to be raised to about $9-$10 as Edward stated, because the minimum wage given now is too little for how high the prices are in our society and how expensive everything has become. As Yundai also states, a raise is a motivation for a worker to do better at their job, dedicate themselves to helping the customer and making sure everything goes well with their order. Speaking for myself or many, with a raise your performance at work will be way better than it was before. A raise can make the worker feel more satisfied and that will cause them to be a happier person on the job because they know their working for more money and it'll keep them motivated. Minimum wage needs to increase because of the inflation that has been occurring, but it cannot increase too much because that can just cause a great inflation and make things much more expensive than how it is now.
I completely agree with Edwards statement. Raising minimum wage (especially for fast food) to $15 is outrageous. $10 an hour would be more appropriate & compared to $7.25 (Minimum wage) that's a better pay. Although it's understandable that some McDonalds workers are working to support their kids, raising it to be $15 would be absurd. You have to be realistic & understand that working at McDonalds or any other fast food establishment is not going to produce a sufficient amount of money to raise a family. You should at least attempt to make something of yourself & work towards an actual career, instead of a job that high school kids take because their trying to make money for the time being until they leave for college. Getting a $15 raise would only influence others to not strive for success, because they'd tell themselves that they could simply work at McDonalds to make ends meet, instead of going to college & working towards an actual career.
I agree with Edward when he says that minimum wage should be raised but not to an extreme amount like fifteen dollars. Minimum wage should be enough for an average person to live on, but in my opinion it isn't. I work at Dairy Queen and I get paid 7.75 per hour. Although that is slightly above minimum wage, it isn't enough for anyone to live off of, especially when a person has to pay bills. Another reason minimum wage should be increased is because of the hard work people have to endure while working, 7.25 is simply not enough.
I agree with Edward asking for 15 dollars an hour is a bit too much and in reality they most likely will not get what they want and be left with no job. Many fast food workers do not have other skills and probably have trouble trying to find a better job so it hinders their opportunity to get the higher paying jobs. However McDonald's is not a place where you should be looking to make a living because all the fast food restaurants care about is making as much money as possible without spending a lot and with technology a major factor the workers are only helping the company replace them.
Wait, I'm sorry if that offended you. My sentence was trying to say that you said what I was thinking and couldn't quite elaborate on myself. I thought you expressed your opinion more effectively than I did.
I must say that you have not offended me. I misunderstood that you were trying to compliment me somehow.
As a token of my apology I will give you a writing tip: semicolons. Semicolons; when used well; can make you seem really; smart. A simply way of explaining their use is combining two; similar sentences; to make one big hunk of intelegence; in one!
I have to agree with Aidan and Edward. Raising the amount of money to $15 an hour seems too excessive. I realize that factors such as inflation make it difficult for fast food employees, but they're not the only ones that are dealing with it. There other people that have minimum wage jobs that do not strike against their employers. I think that raising the wage is not worth the stress because then they'd have to raise the prices for food and it'll cause that "cycle" to continue; raise the price, the more you'll pay, which would not really change anything. Although fast food employees use the fact that they have a family to provide for or bills to pay doesn't change a thing. Everyone has to pay bills and families to care for, so that excuse is just nonsense. If they feel that such things are a problem then they should work out a way to take care of it while still having plenty of money for other things. It's in the hands of the employee on how to spend the money and their priorities. Instead of complaining and striking, they should just work, learn to stretch their money and not buy things that are not necessary, let's face it, most if not all employees have smartphones or iphones; they're not necessary. I don't mean to sound cruel, but honestly raising the wages would be futile.
I agree with Aidan and Edward as well, raising the minimum wage to 15$ an hour is excessive. As I have never worked in a fast food restaurant, but I have spoken with some who do, and I do believe it is safe to say that there is little to no skill required in those kinds of jobs. Sure you may work for longs hours and it can be quite a bit of hard work, but that is the price you have pay to earn your own money. Another consequence with raising the minimum wage to 15$ an hour, as stated in the article we read in class, is that this would cause restaurants to “rely more on automation and hire fewer workers” (National Restaurant Association). This pretty much means that if the minimum wage was more than doubled, fast food restaurants would want to hire less people and start to rely on machines to complete the services that their former employees would. In my opinion, I do think the minimum wage is a low and should be raised slightly, but more than doubling it is nonsense. I think raising the minimum wage from 7.25$ to anywhere from 8-9$ would be fair and can truly make a difference in the lives of the fast food workers.
I agree with edward that maybe it should be raised but not to the extent of $15 an hour. I believe that an increase of such a high amount would cause for the value of the American dollar to plumit. If someone working at a job with such little credentials needed in order to be a significant worker, i think it is possible to say that people in jobs that do not pay minimum wage would want a wage raise as well. Making everyone's income raise would cause for taxes to be raised, inflation, and another possible sign of weakness within our country's economic aspect.
