Fast Food workers $15/hr??

[koslauj]

Hello everyone, news is trending on google and the web of Fast Food workers protesting and demanding at least 15/hr. The protestors are saying that the fast food cains can afford this as McDonalds for example, profited 5.5 billion from last year. What are your thoughts fellow tuners? I think it's absurd to ask for that type of increase in pay. I would be all in for $9-$12/hr. Coming from a management perspective and working in finance work 5+ years, a starting pay of $30K a year for fast food workers is insane. I know many careers and positions that require a degree to enter and the base salaries are $30K-$45k/year. This is with a college degree in a relevant field to the position. When i graduated with my degree in finance, i was offered a financial analyst position witha starting salary of $36K. This was fresh out of college. These positions still have a similar starting salary. I think these protestors are insane for demanding this much. The only way they can get $15/hr is if McDonald's dollar menu went from $1 to $5. Anyone with a basic understanding of economics should be able to understand why $15/hr is just not feasible. Your thoughts? let's discuss.

[ThatOneAccord]

Actually most jobs that require a degree are starting at $40k+. With the BS and hours the workers go through at McDonalds, I agree with $15an hour. I worked at Whataburger for about a year and the pay wasn't cutting it for the shit I put up with. Yea I was in high school too. I would've like AT LEAST $10/hr. racist fucks coming in there treating you like shit, and then the every day customer who always gives you an attitude and whatnot. Yet you have to sit there and smile and be happy go lucky about it.

And if you think it's "insane" for them to demand that there's something wrong. Honestly it just sounds like you don't want someone who has or hasn't graduated from high school or has a degree to be "near" you in economic status.

The cost of living has risen so much in the past 5 years it's unbelievable. $80 use to stock up my families household. Now it's $200 and we're buying the same shit as before. So for McDonald's workers to be working AT LEAST 30hours a week and not making enough to support THEMSELVES, it seems justified to receive a raise. NO ONE can live on minimum wage anymore. It's literally impossible unless you never spend money on anything.

I'm all for the raise and I work at bath and body works AND I'm a college student. I completely understand where the workers are coming from and I understand them.

[foamypirate]

Actually most jobs that require a degree are starting at $40k+. With the BS and hours the workers go through at McDonalds, I agree with $15an hour. I worked at Whataburger for about a year and the pay wasn't cutting it for the shit I put up with. Yea I was in high school too. I would've like AT LEAST $10/hr. racist fucks coming in there treating you like shit, and then the every day customer who always gives you an attitude and whatnot. Yet you have to sit there and smile and be happy go lucky about it.

And if you think it's "insane" for them to demand that there's something wrong. Honestly it just sounds like you don't want someone who has or hasn't graduated from high school or has a degree to be "near" you in economic status.

The cost of living has risen so much in the past 5 years it's unbelievable. $80 use to stock up my families household. Now it's $200 and we're buying the same shit as before. So for McDonald's workers to be working AT LEAST 30hours a week and not making enough to support THEMSELVES, it seems justified to receive a raise. NO ONE can live on minimum wage anymore. It's literally impossible unless you never spend money on anything.

I'm all for the raise and I work at bath and body works AND I'm a college student. I completely understand where the workers are coming from and I understand them.

Ah, good old sense of entitlement coming into play. What skill is it that fast food workers possess that is worth 30k/yr? What "value" do the provide to society that is worth 30k? Putting up with a bad attitude doesn't mean you deserver 30k/yr for flipping hamburgers and managing not to screw up my order. If you want to make more money, learn a more useful, productive skill (which you seem to be doing, at least).

[crazymikey]

Personally, I think you should be able to make UP TO $15-17/hr in fast food places, with starting pay in the $10-12/hr range.

They say they are dead end jobs and you need no education to work in fast food. That's a total crock of shit. I bet there's people who make $100+k/yr and couldn't even handle a day behind the counter or in the kitchen of a restaurant. Something like the show Secret Boss or whatever, where the owner comes in and pretends to be an employee and they suck shit at the job. Not because they're acting, but because they actually do suck.

