Topic: Fast Food Workers Deserve $15 an Hour ?
Argo's photo
Sun 04/19/15 12:06 AM




Wages should not be an issue for the federal government. What is a "living" wage? Keep in mind that the cost of living is not the same in New York as it is in Saint Louis. It's not the same in Anchorage as it is Mobile. It's not the same in Los Angeles as it is Indianapolis. It's not the same in Missoula as it is in Montpelier. In some places $15/hour is more than sufficient. In other places it's not.

what do think minimum wage means ???? it means this amount (whatever the # it is)..is what a worker would be paid for his labor >>>> no matter what state or city he lived in...


It's not an issue for the federal government. States are perfectly capable of handling this issue. That's the premise of the Tenth Amendment.
the cost of living is much higher in New York and California than it is else where...

and how much worse it is for the working poor man in the big cities ? imagine washing cars for rich guys all day for 8 bucks an hour...does california have a state tax ? doesn't leave much to live on...what's his net pay...like maybe 200 a week..??

MadDog1974's photo
Sun 04/19/15 12:08 AM




Wages should not be an issue for the federal government. What is a "living" wage? Keep in mind that the cost of living is not the same in New York as it is in Saint Louis. It's not the same in Anchorage as it is Mobile. It's not the same in Los Angeles as it is Indianapolis. It's not the same in Missoula as it is in Montpelier. In some places $15/hour is more than sufficient. In other places it's not.

what do think minimum wage means ???? it means this amount (whatever the # it is)..is what a worker would be paid for his labor >>>> no matter what state or city he lived in...


It's not an issue for the federal government. States are perfectly capable of handling this issue. That's the premise of the Tenth Amendment.
the cost of living is much higher in New York and California than it is else where...


Taxes are also considerably higher in those states. And to cite that cost of living is higher there is exactly why the federal minimum wage is a bad idea.

messi_is_a_tim_1888's photo
Sun 04/19/15 12:20 AM
$15 (�10) per hour for flipping burgers? Aye right! Minimum wage it should be for a minimum skilled job!

Argo's photo
Sun 04/19/15 12:31 AM
lol.....there is no law, to my knowledge, saying the employer can't pay a good dependable worker a HIGHER wage than the minimum....thats how you keep a good employee ....by providing him incentive to do a respectable days work... it's called getting a raise from the boss..

messi_is_a_tim_1888's photo
Sun 04/19/15 12:45 AM
I employ tradespeople, Carpenters, Roofers, Plumbers, Electricians, etc and I pay a rate higher than most people where I stay, because I believe you only get what you pay for. I pay the best and I have the best working for me. I don't class a McDonalds worker in the same pay bracket as what I would pay a labourer, who works for me. I pay my Carpenters pricework, which is hard to get in the UK, but the best paid rate to do!

Conrad_73's photo
Sun 04/19/15 01:42 AM
http://www.gizmag.com/hamburger-machine/25159/

SEIU might yet have to kiss those Union-Dues Goodbye before they even lay their grubby hands on it!





no photo
Sun 04/19/15 03:14 AM
I don't believe in across the board raises. I pay my people based on their experience level in whatever department I was hiring in. After that I give raises based on merit. If you work hard (and smart)it is appreciated in the form of larger pay. If you do not work hard you do not get a raise.

If you come into my office and complain about that, it is met with my standard stock answer.

" then regrettably I accept your resignation"

My turn over rate is very low... because everyone who works with me knows that if you work hard.. you get paid well. If you don't.. then you don't get paid well and If you do not improve.. you're gone.

Business is not a Democracy.




Sojourning_Soul's photo
Sun 04/19/15 05:18 AM
Edited by Sojourning_Soul on Sun 04/19/15 05:32 AM





Wages should not be an issue for the federal government. What is a "living" wage? Keep in mind that the cost of living is not the same in New York as it is in Saint Louis. It's not the same in Anchorage as it is Mobile. It's not the same in Los Angeles as it is Indianapolis. It's not the same in Missoula as it is in Montpelier. In some places $15/hour is more than sufficient. In other places it's not.

what do think minimum wage means ???? it means this amount (whatever the # it is)..is what a worker would be paid for his labor >>>> no matter what state or city he lived in...