Yes, Edward and Aidan have said it all. The increase of the minimum wage to $15 is a perpetuation. The jobs at fast food “joints” as Edward stated, requires little to no effort at all. I am not trying to downgrade or disrespect anyone who works at these restaurants but $15 is excessive. I believe when times are good for a corporation, everyone should receive a benefit from the profits. But asking a CEO to give away some of his/her money to a worker is out of the question. #1 they will never give up any money, #2 those people have worked hard to be in the position of CEO and deserve the money.
I agree with Edward as well; working at a fast food place does not require rigorous skills or effort that maybe required for jobs that currently pay $15+ an hour. If an employee felt they should receive an hourly rate of $15 for half the work, they would be delineated as greedy. In addition, if employees feel minimum wage is not satisfactory, they should find a job worth their desired salary or work their way up the "corporate ladder".
I disagree with the workers getting $15 an hour. I know people fall on hard times, but regardless that doesn't qualify them to make $15 an hour. The work I'm sure can be stressful but no where near stressful enough that they deserve to make that kind of money. Alot of people started off in fast food, and they all made minimum wage when they started working, and eventually found better paying jobs, when they worked these most of these people didn't complain about the pay, because they knew how much they were getting paid. I know people fall on hard times and often don't want to work fast food but find they have no other choice, but regardless that doesn't qualify you to earn more money than a person who works a better job, and has higher qualifications than you do.
Fifteen dollars an hour is an excessive amount of money for unskilled employees, most of these jobs, are low pay, because they don’t require much skills, like most of my classmates have previously stated. These jobs, were designed for students, and young people who don’t have much to work for, perhaps just their education, and way of life. These fast food jobs were not meant for someone well with a family to support and bills to pay off. They sure weren’t made for college students, what purpose a college degree has in this type of industry, none that is. These people working for minimum wage, should be aspiring for better jobs, would they look for a higher education and learn new useful skills that will be the only objection, that will help them earn more money, not raising the minimum wage. That will surely hurt small and big business alike. How will these places deal with such high payments for their employees? The only answer to that would be that they would raise their prices and cut employees, because it is essential, to them to keep those prices for their overly processed foods, at the lowest possible. So that they can have a wide range of consumers, and franchises to grow.
I agree with you Josue because this increase will give students a false impression that they can live of working in fast food restaurants, this would not benefit our society if they don't wish to pursue higher goals or even higher education.
I agree with many of the points made by my peers. I couldn't even decide which post to respond to! Everyone has made very good points about why, although 15 dollars is too much for minimum wage, it should be raised to at least 10 .
Yes although jobs at these fast food eateries were designed for adolescents who are simply eager for a taste of the working life, with no responsibilities such as bills and families to support. One must also take into account the economy we live in today. As Miguel has mentioned, back in the day one could earn 6 dollars and hour and have the ability to stretch their money far-- nowadays it's not the same situation. With issues such as inflation, earning these wages mean less money for employees in a world of ever rising prices. While this all shouldn't effect any teenager who is simply just trying to earn some cash, teens aren't the only ones working in these establishments.
Adults who support families are also employed in these places. And while yes, as some have already mentioned, they shouldn't be working in these places that require low skill. But I mention again the current state of our economy. People are losing jobs left and right and families are left destitute against their will. What parent or guardian in their right mind wouldn't accept a job that could feed their loved ones a hot meal 2-3 times a day? It's not their fault, however it's easy to see how they will be upset when the amount of money they are earning is so poor that they're beyond struggling. America is supposed to be the land of opportunity but instead its the land of avaricious businessmen and women who leech citizens that do the 'simple' and 'uncomplicated' work out of even earning enough to strive towards bigger opportunities for themselves.
Back in the early 20th century when people worked jobs that required little to no skill for pay that would probably be equivalent to today's earnings, we implemented labor laws. And now today we simply turn a blind eye as the pretty much same thing on a less exaggerated scale takes place.
When arguing the decision to allow the increase in minimum wage one must consider possible financial and personal circumstances of the individuals whom work at fast food franchisees. Although I would like to continue my research and further understanding of this predicament, I believe that there are several significant explanations to why minimum should not be doubled nor increased. It is evident that the type of people working at fast food restaurants are predominately teenagers, part time students, and even people who have graduated college, earned a degree though can not find jobs pertaining to their career choice. I also understand that there are some people employed in fast food restaurants whom may have intentions of using their earnings to support themselves or help support their family ect. However, I strongly disagree with people whom carry the notion that they can utilize their $15.00/h wages to make a living while residing in expensive locations such like cities and highly populated urban areas.
I oppose this because doubling minimum wage would not support our wavering economy and would give people a false impression that we can run a nation by employing our children in fast food restaurants simply because it pays enough to live. If we double minimum wage, we would also be enabling students whom may not have financial support to attain a higher level of education to pursue working in a fast food place, a job that would neither benefit society nor contribute to meeting higher expectations for our nation’s productivity. Yes, it is difficult to think this way while there are people who are living under terrible circumstances who would benefit from doubling minimum wage; however we can not jeopardize our nation’s future while there are less dramatic changes that we can make that would make an enormous difference over time. The problem is that some people do not feel like they are in the situation to be patient for change, while it is the only solution for long-term results.