I eat out a lot. I have a great respect for the people who handle and prepare food for me. It takes skill and patience to work in a fast paced environment, taking orders, multi tasking, preparing orders, making sure you don't screw up or take too long etc. It's hectic, and these poor people are slaving and working their asses off to make meals for ignorant fucks who treat them like low class scum because they're working for min wage in a restaurant.

I don't think it's fair. I think it's time they needed something like this. Places go through so many employees because they can't retain the staff due to low wages and stressful hours and working conditions. Perhaps having better pay and benefits to the employees would help retain workers in places like that. Some people are forced into it because they have no choice to make ends meet. If you can atleast make a living doing your job, then it's not so bad. WTF is the point of going to work when you still can't afford to live after you get paid?

[crazymikey]

Ah, good old sense of entitlement coming into play. What skill is it that fast food workers possess that is worth 30k/yr? What "value" do the provide to society that is worth 30k? Putting up with a bad attitude doesn't mean you deserver 30k/yr for flipping hamburgers and managing not to screw up my order. If you want to make more money, learn a more useful, productive skill (which you seem to be doing, at least).

Sense of entitlement? No. Cost of living and inflation? Yes.

Hell, I clean cars for a living. I don't think it's a very hard job,and there's no special training or degrees involved for that and I make almost $35k/yr right now doing it. Pretty sure I'd lose my mind working at Mcdonalds for $10/hr after 2 days. I think my job is easier than working at a fast food joint.

[koslauj]

I completely disagree that fast food joints command a base of $15/hr. I believe these fast food places are transitional jobs, one where a person of no experience can enter and gain some experience. I agree that the work isn't easy, it's more hectic than any offic eenvironment, however, it is not a skilled specific trade. These fast food environments can hire just about anyone to do the type of work. Anyone with a brain can flip burgers and take an order. What is the incentive for anyone to better themselves if flipping burgers pay $15/hr, most fresh graduates only get a $35K-40K a year salary. Starting at $9-$12/hr and over time and promotions, make up to $15-$17/hr is understandable, however, starting out at $15/hr to work at a fast food restuarant is something i cannot agree with.

[red07frontier]

If you dont want to make the wages at a fast food place then by all means go take your skills and find a better job. There are jobs out there. The cost of wages increasing WILL be passed on somehow someway.

[illinois_erik]

lol i just heard the tards hooting and hollering about this crap on the news in the other room. i hope mcdonalds fires all the people that walked. guess what walmart does to people suspected of union activity..ax'ed anyway 15$ an hour? standing around cracking jokes serving up slop? fuck that i bust my ass for 12.25 every day 10 hours a day. need more income get a second job or a new job..oh whats that you cant because youre a felonious drug peddler and all you can be hired for is fry master; sleep in the bed you make. and btw mcdonalds food is utter garbage and the rare occasions that I do buy the shit whats to be expected 10$ for a hamburger? lol fuck that. id like to see all those chains go the way of the dinosaur and bring back churches chicken or white castle even a good ole greasy spoon, at least that shits real cow.

oh and funny to in my little conservative town all the mc'ds employees continued on, just another day; in the big river city they ALL walked and protested yelling causing a rukus..lol tnb

[XCRN]

Right now I work there and I hate it to no end, drives me insane and I am waiting to where I give my boss the finger but because I hate this job so damn much, I will work harder to get a decent job i.e finish school. At $15/hr many people who have the brains would waste there selves at a job like this and will never reach their full potential. If you hate your current conditions as they are, work harder to fix it. Not a great idea to encourage people to keep themselves in this crappy situation, leave it as is.

[CyborgGT]

Working in customer service myself, I'd say that yes, $15 isn't that much to ask for putting up with the dumbasses that are the general public. But then, I think everything's currently backwards and teachers should be making the most considering they're responsible for everyone learning what they need for any given career

[2.2litrebeater]

No one forced them to take minimum wage jobs.
If they got $15 all it would do is inflate the cost of living and they will soon be bitching for $25.