It's not an issue for the federal government. States are perfectly capable of handling this issue. That's the premise of the Tenth Amendment.

idk, you'll have to argue this out with yourself....it is a federal law requiring employers in the USofA to comply with this set amount....employers are subject to heavy fines and possibly prison time for violating the LAW....i'm not positive on the prison time, so don't hold me to that...cause i can't quote any stats or anything....if the feds want to go into the state of oregon and enforce federal maryjuana LAWS they can damn sure do that if they want to.....FED LAW supercedes STATE LAW...we are the UNITED states of america...


Most federal laws, including the marijuana laws, are better left to the states, and under the Tenth Amendment, the federal government has no business being involved.


That can be said of many things.....

But when the Constitution isn't followed in the 1st place, which it isn't or Snowden wouldn't be living in Russia, who cares (in govt at any level) what the laws are.... especially when you make them or use force to interpret them to fit your agenda?!

Just look how they disadvantage our youth with "No Child Left Behind" and now Common Core

Training our young to comply with authority. Remove competition, everyone's a winner, everyone gets the govt nipple!

Govt is force, and what better way to undo the Constitution than make it a history lesson untaught!

Control education, the media, labor, food, water and healthcare and you pretty much have people by the balls!

Are we feeling the lesson we were taught in 2008 yet?

no photo
Sun 04/19/15 05:42 AM






Wages should not be an issue for the federal government. What is a "living" wage? Keep in mind that the cost of living is not the same in New York as it is in Saint Louis. It's not the same in Anchorage as it is Mobile. It's not the same in Los Angeles as it is Indianapolis. It's not the same in Missoula as it is in Montpelier. In some places $15/hour is more than sufficient. In other places it's not.

what do think minimum wage means ???? it means this amount (whatever the # it is)..is what a worker would be paid for his labor >>>> no matter what state or city he lived in...


It's not an issue for the federal government. States are perfectly capable of handling this issue. That's the premise of the Tenth Amendment.

idk, you'll have to argue this out with yourself....it is a federal law requiring employers in the USofA to comply with this set amount....employers are subject to heavy fines and possibly prison time for violating the LAW....i'm not positive on the prison time, so don't hold me to that...cause i can't quote any stats or anything....if the feds want to go into the state of oregon and enforce federal maryjuana LAWS they can damn sure do that if they want to.....FED LAW supercedes STATE LAW...we are the UNITED states of america...


Most federal laws, including the marijuana laws, are better left to the states, and under the Tenth Amendment, the federal government has no business being involved.


That can be said of many things.....

But when the Constitution isn't followed in the 1st place, which it isn't or Snowden wouldn't be living in Russia, who cares (in govt at any level) what the laws are.... especially when you make them or use force to interpret them to fit your agenda?!

Just look how they disadvantage our youth with "No Child Left Behind" and now Common Core

Training our young to comply with authority. Remove competition, everyone's a winner, everyone gets the govt nipple!

Govt is force, and what better way to undo the Constitution than make it a history lesson untaught!

Control education, the media, labor, food, water and healthcare and you pretty much have people by the balls!


Sadly, ' having people by the balls is the objective '. Slowly & methodically so most people won't notice or object. * Lots of Hitler's quote- Mein Kampht come to mind.*
History does repeat itself.

Sojourning_Soul's photo
Sun 04/19/15 05:55 AM

David Rockefeller's 1991 Bilderberg
Quote...Ten Years Later
11-21-1

Quote:

"We are grateful to the Washington Post, the New York Times, Time Magazine and other great publications whose directors have attended our meetings and respected their promises of discretion for almost forty years."

He went on to explain:

"It would have been impossible for us to develop our plan for the world if we had been subjected to the lights of publicity during those years. But, the world is more sophisticated and prepared to march towards a world government. The supranational sovereignty of an intellectual elite and world bankers is surely preferable to the national autodetermination practiced in past centuries."

-- David Rockefeller, Speaking at the June, 1991 Bilderberger meeting in Baden, Germany (a meeting also attended by then-Governor Bill Clinton and by Dan Quayle


MadDog1974's photo
Sun 04/19/15 08:57 AM

lol.....there is no law, to my knowledge, saying the employer can't pay a good dependable worker a HIGHER wage than the minimum....thats how you keep a good employee ....by providing him incentive to do a respectable days work... it's called getting a raise from the boss..


This is one of the best arguments against raising the minimum wage. If you are a valuable employee, your employer will pay you accordingly. If not, you're out the door. Instead of raising the minimum, and encouraging people to stay at the bottom, work your way up.