In the meanwhile, instead of having people protest for the possibility of being fired and replaced by machines, later resulting in higher unemployment rates, more people, particularly the wealthy, should take action in investing for a brighter future for this nation. Overall, people will struggle but there are no quick fix solutions to a perplexing issue that we have had daunting this nation for decades.
I disagree with raising the minimum wage for fast food workers. Fast food restaurants are an entry level job; they are designed for the student and people entering the workforce. The economic struggle that the country has gone through has had an increase in families being supported by a parent or two working at a fast food restaurant but those workers should consider that type of job as a stepping stone to another. To be honest McDonalds is not and should not be a career. If the worker is committed to that type of job they can look towards management to gain a greater paycheck. I agree with what Edward says as well because you can undermine the education and the greater skill set of those jobs he named and many medical professionals who earn 10-15 dollars an hour. Why should a fast food worker who is less educated make a similar amount as the person working in an emergency room, ambulance, or doctor’s office? What incentive does that worker have to achieve something better if they can have an easy life working at Burger King, McDonalds, or even Popeye’s? Why should a student achieve an education when they know they can always get a job at McDonalds? We currently have a workforce that makes less than minimum wage, they put their lives on the line and don’t complain about not having a lunch break (like EMT’s who are on call all day), or that they can’t afford to live and that’s the US military let’s not forget that a private, in the military makes $9 an hour to risk their lives and ensure the freedoms of those complaining.
I agree with the article that we read in class that argued that their efforts are futile because $15 for an unskilled worker at a fast food restaurant is extremely unrealistic. Working in fast food is not a hard job at all and it involves little to no skill. Honestly I do not think they deserve to get paid anything more than nine dollars because anybody can do their job and if they really don’t want to work for minimum wage then they should just seek another job. If anybody deserves a raise in a job that requires no higher education it should be people who work in retail ( including myself) because they have to deal with a lot more issues at work. I work at Toys R Us and we have to deal with crazy angry parents, bad little kids, and having to clean up a mess of toys on a daily basis which I think is much harder than standing behind a counter and asking people what they want to order and just pressing buttons on the register. Honestly if any of the workers who engage in this strike get caught and fired I think that is well deserved because they are risking losing their jobs in this recession we’re going through and at the end of the day minimum wage is better than earning nothing.
Fast food workers to me, do not deserve a raise in their minimum pay. In today's industry, new workers are being hired everyday. It's not like one worker has 3 responsibilities. Each worker has a specific duty, therefore, they will be paid for that specific duty. It's unreal that workers are even thinking to deserve such amount of money. Any worker in the fast food industry should have no interest in starting a career there. It is a job that fills the needs of teens, which is quick money. Don't get me wrong, I am sympathetic to those who have lost their jobs due to our economy. But declaring such a pay for a job that an average teenager can do is perposeterous. There are so many fast food industries out there that wold hire the next dedicated worker. These strikers don't realize that the industry will continue to care nothing for them as there are plenty more people that can fill the spot and be satisfied with the pay they are receiving. What these striker also fail to recognize is that there are also individuals out there that have no job and have to take care of a family. Our society has become so used to receiving something and taking it for granted. What about those who have nothing? If I were making a dollar a day, I wouldn't be the happiest but I would have to make it work. That is what these workers need to do. Make it work.
Like most of you, I also feel that minimum wage should be raised, although people with entry-level positions should not earn fifteen dollars an hour. It is difficult to live on minimum wage, especially if an employee is supporting a family or living in an expensive area. In the article, Rick Moran stated that the "average age of fast food workers is 29". This statistic contradicts what we think of when we picture the average fast food employee. Most of us will imagine a teenager with a bad attitude pushing buttons on a register, but that apparently is not the industry's entire workforce. Of course a twenty-nine year old would want a higher wage because they feel as though their experience is worth more than the teenager next to them. It has to be a little insulting to receive the same pay as someone who you believe is "less qualified". I do not think that this is the problem of those who determine minimum wage. If a person feels that they deserve more than that, maybe they should be applying for management positions or look in another industry. Or they can, you know, manage their money better like Ally suggested.
Just like everyone else, i do believe that raising the minimum wage to $15 is an absurd amount for a job that does not require a lot of skill at all. The fast food industry changed over the course of the years taking away the intense skill of cooking just for the simple tasks that can be done by group of workers in an assembly line. I completely understand how people struggle due to the economy today however, just as Fabrizio stated, the employees are earning due to the amount of work that is being put forth. For example, a surgeon or nurse require a lot of training and extensive work in which their pay reflects the work that they do. Just simply flipping burgers and working a cash register does not amount to $15 an hour. I do believe that the minimum wage should be raised to atleast $9-$10 that could make a small difference in the workers' lives. On the contrary, i feel as though even though there are not that many jobs now due to the market, some employees that are working to support a family should attempt to try and find other jobs instead of trying to stay content in their place. Fast food jobs are meant for teens that are starting their first job to get a head start in life, not a 45 year old man to take orders in the drive-thru.
