Posted on 09/01/2013 9:13:38 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
A House Democrat who joined striking fast-food workers in Illinois yesterday said the American economy needs doubled wages for the restaurant workers.
“This gets to the heart of our economic problem in this country which is income inequality. And yes, those arches are made of gold for people like CEO Donald Thompson who makes over $13.7 million in his pay package last year. But I met fast food workers today at McDonald’s who have been working there for a decade and still making $8.50 an hour,” Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) said on MSNBC.
“You cannot live on that kind of wage, and they end up turning to the government for support. So we end up subsidizing Donald Thompson and the profits that McDonald’s,” she added.
Schakowsky said the pay of private entities to workers who choose to take a job there is Congress’ business because “this is an entire industry that is paying poverty wages in this country.”
“Thousands and tens of thousands, maybe millions of people who simply can’t make it on those kinds of wages, and I think that forming a union, getting $15 an hour, which makes a modest income of about $31,000 a year, if you get to work full time, is something that is a proper demand,” she continued.
“And actually these workers are acting — are going to the employers, are going to these companies. I’m standing with them because I think we need it for our economy. If they got paid more, we’re going to see millions of jobs created because there are going to be consumers in the marketplace.”
As far as what Congress can do to compel a higher wage, Schakowsky suggested starting at the executive branch.
“The president could with an executive order do something about the low-wage workers, 2 million of them, that are contract workers for the federal government. That would be a good start,” she said.
“That would be, I think, a very good signal that we don’t think those poverty wages that are paid to millions and millions of workers across the country are good for our economy and certainly not good for those families.”
UNION WORKERS! The fastest way known to take the FAST out of fast-food.
Actually, one of the main reason Libs love to raise m=the minimum wage is because it increases tax revenue across the board, but especially on Income and SS Tax.
Are the voters in IL stupid enough to believe her ignorant economic assessment?
Oh...IL voters...only get to vote for candidates selected for them.
Changed search criteria. Found it. Bought it.
Another facet the Dimwits don’t seem to realize is that fast food places are beginning to price themselves out of the market for some buyers with or without a wage increase. Bought a cheeseburger and strawberry shake last week - $9.39. It was excellent but... Thought about doing it tonight but instead went to the grocery store and bought a whole chicken already baked, two potatoes to bake and some salad fixings. Spent $8.00 and have more than enough for two meals. Wonder how much more prices can increase before people start saying enough.
My special treat for myself - Blue Bell Ice Cream is on sale at half price because of the holiday weekend - $3.99 a gallon. And now I can have lots of strawberry shakes!
CC
““You cannot live on that kind of wage, and they end up turning to the government for support. “
They’ll find a way regardless.
“The McDouble is the cheapest, most nutritious food in the world’s history”. Not if this idiotic proposal is enacted - and a cheap, nutritious source of protein and nourishment for the poor in the US (and Obama is growing their numbers every day) will be gone.
Lots of funny stuff in this tread, having worked in a supervisory capacity for more than half of my working life,
“retired now for 10 years” I have found that if the minimum wage is to high, it becomes the prevailing wage, and the employers have to make up by laying off, reduce hiring and paying productive workers less to make the economy workable, only in BOOM Times will marginal businesses pay more than minimum, so the economy of the area is not improved and perhaps even reduced, but I can guarantee the leftist will never understand this
I am somewhat divided on this.
The second job I had (that I loved) was as a server. The amount of money I ultimately made depended entirely on how good a job I did with my customers.
The minimum in those days was less than $2.13. But the employer gave me plenty of hours...and insurance.
Of course things have changed...not all restaurants offer any benefit below the manager level. But I have many friends that are in the business and their employers offer benefits. For $2.13 an hour in wages.
Things will change with OCare.
Myself...I always tip. Small for crummy service (everyone has a bad day) and very decent for good service.
These people are truly out of touch.
Bump for later.
Oh my gosh...maybe I have inadvertatly stumbled on the solution!
The fast food workers need to work for tips in addition to minimum wage.
Fast, Friendly and Fun would count.
I don’t think anyone should tip except for extraordinary services.
What they pay is between them and the server, its not my job to pay their employees.
I interrupted 2 dimwits sitting near me in the urgent care clinic this weekend as they were discussing this.
I asked if they were ready to pay $10 or more for a double cheeseburger and $6 or more for an order of fries. They just looked at me and said NO.
I explained that SOMEONE would have to pay for these higher wages and of course the cost of food would go up. I said gas would probably rise to around $8 or more per gallon and they stared at me!
It just absolutely did not compute. Blank faces - they do not get it. Idiots.
Those greedy bastards! Hogging entry level jobs for 10 years thereby preventing a young person from attaining their first job.
I absolutely understand where you are coming from.
So just don’t go to a restaurant. Simple answer.
Drive thru and carry out might work best for you.
Geronl.. F U seems like a pretty extreme answer.
Especially since we have had many pleasant exchanges in the past.
You don’t want to tip...don’t. But don’t expect exceptional service. :)
They won’t pay that much for a burger and fries. Few will. And the burger joints will go out of business.
That just happened to a local pizza joint. GREAT pizza. But between minimum wage increases and higher flour costs (no doubt due to corn being grown for ethanol rather than wheat) - he went out of business. And he said that when he had to pay his inexperienced help more (min. wage), he felt that he had to pay his experienced people more as well to keep them around.
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