2OLD2MESSAROUND's photo
Sun 04/19/15 09:03 AM
Edited by 2OLD2MESSAROUND on Sun 04/19/15 09:06 AM


argo63 stated >>>
the minimum wage is woefully low and should be raised to 15 dollars an hour for all entry level jobs....ceo's in this country would be well advised to emulate Dan Price of seattle based, high-tech company Gravity Payments....he has raised the bar for ceo's who actually look at employees as human beings rather than just production units....jmo


well, it won't help anything because the consumers are the only people that would suffer because of it...the companies, stockholders and CEO's won't lose money, so they would just raise prices on everything to compensate... so nothing would change at all...

argo63 stated >>>
his method was to cut his own salary by 90 % to accomplish this...no cost to the consumer at all.....his approach is radical, yes.....but i think he is just trying to set an example.....even a scoundrel like Henry Ford knew that his employees should be able to purchase the product they labored to produce...

men with 8 dollar an hour jobs can't even afford to treat their kids to the dollar menu...


I've read quite a few of the 'BLAZE' articles that have been written over the Seattle, WA min wage cost of living wage increase {elevated over a graduated period of time to $15. a/hr} and they've pulled some nefarious stunts with their "humans that they quote"! From asking workers in hotels that neither speak English and were never fired from jobs due to "POSSIBLE" wage increases to typing in what wages they were earning {wrongly so} and then not referencing the actual data and facts for the record.

But like anything these days and the 'insight to riot' details that garner the public attention; if it's good print then just put it out there regardless of the "TRUTH METER" or attention to detail.

On the personal side of all this - I would ask that those of you with whom have stated some very unkind things about those humans working in the fast food industry to take the time to observe and really make eye contact with all of them! How many of those workers do you think are getting any hours close to 30 a week? - how many of them are your parents age? - or your age? - or working their 2nd or 3rd jobs?...do you know? - do you care? SERIOUSLY...the middle class in America has disappeared and we seem oblivious to stopping it!

BTW - I love the rhetoric about how we made a living while going to college back in 'our day'; GOOD GRIEF...tuition wasn't what it is costing today/rent/utilities/food/fuel to get to & from class and all those part time jobs --- seriously people you can't compare what we did to todays cost to live --- it just doesn't compute! And those college loans and interest rates for those loans UGH; if our nation would just stop that gouging for our students - that alone would allow our college kids to have wiggle room to breathe. IMHO

2OLD2MESSAROUND's photo
Sun 04/19/15 09:14 AM
Edited by 2OLD2MESSAROUND on Sun 04/19/15 09:17 AM


lol.....there is no law, to my knowledge, saying the employer can't pay a good dependable worker a HIGHER wage than the minimum....thats how you keep a good employee ....by providing him incentive to do a respectable days work... it's called getting a raise from the boss..

MadDog1974 stated >>>
This is one of the best arguments against raising the minimum wage. If you are a valuable employee, your employer will pay you accordingly. If not, you're out the door. Instead of raising the minimum, and encouraging people to stay at the bottom, work your way up.


Therein lays the main difference between CORPORATE GREED {fast food franchisee} and the MOM & POP small business owners!
When my husband and I owned our landscape/mowing business it was prudent for us to reward those young people that proved themselves worthy of trust with our equipment accordingly: by raises and more responsibility as they returned each season and we weeded out the piss poor employees that shouldn't be trusted with a hand held pair of scissors! But large corporations DO NOT OPERATE in that mentality; the profits flow up the food chain and are awarded to the upper echelon not down the food chain to the grunts in the trenches!

That just isn't reality and that's why we have so many Federal Labor Laws still needed today!

MadDog1974's photo
Sun 04/19/15 09:30 AM



lol.....there is no law, to my knowledge, saying the employer can't pay a good dependable worker a HIGHER wage than the minimum....thats how you keep a good employee ....by providing him incentive to do a respectable days work... it's called getting a raise from the boss..

MadDog1974 stated >>>
This is one of the best arguments against raising the minimum wage. If you are a valuable employee, your employer will pay you accordingly. If not, you're out the door. Instead of raising the minimum, and encouraging people to stay at the bottom, work your way up.