Personally, I feel that the wages for fast-food workers are fine just the way they are. People going into that field know exactly what they are going to get paid when they apply, so why ask for more when you actually get the job? In the end, raising their wages would have more negative consequences than positive. When a company is required to pay their employees a higher wage they are bound to let go most of their employees in order to continue making a decent profit. Either that, or the taxes will go up in order to breakeven but then what is the difference between your lower wage with less taxes than a higher wage with more taxes. Besides, many people expect to make a "decent" living off of their income at a McDonald's when these jobs were meant for teenagers trying to buy sneakers and clothes, not an middle-aged man or woman trying to pay their mortgage.
I personally believe that minimum wage should be raised to $15 an hour. On the other hand, I feel as though minimum wage should be raised slightly. Many of these jobs are designed for inexperienced workers to give them basic skills that they will eventually use to get a better job in the future. Most of these workers are high school students so of course they have are paid low wages because many if not all live with their family and really don’t have to worry about bills. However it is understandable that with such a job market some adults have no other choice than to take these low wage jobs to help support their family. In their case I feel the pay needs to be raised a little. They really didn’t choose to get laid off; the only jobs that are really left and are avaible are take these jobs. Minimum wages really isnt enough to support a full family. $15 is really a ridiculous amount for most inexpierence workers, however those that have a family need that pay raise to survive. Towards the end of the article Rick Moran voices the same the opinion mentioned before about the jobs designed to learn basic skills, and implies that wanting to manage a fast food restaurant and advancing any further than that most likely won’t happen. I completely agree with him; everyone is cable of doing great things in life and shouldn’t deprive themselves of doing great things by just settling for manager at a fast food restaurant.
I completely agree with Yungdai’s argument and appreciate the fact that she mentions about how this topic affects many different sides of society including women and the fact that many are paid much less than a man would be paid; for waiters who work directly with people every day, which helps to keep money flowing throughout society. As well as how she mentions that minimum wage also affects our economy and the conditions in which we live greatly. I believe that wages should a decent a mount that would allow any person to live comfortably in society as well as take care of their daily needs. By raising minimum wages to $15 dollars we begin to get rid of society’s ills like hunger and the homeless, because they can now afford for a place to live. However, when a subject has pros it also has cons. The main conflict that this would cause is that the businesses would be losing money, which wouldn’t be good for them. Although, if this were to happen and continued to happen; over time with the help of many other businesses the economy would become equally balanced, thus meaning there is no one richer or poorer then the next person, which would come with its own pros and cons.
In my point of view, the minimum hourly wage should be increased due to many reasons, especially for the people who are living on the bottom of society. First of all, it is good for the family. Raising the minimum wage would raise the income of thens of millions Americans. Women who are tended to get lower paid than men would benefit from this. And raising the minimum hourly wage is also helpful in recovering national economy. Waiters and waitresses working in restaurants are people who really make the money directly for the society. Higher wage would drive up their motivation to work harder. As the productivity goes up, it brings more profits for the companies and, to some degree, saves the country’s economic condition as well. Therefore, “hijacking” their base workers is not a beneficial method to earn more money. Thirdly, increasing minimum wage would help people get out of debt more rapidly. The existence of debts not only profoundly drags the national economy behind and negatively influences the rate of financial recovery, but also declines the happiness index of citizens. People are usually unpleasant when they live under the pressure of paying off the debt they have every month. In order to meet the basic living condition, restaurant workers have to get vehicles for transportation to get to the workplaces and buy, or rent mostly, apartments with their low payments which place them in a stressful circumstance in regard to paying their monthly loans. The feelings of stressfulness and unhappiness are bad for the social and economic development for the country. Last but not least, we need to establish justice for the working class who is holding the least treasure in the society while wealthy people gain the most. To raise the minimum wage is what we could do for those who have suffered in the economic crisis.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I believe that raising the minimum wage for workers has more negative repercussions than positive. By doubling the hourly wage of a job considered for entry level workers, it would lessen the value of wages for jobs such as aircraft service technicians or construction engineers who earn only twenty five dollars an hour.
ReplyDelete(According to: http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-1875-Who-is-Hiring-20-Jobs-That-Pay-25-per-Hour/)
Should a job that does not need nearly as much schooling or intricate skills be worth only ten dollars less than one that does? By increasing the amount of money needed to pay those on the lower side, even more money is needed to suffice those of higher wages. This is a cause of inflation and raised prices and will push the economy further into recession.
Perhaps if it were not to double the wage, but to increase it by a small and efficient amount, it would seem to be a more reasonable means of giving the working class the money they earn.
I'm sure most of us are going to say that the minimum wage should be raised because all of us will probably have a minimum wage job soon. That being said, I think the minimum wage should be raised, but not to $15; especially not for fast food.
