McDonalds Workers in New York Striking

[MouseketeerMMC]

You do realize that most employers are not mulit million dollar corporations. Small businesses pay minimum wage as well. Flipping burgers is flipping burgers. Are you saying that high profit companies should be forced to pay a higher minimum wage ? What about burger flippers at a smaller mom&pop? The worthiness of a job is the worthiness of a job. Now, if the company CHOOSES to pay higher, its up to them, but what you pay your employees shouldn't be mandated according to how much profit you make.

The difference between small business owners and large corporations like McDonalds is that McDonalds can actually afford to pay a higher rate. If a company is bringing in a great load of money, employees should be able to make a living wage. Employeers including small mom and pop businesses are the ones who keep miniumum wages lower, especially restraurants.

Ever watch your local news when miniumum wage increases are pending? Who do they go to? Restrauant owners who cry out that they will have to just increase the prices of all of their goods. Even though most long term companies actually could afford to go up with salaries, but they do not because they do not want to take any type of a cut.

Let me ask you Jovi, how do you live off of $7 a hour where these employees are working? You can't! Yet these companies could easily pay double because the prices at these McDonalds fit with the cost of living. Go to a McDonalds there than go to a McDonalds in a low cost area. The prices are different, yet McDonalds is paying the same amount! It makes zero sense! And it comes down to greed!

You do realize that most employers are not mulit million dollar corporations. Small businesses pay minimum wage as well. Flipping burgers is flipping burgers. Are you saying that high profit companies should be forced to pay a higher minimum wage ? What about burger flippers at a smaller mom&pop? The worthiness of a job is the worthiness of a job. Now, if the company CHOOSES to pay higher, its up to them, but what you pay your employees shouldn't be mandated according to how much profit you make.

The difference between small business owners and large corporations like McDonalds is that McDonalds can actually afford to pay a higher rate. If a company is bringing in a great load of money, employees should be able to make a living wage. Employeers including small mom and pop businesses are the ones who keep miniumum wages lower, especially restraurants.

Ever watch your local news when miniumum wage increases are pending? Who do they go to? Restrauant owners who cry out that they will have to just increase the prices of all of their goods. Even though most long term companies actually could afford to go up with salaries, but they do not because they do not want to take any type of a cut.

Let me ask you Jovi, how do you live off of $7 a hour where these employees are working? You can't! Yet these companies could easily pay double because the prices at these McDonalds fit with the cost of living. Go to a McDonalds there than go to a McDonalds in a low cost area. The prices are different, yet McDonalds is paying the same amount! It makes zero sense! And it comes down to greed!

So again, how do you suggest smaller corporations deal with paying their employees? How should they decide what to pay? Surely , you can't expect them to have the same financial ability to pay their employees? So do we go to a system where its not the "job" that is worth the pay but where the job is? So the same work would legallydemand different pay based on the profits of the company?

I am for an increase of miniumum wage up to $10 a hour and more. I personally do not see how people can live off of such a low income. And it is revolting when you hear stories from a coporation like McDonalds that pays someone $7 a hour in such a high cost of living. That is far below a living wage. But you could care less, you would rather have them go to wel fare which is the alternative and have yourself subsidize these employees with food stamps and housing, because that is what happens with these type of employees. Either a corporation that they work for and can pay for an increase to a living wage, or you will pay for them.

There are plenty of busboys, fry cooks, cashiers working for small companies, making minimum wage that aren't striking saying they deserve more. Tell Uncle Joe who owns the corner grill that.

And do they live where these folks do? You know who makes up a lot of your staff in high end restrauants in this town. Foreigners? Why? Because they work harder, and they take less pay, but these restrauants also pay better wages because they want to keep these people, and they appreciate how much they work even though these jobs are not high skilled.

Anthony Bourdain would hire Ecuadorians all day long.

The problem is that you probably live in a city where the cost of living is not that high and therefore you do not realize what $7 is where these McDonald employees live. Because it is IMPOSSIBLE to live off of $7 40 hour a week.

