Fast-food strikes widen into social-justice movement

[Independent voter]

Strike going on against fast food companies today. Service Employees International is a union that is demanding $15 an hour minimum wage for fast food workers.

IMO, fast food places provide entry level jobs. In addition you can become store manager or even an owner. I'm pro union but I don't think fast food jobs are valuable enough to unionize, people don't work at fast food places for long.

/fast-food-strike-fight-for-15-service-employees-international-union/25787045/

Central to Wednesday's strike is the evolution of its scope. What began two years ago as a fast-food workers movement has propelled into something wider, with Wednesday's protests including a range of workers workers from adjunct professors to home care and child care providers to Walmart employees.

Strikers and protesters were occasionally joined by high-profile officials, such as former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich, who led a walkout at a McDonald's in Oakland prompting three workers to go on strike.

Organizers called it the largest-ever mobilization of U.S. workers seeking higher pay. That could not be confirmed, but thousands took part in the protests and campus activities in what organizers claim are 226 cities coast to coast. There also was a global element to the protests, with McDonald's stores in Athens, Toronto, Sao Paulo and Hong Kong all hit by protesters demanding higher wages.

"It's something different," said Kendall Fells, organizing director of Fight for $15, which is funded by the Service Employees International Union. "This is much more of an economic and racial justice movement than the fast-food workers strikes of the past two years."

[Saiona]

$15/hr won't ever fucking happen. Go learn a god damn skill and stop complaining. Frankly I won't be sad when every fast food worker loses their job to a machine.

[Deleted]

They want to get paid more for working in fast food than Paramedics get, they should get stuffed.

[AndaliteBandit]

IMO, fast food places provide entry level jobs. In addition you can become store manager or even an owner. I'm pro union but I don't think fast food jobs are valuable enough to unionize, people don't work at fast food places for long.

I think that's actually part of the problem many workers face. That they're so easily replaceable makes them easily exploitable, which is how you got some managers instructing supervisors to squeeze out as much unpaid labor as they can, by asking people to complete tasks before and after they clock in and out.

$15 is fine as a starting wage. Just because it's an entry-level job doesn't mean the employee doesn't have rent to pay, or even dependents and child support, especially in the abstinence-only sex ed states.

And I'm pretty sure that fast food workers aren't saying they should make more than skilled workers. Skilled workers should be making even more than that.

[Saiona]

worthless people with 3 kids to feed and still make minimum wage are a burden on society. Don't fucking nut in every trailer whore you come across and maybe you and your future children will have better lives

[Captain N]

They want to get paid more for working in fast food than Paramedics get, they should get stuffed.

A lot of jobs get paid more than Paramedics get paid - I know I sound like a broken record but people who clean commuter train cars here in Chicago make $24 (soon to be $27/hour) to pick up trash, wipe down seats, and sweep the floor. To be honest more people ought to be fighting for higher wages instead of taking shots at the people who are organizing and fighting for it.

[zenkai]

You know I use to work fastfood, even became a manager at 18 after highschool. But then I went to college and got a real job. But as a manager I can tell you, fast food doesn't make a lot of money, you know who is making the money? The supplier mcdonalds, burgerking, tacobell etc. Fastfood restaurants are usually franchises owned by non rich people, and they have to abide by their rules. I remember Burgerking franchise owners was about to sue burgerking for forcing them to sell double cheeseburgers for 1.00, they where losing money

If minimum wage had kept up with inflation it would be 10.50 an hour right now so I have no problem with them raising it but 15 is just retarded. Lets also take into account minimum wage jobs now have to take on the expense of obamacare

[Gheld]

People should go get real meaningful high tech jobs in all of the stable industries America has to offer, in the Steel Industry, The automotive industry, the dotcom sector, in real estate finance and the oil and gas industry.

Oh wait.

[zenkai]

People should go get real meaningful high tech jobs in all of the stable industries America has to offer, in the Steel Industry, The automotive industry, the dotcom sector, in real estate finance and the oil and gas industry.

Oh wait.

There is a very high demand for science jobs, like engineering, chemist, etc, because less and less people are doing them and the babyboomer generation is retiring. The place I work for had to pay to move our last 3 engineers from out of state because we couldn't find one locally.

[Kujako]

Big babies want to live. Waa waa....