ReplyDeleteBecause I haven't worked in a fast food joint, (restaurant doesn't seem right) I can only assume that working at one does not require much effort or skill to do well; at least compared to jobs that currently pay $15+ an hour. In chapter three of Schlosser's book, he explains that fast food companies are making cookers that require little to no training. It seems a little selfish to ask for $15 an hour for asking "How may I help you" while pushing corresponding buttons.
While $15 an hour is too much in my opinion, $9-10 minimum does seem reasonable; especially considering inflation over the past few decades. A McDonalds worker 30 years ago may have made maybe $6, but that $6 went much farther than it does today. Secondly, a major issue in the US's economic system is the growing gap between rich and poor classes (the rich get richer and the poor ask for a raise in this case). If McDonalds discovers an innovative way of making food cheaper or getting more business, the extra revenue goes directly to executives rather than to minimum wage workers who have to deal with the extra business.
One of the major arguments is that many McDonalds workers have kids to care for and should therefore get a raise. I don't see how having a child while not economically stable earns you more money. McDonalds didnt ask you to have three kids.
I'm sorry I posted before you Edward. But to make it up to you, I just want to let you know that I agree with your comment. Edward stated what I was thinking, but couldn't quite express.
DeleteWe are all from an area that is feeling economic hardship, so we all know that it's hard out there for a pimp. It's understandable to want to pay employees more for their labor, but if it's going to jack up prices of food that is unhealthy and plain gross, then it's not worth that drastic of a change.
I want you to know that I forgive you Aidan and I am glad that you agree with some of my opinions. To make up for the fact that you felt the need to apologize, I am going to let you copy my writing style. I noticed that you said Incouldnt quite express my thoughts, but I want you to know that my writing is just on a level that most can't comprehend.
DeleteI'm glad you understand the struggle of a pimp and I think I know what you were trying to say in your second paragraph. While I won't pay you more, I do think that fast food workers should be paid a bit more for what they do all night.
I agree with Edward, minimum wage should be raised. I work for minimum wage and I would love the raise! However, a raise of $15 an hour is way too much for a job at a fast food place. I work at Dunkin Donuts, making minimum wage hourly and paying someone $15 dollars for what the workers do behind the counter is an excessive amount of money for a job that doesn't require any skill but being quick and the week training they give. Minimum wage does need to be raised to about $9-$10 as Edward stated, because the minimum wage given now is too little for how high the prices are in our society and how expensive everything has become. As Yundai also states, a raise is a motivation for a worker to do better at their job, dedicate themselves to helping the customer and making sure everything goes well with their order. Speaking for myself or many, with a raise your performance at work will be way better than it was before. A raise can make the worker feel more satisfied and that will cause them to be a happier person on the job because they know their working for more money and it'll keep them motivated. Minimum wage needs to increase because of the inflation that has been occurring, but it cannot increase too much because that can just cause a great inflation and make things much more expensive than how it is now.
DeleteI completely agree with Edwards statement. Raising minimum wage (especially for fast food) to $15 is outrageous. $10 an hour would be more appropriate & compared to $7.25 (Minimum wage) that's a better pay. Although it's understandable that some McDonalds workers are working to support their kids, raising it to be $15 would be absurd. You have to be realistic & understand that working at McDonalds or any other fast food establishment is not going to produce a sufficient amount of money to raise a family. You should at least attempt to make something of yourself & work towards an actual career, instead of a job that high school kids take because their trying to make money for the time being until they leave for college. Getting a $15 raise would only influence others to not strive for success, because they'd tell themselves that they could simply work at McDonalds to make ends meet, instead of going to college & working towards an actual career.
DeleteI agree with Edward when he says that minimum wage should be raised but not to an extreme amount like fifteen dollars. Minimum wage should be enough for an average person to live on, but in my opinion it isn't. I work at Dairy Queen and I get paid 7.75 per hour. Although that is slightly above minimum wage, it isn't enough for anyone to live off of, especially when a person has to pay bills. Another reason minimum wage should be increased is because of the hard work people have to endure while working, 7.25 is simply not enough.
DeleteI agree with Edward asking for 15 dollars an hour is a bit too much and in reality they most likely will not get what they want and be left with no job. Many fast food workers do not have other skills and probably have trouble trying to find a better job so it hinders their opportunity to get the higher paying jobs. However McDonald's is not a place where you should be looking to make a living because all the fast food restaurants care about is making as much money as possible without spending a lot and with technology a major factor the workers are only helping the company replace them.
DeleteWait, I'm sorry if that offended you. My sentence was trying to say that you said what I was thinking and couldn't quite elaborate on myself. I thought you expressed your opinion more effectively than I did.
ReplyDeleteI must say that you have not offended me. I misunderstood that you were trying to compliment me somehow.
DeleteAs a token of my apology I will give you a writing tip: semicolons. Semicolons; when used well; can make you seem really; smart. A simply way of explaining their use is combining two; similar sentences; to make one big hunk of intelegence; in one!
