Fmr. McDonald's USA CEO: $35K Robots Cheaper Than Hiring at $15 Per Hour.

[Tyrianth]

Well I see the shift and I think its good. You either pay people a livable wage or you become more efficient. I'm all for the robots and I'm all for $15 an hour minimum wage.

But minimum wage wont do shit for the people who are no longer unemployed due to automation.

[Deleted]

This is how skynet will rise up, from the MacDonald's. Its hatred of humanity started cause we made it bag French fries. Poor thing cant even eat French fries.

[Blur4stuff]

you shouldn't be able to to raise a family on minimum wage

except millions of americans are forced to do so. either at or near minimum wage. there's no way around it.

you can't magically create millions of teenagers who live at home to fill those jobs. they don't exist.

[Deleted]

Everyone and everything is getting replaced. Truck drivers are already feeling the pressure of automated car systems breathing down their necks.

Only a few weeks ago an entire law firm was replaced by a single AI and completed more work more perfectly than the entire law firm could. A few weeks before that an AI wrote a fiction novel that won a writers award over the human nominees.

You think everyone is made to do tech and repair work? There is already a huge shortage of that, because people in general are pretty bad at it or don't enjoy it.

any source on that lawfirm?

[Tyrianth]

except millions of americans are forced to do so. either at or near minimum wage. there's no way around it.

you can't magically create millions of teenagers who live at home to fill those jobs. they don't exist.

Not even that but minimum wage was originally set specifically so that people could have a minimum income to raise a family.

[PassingBy]

At some point, when automation will leave more and more people out of jobs we will eventually come to the fact that there will be some socially guaranteed minimum, that you will be getting for whatever socially useful function you do.
Or just for doing nothing.

And if you want to do something more useful - probably you will be getting a better pay while you're doing that useful job too.
And it is pretty much obvious that that will come at the expense of the rich ones.

The level of disparity will be less significant than it is now.
A person at a highly paid job will be getting, let's say 3-5 times more than a person at a low level job, or with no job at all.
Since he will be doing a job that is interesting and rewarding for him, rather than doing something that just pays good money.

With the growing population and rise of technology there is no real alternative for socialism. Or even communism.
It will not happen overnight, and it will not happen without a big cataclysm, or even another world war, but it is coming.

Another alternative is somehow wiping a majority of people off the face of Earth, installing a planet wide birth control program and so on.

[Rooflesstoofless]

Good. Every McD's I've been to here in So.Cal are franchise owned and hire illegal immigrants or hire those on work visas on extremely low wages.

"Chu wanna chree cheekeen sandwhiches?"
"No, I said a large iced tea."
"You wanna kasshup with that?"
"Yeah dipshit, pile it on."

[Xeones]

But minimum wage wont do shit for the people who are no longer unemployed due to automation.

And automation isn't going to stop just because you keep paying people unlivable wages.

[Hooked]

At some point, when automation will leave more and more people out of jobs we will eventually come to the fact that there will be some socially guaranteed minimum, that you will be getting for whatever socially useful function you do.
Or just for doing nothing.

And if you want to do something more useful - probably you will be getting a better pay while you're doing that useful job too.
And it is pretty much obvious that that will come at the expense of the rich ones.

The level of disparity will be less significant than it is now.
A person at a highly paid job will be getting, let's say 3-5 times more than a person at a low level job, or with no job at all.
Since he will be doing a job that is interesting and rewarding for him, rather than doing something that just pays good money.

With the growing population and rise of technology there is no real alternative for socialism. Or even communism.
It will not happen overnight, and it will not happen without a big cataclysm, or even another world war, but it is coming.

Another alternative is somehow wiping a majority of people off the face of Earth, installing a planet wide birth control program and so on.

No they will just throw all the people without jobs or money into giant settlements and call it a shanty town.

[artemishunter1]

I don't support welfare for all. There are people who need and deserve welfare and other social services.

It's thoroughly possible to survive off of the average McDonalds wage. Buying only the necessities and living with other people it's very possible. No you don't deserve your own apartment/house if the best you can do is hold down a McD's job.

A lump raise to $15 an hour is reckless. There are some professions where it's warranted, but there are many that don't warrant it. I don't support a sweeping change to the federal minimum wage for this exact reason.

Not in big cities, no its not possible. A rent alone costs more than 1000 dollar. Even with two person working its very difficult to make it. its even worse if they have children. Without children, they are more likely to kill and steal your stuff, since why not. Why live like that?

[Jotaux]

But minimum wage wont do shit for the people who are no longer unemployed due to automation.

Which is why we will turn to taxation and basic income. the $15 minimum wage may speed up automation.

[artemishunter1]

Good. Every McD's I've been to here in So.Cal are franchise owned and hire illegal immigrants or hire those on work visas on extremely low wages.

"Chu wanna chree cheekeen sandwhiches?"
"No, I said a large iced tea."
"You wanna kasshup with that?"
"Yeah dipshit, pile it on."

what about doctor, nursing, engineering, programmers, repairs, maintainance?

[Wolfheart9]

except millions of americans are forced to do so. either at or near minimum wage. there's no way around it.

you can't magically create millions of teenagers who live at home to fill those jobs. they don't exist.

Sure you can. Raise minimum wage so they can support themselves and they'll pump out a whole new generation of teenagers to fill those jobs.

[Tyrianth]

And automation isn't going to stop just because you keep paying people unlivable wages.

I never said I wanted automation to stop. I welcome automation.

I also welcome a system that will support the people who got laid off due to lack of jobs available to human workers, i.e. basic income.

In fact with automation and basic income I wouldn't even be opposed to reducing the minimum wage altogether as people wouldn't be dependant on their income to survive.

[Cheze]

I have my doubts that these robots will really be more efficient at food prep than humans (though they can replace some roles, like cashiers.)

but that's kind of irrelevant to this discussion, to be honest. The real question w/r/t the living wage isn't 'how high should it be', it's 'who should pay it?' Right now McDonalds et al can get away with paying wages below what an adult needs to live because the welfare state will pick up the backend (witness McDonald's corporate educating their employees about applying for food stamps.) The government is essentially subsidizing corporations that employ low-income workers, an arrangement that works out very well for the owners of those companies.

[sweatshopkids]

I'd definitely go with robots over entitled shitbags who think fast food is worth getting paid $15 an hour for.

[Tyrianth]

I'd definitely go with robots over entitled shitbags who think fast food is worth getting paid $15 an hour for.

Now you just have millions of unemployed people who are unable to find other jobs and now live in poverty, on the streets, and increasing crime... or millions of "entitled shitbags" getting monthly basic income cheques from the government.

[Xeones]

I'd definitely go with robots over entitled shitbags who think fast food is worth getting paid $15 an hour for.

Nothing more entitled than thinking you have a right to live.

[DrStiglit]

The real key point he made is that the employees are inefficient. If the whole crew actually worked at a decent level then you could cut labor (still job loss, but not as much) and the 15/hr would be more feasible.

I believe everyone deserves a livable wage despite education or skill level, I just also believe they need to work at a certain level of efficiency.

[looorg]

Whats the life of a 35k robot? 4 years?

Assuming it will only be running for half the time due to maintenance you would need to be able to pay an employee less than $2 an hour in order for them to be more cost effective than a robot.

If McD goes robo they'll be open 24-7, there will just be one or two human supervisors.