[Gheld]

I think if the government allowed employers to pay their employees less everyone would make more money because it would all trickle down.

[Rhine101]

Companies have stated that raising the min wage to $15 will cause job losses. I agree.

I say do it. Let the job to be a burger flipper require at least a 2 year college degree. Make it an internship. I have my degree and gov service experience as well as a Culinary arts cert. I'd still get hired.

Homey with a GED or no diploma at all. Tough luck bro.

[Belize]

We should just turn fast food employees that complain about their job into fast food.

What, did you think you were eating chicken at KFC?

[Captain N]

Companies have stated that raising the min wage to $15 will cause job losses. I agree.

I say do it. Let the job to be a burger flipper require at least a 2 year college degree. Make it an internship. I have my degree and gov service experience as well as a Culinary arts cert. I'd still get hired.

Homey with a GED or no diploma at all. Tough luck bro.

I have a high school diploma and have a six figure income - College Degree =/= High Paying Job

We should just turn fast food employees that complain about their job into fast food.

What did you think you were eating chicken at KFC?

I was always curious about what the Colonel's Secret Recipe was.

[Dispraise]

I say do it. Let the job to be a burger flipper require at least a 2 year college degree. Make it an internship. I have my degree and gov service experience as well as a Culinary arts cert. I'd still get hired.

Homey with a GED or no diploma at all. Tough luck bro.

I can live with that. Fire all the brainless reprobates that couldn't manage to not fuck up an order if their life depended on it, hire some people who have the capacity for sapient thought, and pay them accordingly.

Or, just replace them all with robots. Tough luck, unskilled teens who need an entry level position to build up the skills and experience for all future jobs. Better luck next time.

[Deleted]

meh. poor people.

[Rhine101]

I have a high school diploma and have a six figure income - College Degree =/= High Paying Job

1: I doubt that. Good on you if true though.
2: We are talking enter level here. Employers will always choose the "best" candidate that they can get the most productivity out of. If you make 6 figures it is because you started from the bottom and proved your worth. I am talking about getting the chance to prove your worth in the day and age where people are actively looking for an excuse to weed out your app.

I think you are actually 12...You should know this Mr. 6 figures. But then again you have not been to college so...

Or, just replace them all with robots. Tough luck, unskilled teens who need an entry level position to build up the skills and experience for all future jobs. Better luck next time.

These are the people I feel for. It's bad for everyone when grown ass middle aged adults are working jobs that should be for teenagers. Remember when some 17 year old pimple faced kind would take your order?

[zenkai]

I have a high school diploma and have a six figure income - College Degree =/= High Paying Job

.

You talk as if that is the norm, its very possible to succeed without a college education, it all depends on opportunities and willing to work hard or knowing who to blow.

Just look at hollywood its full of millionaire drop outs who for some reason think they know everything about politics but can't even name the branches of government in the US

[zEmini]

There are a lot of other Minimim wage jobs that deserve more money than the lowly burger flippers. Give me a break.

While minimim wage could use an increase, I don't htink having it instant is the way to go.

What about the people who are already making 15-17 per hour? They should get an increase as well. What about the people making 19 per hour? It is a slippery slope. Say hello to inflation driven by increased labor costs and more demand. (Most people spend what they make)

[Captain N]

1: I doubt that. Good on you if true though.
2: We are talking enter level here. Employers will always choose the "best" candidate that they can get the most productivity out of. If you make 6 figures it is because you started from the bottom and proved your worth. I am talking about getting the chance to prove your worth in the day and age where people are actively looking for an excuse to weed out your app.

I think you are actually 12...You should know this Mr. 6 figures. But then again you have not been to college so...

1. I'm a Locomotive Engineer - I've been one for six years.

2. Entry Level in my Company is 1 of 3 things

a. Janitor - Self Explanatory. $17/hour

b. Coach Cleaner - Commuter Train Car Housekeeping - $24/hour

c. Conductor/RCL Operator - Various rate (Average is about $55,000 1st year although I have seen an Extra Board Conductor hit $80,000 at 90% scale just by staying marked up all the time)

None of those required a College Degree. As for proving my worth - I started as a Conductor and took the Engineer bid when it became available.

The ad hominem at the end was a little unnecessary but not something I have not witnessed before. People are actually shocked at the wages paid for by the Class 1 Railroads.