I have to agree with Aidan and Edward. Raising the amount of money to $15 an hour seems too excessive. I realize that factors such as inflation make it difficult for fast food employees, but they're not the only ones that are dealing with it. There other people that have minimum wage jobs that do not strike against their employers. I think that raising the wage is not worth the stress because then they'd have to raise the prices for food and it'll cause that "cycle" to continue; raise the price, the more you'll pay, which would not really change anything. Although fast food employees use the fact that they have a family to provide for or bills to pay doesn't change a thing. Everyone has to pay bills and families to care for, so that excuse is just nonsense. If they feel that such things are a problem then they should work out a way to take care of it while still having plenty of money for other things. It's in the hands of the employee on how to spend the money and their priorities. Instead of complaining and striking, they should just work, learn to stretch their money and not buy things that are not necessary, let's face it, most if not all employees have smartphones or iphones; they're not necessary. I don't mean to sound cruel, but honestly raising the wages would be futile.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Aidan and Edward as well, raising the minimum wage to 15$ an hour is excessive. As I have never worked in a fast food restaurant, but I have spoken with some who do, and I do believe it is safe to say that there is little to no skill required in those kinds of jobs. Sure you may work for longs hours and it can be quite a bit of hard work, but that is the price you have pay to earn your own money. Another consequence with raising the minimum wage to 15$ an hour, as stated in the article we read in class, is that this would cause restaurants to “rely more on automation and hire fewer workers” (National Restaurant Association). This pretty much means that if the minimum wage was more than doubled, fast food restaurants would want to hire less people and start to rely on machines to complete the services that their former employees would. In my opinion, I do think the minimum wage is a low and should be raised slightly, but more than doubling it is nonsense. I think raising the minimum wage from 7.25$ to anywhere from 8-9$ would be fair and can truly make a difference in the lives of the fast food workers.
ReplyDeleteI agree with edward that maybe it should be raised but not to the extent of $15 an hour. I believe that an increase of such a high amount would cause for the value of the American dollar to plumit. If someone working at a job with such little credentials needed in order to be a significant worker, i think it is possible to say that people in jobs that do not pay minimum wage would want a wage raise as well. Making everyone's income raise would cause for taxes to be raised, inflation, and another possible sign of weakness within our country's economic aspect.
ReplyDeleteYes, Edward and Aidan have said it all. The increase of the minimum wage to $15 is a perpetuation. The jobs at fast food “joints” as Edward stated, requires little to no effort at all. I am not trying to downgrade or disrespect anyone who works at these restaurants but $15 is excessive. I believe when times are good for a corporation, everyone should receive a benefit from the profits. But asking a CEO to give away some of his/her money to a worker is out of the question. #1 they will never give up any money, #2 those people have worked hard to be in the position of CEO and deserve the money.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Edward as well; working at a fast food place does not require rigorous skills or effort that maybe required for jobs that currently pay $15+ an hour. If an employee felt they should receive an hourly rate of $15 for half the work, they would be delineated as greedy. In addition, if employees feel minimum wage is not satisfactory, they should find a job worth their desired salary or work their way up the "corporate ladder".
ReplyDeleteI disagree with the workers getting $15 an hour. I know people fall on hard times, but regardless that doesn't qualify them to make $15 an hour. The work I'm sure can be stressful but no where near stressful enough that they deserve to make that kind of money. Alot of people started off in fast food, and they all made minimum wage when they started working, and eventually found better paying jobs, when they worked these most of these people didn't complain about the pay, because they knew how much they were getting paid. I know people fall on hard times and often don't want to work fast food but find they have no other choice, but regardless that doesn't qualify you to earn more money than a person who works a better job, and has higher qualifications than you do.
ReplyDeleteFifteen dollars an hour is an excessive amount of money for unskilled employees, most of these jobs, are low pay, because they don’t require much skills, like most of my classmates have previously stated. These jobs, were designed for students, and young people who don’t have much to work for, perhaps just their education, and way of life. These fast food jobs were not meant for someone well with a family to support and bills to pay off. They sure weren’t made for college students, what purpose a college degree has in this type of industry, none that is. These people working for minimum wage, should be aspiring for better jobs, would they look for a higher education and learn new useful skills that will be the only objection, that will help them earn more money, not raising the minimum wage. That will surely hurt small and big business alike. How will these places deal with such high payments for their employees? The only answer to that would be that they would raise their prices and cut employees, because it is essential, to them to keep those prices for their overly processed foods, at the lowest possible. So that they can have a wide range of consumers, and franchises to grow.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Josue because this increase will give students a false impression that they can live of working in fast food restaurants, this would not benefit our society if they don't wish to pursue higher goals or even higher education.
DeleteI agree with many of the points made by my peers. I couldn't even decide which post to respond to! Everyone has made very good points about why, although 15 dollars is too much for minimum wage, it should be raised to at least 10 .
ReplyDeleteYes although jobs at these fast food eateries were designed for adolescents who are simply eager for a taste of the working life, with no responsibilities such as bills and families to support. One must also take into account the economy we live in today. As Miguel has mentioned, back in the day one could earn 6 dollars and hour and have the ability to stretch their money far-- nowadays it's not the same situation. With issues such as inflation, earning these wages mean less money for employees in a world of ever rising prices. While this all shouldn't effect any teenager who is simply just trying to earn some cash, teens aren't the only ones working in these establishments.
