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U.S. fast-food workers hold walkouts over low pay

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U.S. fast-food customers in search of burgers on Thursday might run into striking workers instead.

Fast-food workers protested in U.S. cities including New York, Chicago and Detroit, with organizers expecting the biggest national walkouts yet in a demand for higher wages.

Organizers say thousands of fast-food workers were set to stage walkouts in about 50 cities, part of a push to get chains such as McDonald's, Taco Bell and Wendy's to pay wages that people can live on. The restaurants were to stay open.

Workers say they want $15 US an hour, which would be about $31,000 US a year for full-time employees. That's more than double the federal minimum wage, which many fast food workers make, of $7.25 an hour, or $15,000 a year

White House urges higher minimum wage
The move comes amid calls from the White House, some members of Congress and economists to raise the minimum wage, which was last raised in 2009. But most proposals seek a far more modest increase than the one workers want. President Barack Obama wants to raise it to $9 an hour.

The push has brought considerable attention to the so-called "McJobs" that are known for their low pay and limited prospects.

Fast-food workers say they can't live on what they're paid.

Shaniqua Davis, 20, lives in New York City with her boyfriend, who is unemployed, and their one-year-old daughter. Davis works at a McDonald's, earning $7.25 an hour. Her schedule varies, but she never gets close to 40 hours a week. "Forty? Never. They refuse to let you get to that (many) hours."

Her weekly paycheque is $150 or much lower. Davis plans to take part in the strike Thursday.

McDonald's, Burger King respond
McDonald's Corp. and Burger King Worldwide Inc. say they don't make decisions about pay for the independent franchisees that operate the majority of their U.S. restaurants.

For the restaurants it does own, McDonald's said in a statement that pay starts at minimum wage but the range goes higher, depending on the employee's position and experience level. It said that raising entry-level wages would mean higher overall costs, which could result in higher prices on menus.

"That would potentially have a negative impact on employment and business growth in our restaurants, as well as value for our customers," the company said in a statement.

The Wendy's Co. and Yum Brands Inc., which owns KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, did not respond to a request for comment.

The National Restaurant Association says the low wages reflect the fact that most fast-food workers tend to be younger and have little work experience. Scott DeFife, a spokesman for the group, says that doubling wages would hurt job creation, noting that fast-food chains are already facing higher costs for ingredients, as well as new regulations that will require them to pay more in health care costs.

Mary Kay Henry, president of the Service Employees International Union, which is providing the fast-food strikes with financial support and training, said the actions in recent months show that fast-food workers can be mobilized, despite the industry's relatively higher turnover rates and younger age.

"The reality has totally blown through the obstacles," she said.

U.S. fast-food workers hold walkouts over low pay - Business - CBC News

i think $15 is too much for fast food workers.

$15 seems unreasonable for an entry level fast food job.

7.25 is pretty low imo lol but 15/hr for regular fast-food workers is pushing it.

Hell, our lot manager at the dealership doesn't even make that much

They will never get 15

That's the point. Ask for ten and you'll get eight.

If someone could post a clip from a few weeks ago of Stephen Colbert explaining McDick's employee financial planning pamphlet, that would really be helpful in such a discussion as this.

When does entry level positions that are great student learning jobs make more then most jobs in the city. If it happens, there will be a mass competition for the fast food jobs and students will get bumped out of this great entry level job!
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if you cant get a big mac meal order right making $8, why do you deserve 15?

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Originally Posted by Energy (Post 8312355)

$15 seems unreasonable for an entry level fast food job.

Hi! We pay them fucking $10/hour! $10 fucking dollars an hour!

We're not that far off. Pretty soon, much like Mexicans hopping the Grande to a new life, we're going to have waves of people coming north for a taste of our burger gold rush.

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Originally Posted by hillmar (Post 8312394)

If Your Next Big Mac Is Made by a Robot, Thank 'Fast Food Forward' - YouTube
Posted via RS Mobile

The problem is there are not enough high school workers and high school drop outs to fill all the positions.

Why not let the market speak for itself and not have a regulated minimum wage.

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Originally Posted by Gridlock (Post 8312407)

Hi! Are you saying that because we pay fast food workers fucking $10/hour that all the prospective fast food workers are going to want to work here as opposed to the US?

So we pay too much? :suspicious:

just the cycle of inflation

Love the example they use "Shaniqua Davis, 20, lives in New York City with her boyfriend, who is unemployed, and their one-year-old daughter. Davis works at a McDonald's, earning $7.25 an hour."

brb urban youth. brb teen mom. brb unemployed baby-daddy. blame mcdonalds!

IMO min. wagers should not have have (big) families

Well, fine then, my last post wasn't serious, but let's have a take on it.

Maybe we shouldn't, as a society, be trying to make McD's a family supporting career opportunity. Maybe we need to address that there is a growing portion of the American population that would like to just have a respectable job.

I know, might socialist for capitalist old me, but even I can see that there is an answer that doesn't focus on handouts.

You have a generation...let's call it for what it is, its blacks and immigrants that have a higher than statistical average population in prison, growing up poor, making bad decisions, leading to more incarceration, leading to further erosion.

Then we get all surprised when the crime rates go up in the inner city. We get surprised when drug use increases.

No. Shit.

We also have people racking up debt getting a post secondary education only to find there is no work in their field of study. One of the few options left to them is to work for minimum wage. Even at 40hrs a week that often isn't enough to stay afloat.

$15/hr working at McDonalds... :lawl:

How's this for a thought... Working at a fast food joint, unless you're management or higher, isn't a career. It's a job designed to get you work experience and to help pay for college. I know apprentices in trades who don't even make $15 an hour (and, yes, I'm aware they'll easily make twice that once they become a journeyman, but still...).

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Originally Posted by Bouncing Bettys (Post 8312545)

But then who's fault is that? If I decide to go into a specific field to study, the first thing I'll do is to look at the existing jobs and try to get a feel for what the job situation in four years will be. I'm not going to blindly get a degree in social economics, hoping that there will be a plethora of jobs available once I get out of school. And if I assume there will be, that fault will be on my shoulders, not the school's and not anyone else's.

isnt the wages in calgary around 15dollars for mcdonalds in order to stay competitive?

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Originally Posted by Anjew (Post 8312630)

isnt the wages in calgary around 15dollars for mcdonalds in order to stay competitive?

Rates are approx $13 here in fort mcmurray. Turnover is higher than between shaniquas legs. Oprah winni-free should smack some reality into those people. Don't like your bf, find a new one. Don't like your job, find a new one. Don't like your car, find a new one.
Posted via RS Mobile

Shaniqua Davis, 20, lives in New York City with her boyfriend, who is unemployed, and their one-year-old daughter. Davis works at a McDonald's, earning $7.25 an hour. Her schedule varies, but she never gets close to 40 hours a week. "Forty? Never. They refuse to let you get to that (many) hours.

Maybe her problem isn't that $7.25 is too low, but her decision to bring a baby into this world with her unemployed boyfriend...

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Originally Posted by ShadowBun (Post 8312514)

IMO min. wagers should not have have (big) families

correction, min wagers should not have kids period