Therein lays the main difference between CORPORATE GREED {fast food franchisee} and the MOM & POP small business owners!
When my husband and I owned our landscape/mowing business it was prudent for us to reward those young people that proved themselves worthy of trust with our equipment accordingly: by raises and more responsibility as they returned each season and we weeded out the piss poor employees that shouldn't be trusted with a hand held pair of scissors! But large corporations DO NOT OPERATE in that mentality; the profits flow up the food chain and are awarded to the upper echelon not down the food chain to the grunts in the trenches!

That just isn't reality and that's why we have so many Federal Labor Laws still needed today!


Those federal laws you're advocating are only helping to advance the corporate greed that you deride while harming small businesses. The big guys buy the laws and regulations they like and the little guys can't afford to buy that kind of influence. Big businesses get bigger, which is fine, but small businesses close. Big corporations don't care what the minimum wage is because they can afford to pay it. Mom & Pop businesses, meanwhile, may be able to afford to employ 20 people at $10/hour, but when they are forced to pay $15/hour, they will only be able to afford 15 employees. Advocating for raising the minimum wage is advocating for higher unemployment.

2OLD2MESSAROUND's photo
Sun 04/19/15 09:44 AM




lol.....there is no law, to my knowledge, saying the employer can't pay a good dependable worker a HIGHER wage than the minimum....thats how you keep a good employee ....by providing him incentive to do a respectable days work... it's called getting a raise from the boss..

MadDog1974 stated >>>
This is one of the best arguments against raising the minimum wage. If you are a valuable employee, your employer will pay you accordingly. If not, you're out the door. Instead of raising the minimum, and encouraging people to stay at the bottom, work your way up.
2old2messaround stated >>>

Therein lays the main difference between CORPORATE GREED {fast food franchisee} and the MOM & POP small business owners!
When my husband and I owned our landscape/mowing business it was prudent for us to reward those young people that proved themselves worthy of trust with our equipment accordingly: by raises and more responsibility as they returned each season and we weeded out the piss poor employees that shouldn't be trusted with a hand held pair of scissors! But large corporations DO NOT OPERATE in that mentality; the profits flow up the food chain and are awarded to the upper echelon not down the food chain to the grunts in the trenches!

That just isn't reality and that's why we have so many Federal Labor Laws still needed today!
MadDog1974 stated >>>

Those federal laws you're advocating are only helping to advance the corporate greed that you deride while harming small businesses. The big guys buy the laws and regulations they like and the little guys can't afford to buy that kind of influence. Big businesses get bigger, which is fine, but small businesses close. Big corporations don't care what the minimum wage is because they can afford to pay it. Mom & Pop businesses, meanwhile, may be able to afford to employ 20 people at $10/hour, but when they are forced to pay $15/hour, they will only be able to afford 15 employees. Advocating for raising the minimum wage is advocating for higher unemployment.


And I would interject - your statement has ZERO validation dear man: there isn't any data to prove that...just hyperbole and over zealous sentiment! But as with all things that excite and insight intense feelings you are allowed your opinion.

I just don't find them valid and I won't; because the cost to live has been sharply increased in these past 20 years and the ability for business {large & small} to find a niche and sustain their profits has marched forward quite well - despite the hysteria that the DOOMS DAY CROWD proclaimed.

Come back with some valid data and we'll have a chat; until that time my avocation is for all humanity that works deserve a livable wage --- or the flip side is more squawking about the needy on assistance and that is never a workable solution either - RIGHT?

IgorFrankensteen's photo
Sun 04/19/15 09:47 AM
I have long recognized that it is more important WHY someone wants or thinks something, than it is what they want or think.

For example, the people here who say that workers they don't even know, don't deserve any rate of pay, indicates that they are socially prejudiced. Not that they have any understanding of work, or of capitalism or economics.

If pay were to be based on how much I respect the work someone does, CEO's and politicians wouldn't make even a tenth what they do.

Not enough people who pitch a negative fuss about minimum wages, realize that the bulk of the high salaries that are paid, are ALSO rigged high, and have nothing to do with profits, or even competence.

2OLD2MESSAROUND's photo
Sun 04/19/15 09:58 AM
IgorFrankensteen stated >>>
I have long recognized that it is more important WHY someone wants or thinks something, than it is what they want or think.

For example, the people here who say that workers they don't even know, don't deserve any rate of pay, indicates that they are socially prejudiced. Not that they have any understanding of work, or of capitalism or economics.