Adults who support families are also employed in these places. And while yes, as some have already mentioned, they shouldn't be working in these places that require low skill. But I mention again the current state of our economy. People are losing jobs left and right and families are left destitute against their will. What parent or guardian in their right mind wouldn't accept a job that could feed their loved ones a hot meal 2-3 times a day? It's not their fault, however it's easy to see how they will be upset when the amount of money they are earning is so poor that they're beyond struggling. America is supposed to be the land of opportunity but instead its the land of avaricious businessmen and women who leech citizens that do the 'simple' and 'uncomplicated' work out of even earning enough to strive towards bigger opportunities for themselves.
Back in the early 20th century when people worked jobs that required little to no skill for pay that would probably be equivalent to today's earnings, we implemented labor laws. And now today we simply turn a blind eye as the pretty much same thing on a less exaggerated scale takes place.
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ReplyDeleteWhen arguing the decision to allow the increase in minimum wage one must consider possible financial and personal circumstances of the individuals whom work at fast food franchisees. Although I would like to continue my research and further understanding of this predicament, I believe that there are several significant explanations to why minimum should not be doubled nor increased. It is evident that the type of people working at fast food restaurants are predominately teenagers, part time students, and even people who have graduated college, earned a degree though can not find jobs pertaining to their career choice. I also understand that there are some people employed in fast food restaurants whom may have intentions of using their earnings to support themselves or help support their family ect. However, I strongly disagree with people whom carry the notion that they can utilize their $15.00/h wages to make a living while residing in expensive locations such like cities and highly populated urban areas.
ReplyDeleteI oppose this because doubling minimum wage would not support our wavering economy and would give people a false impression that we can run a nation by employing our children in fast food restaurants simply because it pays enough to live. If we double minimum wage, we would also be enabling students whom may not have financial support to attain a higher level of education to pursue working in a fast food place, a job that would neither benefit society nor contribute to meeting higher expectations for our nation’s productivity. Yes, it is difficult to think this way while there are people who are living under terrible circumstances who would benefit from doubling minimum wage; however we can not jeopardize our nation’s future while there are less dramatic changes that we can make that would make an enormous difference over time. The problem is that some people do not feel like they are in the situation to be patient for change, while it is the only solution for long-term results.
In the meanwhile, instead of having people protest for the possibility of being fired and replaced by machines, later resulting in higher unemployment rates, more people, particularly the wealthy, should take action in investing for a brighter future for this nation. Overall, people will struggle but there are no quick fix solutions to a perplexing issue that we have had daunting this nation for decades.
I disagree with raising the minimum wage for fast food workers. Fast food restaurants are an entry level job; they are designed for the student and people entering the workforce. The economic struggle that the country has gone through has had an increase in families being supported by a parent or two working at a fast food restaurant but those workers should consider that type of job as a stepping stone to another. To be honest McDonalds is not and should not be a career. If the worker is committed to that type of job they can look towards management to gain a greater paycheck. I agree with what Edward says as well because you can undermine the education and the greater skill set of those jobs he named and many medical professionals who earn 10-15 dollars an hour. Why should a fast food worker who is less educated make a similar amount as the person working in an emergency room, ambulance, or doctor’s office? What incentive does that worker have to achieve something better if they can have an easy life working at Burger King, McDonalds, or even Popeye’s? Why should a student achieve an education when they know they can always get a job at McDonalds? We currently have a workforce that makes less than minimum wage, they put their lives on the line and don’t complain about not having a lunch break (like EMT’s who are on call all day), or that they can’t afford to live and that’s the US military let’s not forget that a private, in the military makes $9 an hour to risk their lives and ensure the freedoms of those complaining.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the article that we read in class that argued that their efforts are futile because $15 for an unskilled worker at a fast food restaurant is extremely unrealistic. Working in fast food is not a hard job at all and it involves little to no skill. Honestly I do not think they deserve to get paid anything more than nine dollars because anybody can do their job and if they really don’t want to work for minimum wage then they should just seek another job. If anybody deserves a raise in a job that requires no higher education it should be people who work in retail ( including myself) because they have to deal with a lot more issues at work. I work at Toys R Us and we have to deal with crazy angry parents, bad little kids, and having to clean up a mess of toys on a daily basis which I think is much harder than standing behind a counter and asking people what they want to order and just pressing buttons on the register. Honestly if any of the workers who engage in this strike get caught and fired I think that is well deserved because they are risking losing their jobs in this recession we’re going through and at the end of the day minimum wage is better than earning nothing.
