Thanks Kate for the feedback! Admittedly, I'm not here to win a popularity contest. It's just a view that makes sense to me, somewhat laughably as I am a person who doesn't exactly make a lot of money either. You're definitely right that budgeting isn't being done appropriately. I know too many people spending extravagantly like they are millionaires, though they have next to nothing. In part, society as a whole sort of teaches a lot of people how to misspend money and get into debt, especially in the form of credit cards. I could go on a tangent about rampant materialism and why it consumes our society too, but I'll save that rant. Indeed, I wouldn't be opposed to a raise to $8 dollars or so, though to be fair, I think this is what irritates me most, is that I have worked in retail for my entire working life and even at Wal-Mart pushing carts (when I was 16) I made $8 dollars and hour. It's a joke that people would complain about lower wages when easy, entry level jobs in retail are so often available with similar hour structures. The $15 dollar thing is without a doubt a joke. My girlfriend who just graduated with a BA in Graphic Design is making about that much. I have a BA degree myself, and would be extremely irritated if people flipping burgers were making anything in the double digits after spending so much time and money on my education.
I used to work at McDonalds when I was younger and so I have first hand experience of working in fast food and only getting $7.25. It's rough for sure especially since fast food people get treated the worst out of all workers out there. I think raising the minimum wage is easier said then done though. The US isn't rich and obviously someone has to pay (us!) to allow a dollar or two bump in wages.
There just isn't a simple solution to this problem. The US has painted themselves into a corner by becoming a "service" based economy instead of one that actually produces real products that can be sold and that are needed around the world. I don't think the minimum wage should be $15 an hour, but you can't live off of $7.25 an hour either, especially when it is getting harder and harder to find full-time positions. There are many people with college degrees that used to work for large corporations now working at fast food places.
When I see a guy take my money and then go back in the kitchen to make a burger or tacos, I find it totally disgusting and hit the gas before he gets back to the drive-thru window. I think fast-food workers should be paid by the quality of work they do as well as the volume of sales a franchise averages per year. The McDonalds near a high school or Interstate rest stop is going to significantly more business. I think the pay should be adjusted according to demand.
That would be unfair fortunado, the worker doesn't have a fault to be place in a restaurant that has less business, he should not receive less because of it.
These people are within every right to ask for a better wage to live on so that they can actually have a happy life without worrying how they are going to pay all thier bills. To not have to beg Peter to pay Paul. Fast food workers are the worst paid people on the planet. They deserve so much more for the things that they have to deal with.
The big problem here is that people don't get paid for the amount of work they do. If you produce three times as much product as the other guy, what do you get? 50 cents more per hour? It's nothing but bad management. If people work hard, they should be paid for it. I'd rather pay someone $12 an hour rather than 3 people at $7.25... Where's the motivation to do better? Instead, the hard working people have to work 80 hours a week and their productivity takes a hit.
I definitely have mixed emotions on this one. I agree that a little over $7 an hour is not enough to live off of (especially while raising children). I completely sympathize with the people who truly are hard workers and do everything they possibly can to make ends meet and yet it seems that it still isn't enough. They should definitely get paid more than a lousy $7.25/hr. HOWEVER... these workers are wanting to be paid $15/hr. 15!!!! That is a bit excessive. I truly do not mean to be rude or ignorant in any way when I say that if you want $15/hr then go to school. I know times are hard and going back to school may seem impossible but there are many scholarships and programs available to those who wish to further their education. I'm sorry but I had to do 2 years of rigorous studying and completing hours on end of clinical work to get a job in the medical field. I barley get paid $13.80/hr (which I'm satisfied with for now). When you have people who are flipping a burger and took no extensive training and are wanting to earn more than a job that involved a lot of education... where is the sense in that?
That's the other problem in our wage system. I've seen jobs that require a specialized bachelors degree, 2 years experience + experience with special equipment paying $11/hr, no benefits, no vacation until 2 years... That just doesn't make sense! I also so an opening that required a year experience plus bachelors for $9/hr but that had benefits.
Well, maybe those of you who think that it is just flipping burgers I suggest going Mickie D's and, doing what these people do for one day then tell me you still think they should not get that much per hour. And, as far as those who do not make that then take a page from thier book and, make an effort to get a better wage. I fully believe that jobs like that should pay at least the fifteen an hour they are demanding. Now, lets not let jealousy that a fast food worker would make more than you hate on each other.
