Posted on 02/25/2015 10:26:11 AM PST by shove_it
At some point in my employed life,I would probably have had to agree with most of that. After many years in a certain skilled trade,I would have some issues with SOME(certainly not all)of it now. Due to changes that were beyond my control,it just became totally unsatisfying at some point in time. After so many years in the business at a subsistence income,there was no opportunity to make any worthwhile changes;no direction to go that was even slightly feasible. I doubt I am the only one who has ran into this situation. I am retired now & can’t find anything suitable,or I would go back to work.
PS I looked into the Freedom Socialist Party and their demand for a universal, $20 an hour living wage. Interesting. You’re right – they’re serious. But not long after they announced their position, they made the interesting decision to advertise for a web designer….at $13 an hour. Make of that what you will.
If that doesn’t tell you everything you need to know...
Thanks for noticing the hypocrisy of the the FSP but those are Mike Rowe’s words, not mine.
In reference to item #3, sometimes making the best of the job is finding its replacement.
The opportunity in that job will be learning when it is time to recognize the lack of a future and fix it yourself with other employment rather than complaining about it while staying.
Does that figure include all the associated labor cost in the items purchased by McDonalds? Every item they purchase from the meat to the napkins has a similar cost rise impact.
Mike really, really, really nails it.
I just did a web search on restaurant labor costs and got eh 35% figure. The price of the burger/mac includes advertizing, overhead, energy, raw ingredients, management and profit.
Actually, I guess Mike Rowe already covered my #3 comments with his #8.
The point is whining and complaining tend to make everyone miserable, including the whinner. It is okay to point out suggested changes for your job to your employer. And if unresolved, politely and professionally address the topic again. But at the third time, possible 4th, on the same problem, it is often time to move on. Your mileage may vary.
Here's a clue to what Rowe is talking about - raises in the minimum wage have a direct impact on the SPEED that automation is implemented. Rowe (nor anyone) is saying minimum raise is the ONLY cause of automation.
Let's see if I can keep this simple enough for even you....a fast food employee makes $8/hour. The cost of a machine to replace what he/she does costs $12/hour. Employee keeps job until the cost of the automation gets below the wage cost. Now, via increase in the minimum wage, the same employee has to make $15/hour. Guess who is now out of a job?????
The reason to automate are many, the cost of minimum wage is near the bottom of the reasons.
I suspect the 35% is direct labor. But there is an impact in minimum wages in most of the items they purchase.
I think there would be greater impact to the total price/cost.
What the employee makes is not the full cost of employing them either.
There are not MANY reasons to do something when you're running a business, there's ONLY TWO - the new "thing" in the long term either reduces costs and/or increases revenue (both of which increase net profit).
Sheeeesh....
Absolutely correct. I was just keeping my example as simple as possible.
Labor factors into everything.
good idea. A thread title like that could attract some libertarians, so gotta keep the scenarios as simple as possible.
The formula is pretty simple. Anything you do requires investment. You pay for a machine, you pay to make it work. You pay for training. What makes the most sense?
What's the most expensive? What's the most complicated?(expensive?)
Do you know how much investment dealing with employees justifies? Raise the minimum wage to $20...then see how many low and no skill positions exist.
Explain why you can make that judgment...does it involve anything besides something you read once?
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