Oh, wait, I know the answer to this one, don’t tell me… is it something to do with class warfare?
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Nonetheless, I would try both next time if you want to infer any true semblance of impartiality.
OK, it’s unfair and life sucks.
But some jobs are worth only minimum wage or less.
How much are you willing to pay for a burger?
Take that amount, multiply it by how many burgers are sold in an hour, then subtract rent, taxes, equipment, depreciation, power, water, gas, etc. Next, figure out how much interest you’d get at the bank for the money sunk into your burger store and multiply it by at least two. Subtract that amount from what you had left after paying your expenses. Now, divide what’s left by the number of people working in the store. That’s how much you have for an average employee’s salary and deductions.
If you’ve done the arithmetic right, you will likely have around $9.
When you’re ready to plunk down $10 for a Big Mac, no fries, no drink, McDonald’s will be able to pay the griddle cook a living wage.
Or you could start thinking how you can get the government to reduce how much it sucks from everybody’s pocket. Then she could raise her kids on minimum wage.
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Also, aren’t there at least some management jobs at those places that you can aspire to?
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No, no, no… it’s the fault of the dirty poors. /s
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And how do you compete with the childless young men who are also hoping to get that job and can spare more time to fulfilling the requirements? Not you, obviously, since you probably are a childless young(-ish) man — white and with a degree to boot, I’d bet — but how is Nancy supposed to compete when her track-shoes are made of concrete?
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Ummm… McDonalds makes a really large profit, you know. They could pay the griddle cook a living wage, and make a smaller-profit.
(Observe: McDonald’s does not close up shop in the countries here in Europe where they have to pay more plausible minimum wages. They must still be making a profit. Paying their staff too little to live is a choice.)
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So your solution is to eliminate the very small amount of taxes this person pays that provides what little safety net they have? Your idea about paying more for a burger is better. But how about doing something about that massive CEO pay? Or maybe sending some of those dividends paid out on stock back to the workers? Why are things like that never a possible solution?
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When you’re ready to plunk down $10 for a Big Mac, no fries, no drink, McDonald’s will be able to pay the griddle cook a living wage.
It’s sad how conditioned people are to ignore the best alternative, which is not to pay the top people ridiculous salaries, etc.
It always has to be a choice between people being paid a non-living wage or a 50 dollar burger, drink and fries that would solve the issue… anything else is simply unthinkable.
@abides @Tynam Ha, we posted basically the same thing, same time. Nice.
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I don’t disagree, but by the same token, the first commenter was saying that the people had no goals. Who is to say how much advancing to a management job was played up when they were hired? You know, the old American dream, work hard and be rewarded. Maybe they thought they would get raises and advancement.
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You may also find this interesting. You don’t have to hit the $10 per burger you’re claiming to pay a better wage.
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I guess we could go crazy and start tipping
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True…And aren’t you paying a lot more for that rancid burger when you have to supplement the workers anyway, while Mr Tophat is sittin’ pretty?
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Observe: McDonald’s does not close up shop in the countries here in Europe where they have to pay more plausible minimum wages.
It’s getting really depressing here in the USA. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen people from Europe and other countries who are some of the only people in threads like these that aren’t brainwashed by corporatists into thinking living wages and single payer for health care are the devil.
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Great discussion guys. These restrictive boards are finally paying off.
I’ve learned not to have kids until I can be sure I have enough to provide for my grandchildren’s retirement.
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Yeah, right?? I just got here from checkin’ my stocks - down .98% today - no way I’m havin’ kids. Today.
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I was going to suggest, regarding the earlier assertion that “people who couldn’t afford to have kids, had kids,” that it’s pretty much been the norm throughout human history and pre-history. But I figured that would get turned on its head, e.g. “See? And look where that got us!”
Yet here we are…
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If one wants the unwashed hordes not to have kids, then one should do three things: provide sex education that is education and not propagandist bullshit; provide family planning services that aren’t continually being cut-off at the knees due to domestic terrorism and clueless politicians; have a fair socio-economic system so that women can reasonably decide not to have kids, and one where men aren’t abandoning women to raise kids on their own.
Needless to say, the first two of these should be available to the poorest, not just those whose parents can afford it.
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I think if you lose your job after you have kids you should put them in a sack and toss them in the river.
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Life in the US is quite unfair, and in a large amount of turmoil, and one of the two political parties that run everything has gone batshit insane.
Its because of the stuff I’ve seen that leads me to this rather sad conclusion. Don’t have kids until you can afford it. We aren’t upwardly mobile anymore. Our wages aren’t increasing. We aren’t getting anywhere on average. There’s a whole generation of well educated young people, who are hard working and ambitious, with few opportunities.
33% of the people living on emergency food boxes in my state are children. Its gone up 40% since 2008.
Whats the answer? I like delaying having children until you can afford it, and not having them if you can’t. Because its something people can actually do. And its unfair, but the alternative is, right now… having children when you can’t afford it, and they go hungry.
And yes I wish McDonalds said to their employees… give up hope of starting a family on the wages you make here… because it will just end in tears.