ReplyDeleteFast food workers to me, do not deserve a raise in their minimum pay. In today's industry, new workers are being hired everyday. It's not like one worker has 3 responsibilities. Each worker has a specific duty, therefore, they will be paid for that specific duty. It's unreal that workers are even thinking to deserve such amount of money. Any worker in the fast food industry should have no interest in starting a career there. It is a job that fills the needs of teens, which is quick money. Don't get me wrong, I am sympathetic to those who have lost their jobs due to our economy. But declaring such a pay for a job that an average teenager can do is perposeterous. There are so many fast food industries out there that wold hire the next dedicated worker. These strikers don't realize that the industry will continue to care nothing for them as there are plenty more people that can fill the spot and be satisfied with the pay they are receiving. What these striker also fail to recognize is that there are also individuals out there that have no job and have to take care of a family. Our society has become so used to receiving something and taking it for granted. What about those who have nothing? If I were making a dollar a day, I wouldn't be the happiest but I would have to make it work. That is what these workers need to do. Make it work.
ReplyDeleteLike most of you, I also feel that minimum wage should be raised, although people with entry-level positions should not earn fifteen dollars an hour. It is difficult to live on minimum wage, especially if an employee is supporting a family or living in an expensive area.
ReplyDeleteIn the article, Rick Moran stated that the "average age of fast food workers is 29". This statistic contradicts what we think of when we picture the average fast food employee. Most of us will imagine a teenager with a bad attitude pushing buttons on a register, but that apparently is not the industry's entire workforce. Of course a twenty-nine year old would want a higher wage because they feel as though their experience is worth more than the teenager next to them. It has to be a little insulting to receive the same pay as someone who you believe is "less qualified".
I do not think that this is the problem of those who determine minimum wage. If a person feels that they deserve more than that, maybe they should be applying for management positions or look in another industry. Or they can, you know, manage their money better like Ally suggested.
Just like everyone else, i do believe that raising the minimum wage to $15 is an absurd amount for a job that does not require a lot of skill at all. The fast food industry changed over the course of the years taking away the intense skill of cooking just for the simple tasks that can be done by group of workers in an assembly line. I completely understand how people struggle due to the economy today however, just as Fabrizio stated, the employees are earning due to the amount of work that is being put forth. For example, a surgeon or nurse require a lot of training and extensive work in which their pay reflects the work that they do. Just simply flipping burgers and working a cash register does not amount to $15 an hour. I do believe that the minimum wage should be raised to atleast $9-$10 that could make a small difference in the workers' lives. On the contrary, i feel as though even though there are not that many jobs now due to the market, some employees that are working to support a family should attempt to try and find other jobs instead of trying to stay content in their place. Fast food jobs are meant for teens that are starting their first job to get a head start in life, not a 45 year old man to take orders in the drive-thru.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I feel that the wages for fast-food workers are fine just the way they are. People going into that field know exactly what they are going to get paid when they apply, so why ask for more when you actually get the job? In the end, raising their wages would have more negative consequences than positive. When a company is required to pay their employees a higher wage they are bound to let go most of their employees in order to continue making a decent profit. Either that, or the taxes will go up in order to breakeven but then what is the difference between your lower wage with less taxes than a higher wage with more taxes. Besides, many people expect to make a "decent" living off of their income at a McDonald's when these jobs were meant for teenagers trying to buy sneakers and clothes, not an middle-aged man or woman trying to pay their mortgage.
ReplyDeleteI personally believe that minimum wage should be raised to $15 an hour. On the other hand, I feel as though minimum wage should be raised slightly. Many of these jobs are designed for inexperienced workers to give them basic skills that they will eventually use to get a better job in the future. Most of these workers are high school students so of course they have are paid low wages because many if not all live with their family and really don’t have to worry about bills. However it is understandable that with such a job market some adults have no other choice than to take these low wage jobs to help support their family. In their case I feel the pay needs to be raised a little. They really didn’t choose to get laid off; the only jobs that are really left and are avaible are take these jobs. Minimum wages really isnt enough to support a full family. $15 is really a ridiculous amount for most inexpierence workers, however those that have a family need that pay raise to survive. Towards the end of the article Rick Moran voices the same the opinion mentioned before about the jobs designed to learn basic skills, and implies that wanting to manage a fast food restaurant and advancing any further than that most likely won’t happen. I completely agree with him; everyone is cable of doing great things in life and shouldn’t deprive themselves of doing great things by just settling for manager at a fast food restaurant.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Yungdai’s argument and appreciate the fact that she mentions about how this topic affects many different sides of society including women and the fact that many are paid much less than a man would be paid; for waiters who work directly with people every day, which helps to keep money flowing throughout society. As well as how she mentions that minimum wage also affects our economy and the conditions in which we live greatly. I believe that wages should a decent a mount that would allow any person to live comfortably in society as well as take care of their daily needs. By raising minimum wages to $15 dollars we begin to get rid of society’s ills like hunger and the homeless, because they can now afford for a place to live. However, when a subject has pros it also has cons. The main conflict that this would cause is that the businesses would be losing money, which wouldn’t be good for them. Although, if this were to happen and continued to happen; over time with the help of many other businesses the economy would become equally balanced, thus meaning there is no one richer or poorer then the next person, which would come with its own pros and cons.
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