[ferenza]

$15 is too steep.
Im an emt and i get paid around 15/hr. And its back breaking work. To think somebody who is working a mcdonalds with no type of certification or diploma is making what im making would royally piss me off.Im outside standing in saving lives and carrying debilitated 500lb men up a flight stairs because they too fat to walk while you get to stand and say" Welcome to Mcdonalds! How may i take your order?" and hand someone a bag through a window
??NOPE! not having that at all.That means all the hard training i did means shit and im worth just as much as the convict who strangled that poor girl in the alleyway 10 years ago. And with it will be throwing people who make a decent amount of money with certifications into the poor status, and that just wont fly with people who worked for what they earned.

I understand they need an increase in pay.Maybe a dollar or so, but not that much.If you work at such place and want more pay, go to school and get a degree like the rest of us.If you are a college/ highschool student just doing it to get by, your struggle will be over soon.If you got convicted and went to jail for a felony, you shouldnt have done what you did.Save your pennies and start your own business. I understand people in the food industry are fed up with the attitudes/negativity from customers and such but it is what it is. The first time where "if you cant stand the heat then get out of the kitchen" is relevant .

[Losiracer2]

Considering I only got starting 9.50/hr working at discount tire busting tires for 8 hrs a day....REAL hard & dirty work, outdoors; NO, I don't believe they deserve 15/hr for mopping floors and pushing buttons at a cash register being indoors.

If you want to make more money, get EDUCATED and get a degree. Education is everything these days.

I went to ASU, got my degree in mechanical engineering and got a job right away locally making 60k/yr testing hybrid/electric cars. Was good money for a year, up until my bosses couldn't figure out a good business plan for the company to be self sufficient, so I got laid off 3 months back since the Department of Energy cut the funding and the company was almost bankrupt. That's the risk I took with a relatively small company.

The jobs are certainly out there, you just need to know how and where to find them. I got 2 Interviews with Honda Motor Co. recently. One in their R&D Center in Marysville, OH last month and another with Honda Manufacturing in Greensburg, Indiana just last week. They paid for me to fly out and interview. I didn't have the 5 yrs experience for the R&D job testing engines since i'm just a year out of college so that was unsuccessful, but am currently waiting on a response from HR for the Indiana job for their process engineer position. If one company says no, always have two ready to go. That's how life is, don't settle for what people think you are good for, always try for more.

In order to earn more for your time, you need to show you are capable and have the skills. If a 16 yr old in high school could do your job with no training and you've been doing the same job for years, what does that show employers about the effort you're willing to put in? If you don't show any effort to better your education, or improve your work skills why should they pay you more than the teenager that can do your job?

[wed3k]

as a supervisor at startbucks, i still only made 11.xx in the bay area. the workers customer service sucks at mcdonalds. the orders are practically numbered.

i don't have a college degree and i make 20+/hr. learn to hustle.

[ThatOneAccord]

You guys also have to remember most of these mc Donald employees can't find work elsewhere. They're either too young (teens) or simply can't because of history (convicts and such). I knew A LOT of girls in high school that were either teen moms or trying to support their families because a dad or mom wasn't there and if there was a parent they didnt make enough money to support the household. So they're busting their ass at work begging for more hours AND going to school busting their ass there so they can find a better job so they can support the family.

To be honest any fast food worker has it hard. When I worked at Whataburger I could be an expediter one day or on drive thru the next. Expediting was the hardest. You're on drive thru, front counter, and taking orders out to people whether they are out in B lame or in the actual resturant. Your goal is to get the food out in 2 minutes or less. We put up with so much shit it was unbelievable.

I worked 30 hours a week, went to school, and paid my own bills and we got paid every Monday. If I didn't get enough hours the week before I didn't have money to go out with my friends.