If pay were to be based on how much I respect the work someone does, CEO's and politicians wouldn't make even a tenth what they do.

Not enough people who pitch a negative fuss about minimum wages, realize that the bulk of the high salaries that are paid, are ALSO rigged high, and have nothing to do with profits, or even competence.


EXACTLY...a whole lot of truth in that statement Igor...to be sure!

mightymoe's photo
Sun 04/19/15 11:32 AM





Wages should not be an issue for the federal government. What is a "living" wage? Keep in mind that the cost of living is not the same in New York as it is in Saint Louis. It's not the same in Anchorage as it is Mobile. It's not the same in Los Angeles as it is Indianapolis. It's not the same in Missoula as it is in Montpelier. In some places $15/hour is more than sufficient. In other places it's not.

what do think minimum wage means ???? it means this amount (whatever the # it is)..is what a worker would be paid for his labor >>>> no matter what state or city he lived in...


It's not an issue for the federal government. States are perfectly capable of handling this issue. That's the premise of the Tenth Amendment.
the cost of living is much higher in New York and California than it is else where...

and how much worse it is for the working poor man in the big cities ? imagine washing cars for rich guys all day for 8 bucks an hour...does california have a state tax ? doesn't leave much to live on...what's his net pay...like maybe 200 a week..??


the wages in cali are higher to compensate the cost of living there... thats one of the reasons why i was saying the raising the minimum wage won't change anything, because the prices will go up as well... 1 person working for 3 dollars and hour in 1950 actually had more take home money than people today...

house would cost 5000 dollars
a new car would cost maybe 800 dollars
maybe 6 dollars a week for food

no one forced you to buy insurance, of any kind, and doctors were very cheap as well...

so they were happy and had money they could save...



Argo's photo
Sun 04/19/15 12:27 PM






Wages should not be an issue for the federal government. What is a "living" wage? Keep in mind that the cost of living is not the same in New York as it is in Saint Louis. It's not the same in Anchorage as it is Mobile. It's not the same in Los Angeles as it is Indianapolis. It's not the same in Missoula as it is in Montpelier. In some places $15/hour is more than sufficient. In other places it's not.

what do think minimum wage means ???? it means this amount (whatever the # it is)..is what a worker would be paid for his labor >>>> no matter what state or city he lived in...


It's not an issue for the federal government. States are perfectly capable of handling this issue. That's the premise of the Tenth Amendment.
the cost of living is much higher in New York and California than it is else where...

and how much worse it is for the working poor man in the big cities ? imagine washing cars for rich guys all day for 8 bucks an hour...does california have a state tax ? doesn't leave much to live on...what's his net pay...like maybe 200 a week..??


the wages in cali are higher to compensate the cost of living there... thats one of the reasons why i was saying the raising the minimum wage won't change anything, because the prices will go up as well... 1 person working for 3 dollars and hour in 1950 actually had more take home money than people today...

house would cost 5000 dollars
a new car would cost maybe 800 dollars
maybe 6 dollars a week for food

no one forced you to buy insurance, of any kind, and doctors were very cheap as well...

so they were happy and had money they could save...


the ratio of unskilled labor wages paid vs. inflation has been in a steady decline since the early 80's when american jobs began disappearing overseas...

$3.00 per hour (in 1950) is approx $6,000 yearly....
$5,000 for a house ...less than a years salary...thats seems reasonable...

$8.00 per hour (in 2015) is approx $16,000 yearly...
$160,000 for a house....is ten times the yearly salary....that seems UN-reasonable..

the minimum wage should be looked upon as only a starting point from which the unskilled and minimally educated can begin to move UP the ladder of success..ideally we should strive for the day when the minimum wage is no longer necessary...when all employers pay more than the set figure...

this ratio of wages vs inflation is what has caused the "american dream" to become a mere fantasy for half of all americans...it has become unattainable....

3 bucks an hour 1950 --- 8 bucks an hour in 2015....would anybody in their right mind be happy with a 5 dollar raise once every 65 years..??

no photo
Sun 04/19/15 02:50 PM

3 bucks an hour 1950 --- 8 bucks an hour in 2015....would anybody in their right mind be happy with a 5 dollar raise once every 65 years..??


$8 bucks an hour must sound good to the kids working, still in school and living at home. They're doin it. Were talking entry level, basic jobs skills here. Now if someone wants to make a career flippin burgers, it probably doesn't sound too good.