As they should. Those shareholders invest . They need those shareholders or they can't operate. If they pull their money, no more McDonalds and then no more jobs....

You really think without McDonalds shareholders that McDonalds would go under??? McDonalds can easily operate WITHOUT being a PUBLIC company. Just like Apple, and Wal-Mart. Do you think that if Wal-Mart went Private that Wal-Mart would go under? Wal-Mart is able to lose money per product because of the amount of money they bring in! McDonalds is at the level of Wal-Mart. They basically print money.

 

[kt_mom]

The difference between small business owners and large corporations like McDonalds is that McDonalds can actually afford to pay a higher rate. If a company is bringing in a great load of money, employees should be able to make a living wage. Employeers including small mom and pop businesses are the ones who keep miniumum wages lower, especially restraurants.

Ever watch your local news when miniumum wage increases are pending? Who do they go to? Restrauant owners who cry out that they will have to just increase the prices of all of their goods. Even though most long term companies actually could afford to go up with salaries, but they do not because they do not want to take any type of a cut.

Let me ask you Jovi, how do you live off of $7 a hour where these employees are working? You can't! Yet these companies could easily pay double because the prices at these McDonalds fit with the cost of living. Go to a McDonalds there than go to a McDonalds in a low cost area. The prices are different, yet McDonalds is paying the same amount! It makes zero sense! And it comes down to greed!

I agree with a previous poster, flipping burgers is flipping burgers. If someone wants to make more money then get the skills to do more than what any given 15 year old can do. I realize that's more difficult today, but its still the path to higher wages. If you don't want to do that, then be prepared to work multiple jobs until you can make ends meet, choose a less expensive place to live or find ways to lower your expenses.


A company is not obligated to pay more for work that requires no real skill or education then a smaller company just because they turn a higher profit.

 

[MouseketeerMMC]

I agree with a previous poster, flipping burgers is flipping burgers. If someone wants to make more money then get the skills to do more than what any given 15 year old can do. I realize that's more difficult today, but its still the path to higher wages. If you don't want to do that, then be prepared to work multiple jobs until you can make ends meet, choose a less expensive place to live or find ways to lower your expenses.

The problem is that even if you go get a higher education you are not guaranteed that type of job. As I posted earlier in this thread 50% of recent grads are not working in a field where a degree is needed. Many people are working jobs that are beneath them, and even fast food companies that was once a place for teenagers and college kids are now being filled by older, with more experience simply because of the economic problems in our country.

How do you lower your expenses on $7 a hour in the area that these employees live in? lol

A company is not obligated to pay more for work that requires no real skill or education then a smaller company just because they turn a higher profit.

No, but a company should be able to give an employee a living wage salary when their intake is as large as McDonalds, and they mark up the prices to fit a high cost area yet refuse to pay their employees.

 

[Acklander]

Maybe burger flippers will always be a minimum wage job, maybe it won't. But what you are seeing now is the general dissatisfaction with the way large corporations have over taken the country, put the mom and pops out of business, told the employees that they are worth only minimum wage while those at the top continue to collect greater and greater bonuses. People are becoming more aware of how employers are treating their employees and responding with their wallets. Look at the difference between Walmart/SAMs club and Costco. Both provide the same service, but treat their employees differently, yet both are able to turn a profit. One is growing its member base at a much higher rate than the other. When you have a group walk out for a day at McDonalds they are asking us, the consumer, to take notice. and we did.
Just like the big box stores took out a lot of the mom and pops, I suspect we'll see something else replace the big box stores, just by consumers becoming aware.
I know that I'm trying to be careful where I shop. There's an ap that lists restaurants (by location) that treats their employees fairly. There's a process where a corporation can be certified As a B corporation, I'm always looking for that label. There are websites that lists items made in America. There are websites that list employee owned businesses. Every day I hear more and more people who are committing themselves to responsible shopping. And the more aware the consumer is, the better chance for change to happen.

 

[sam_gordon]

The problem is that even if you go get a higher education you are not guaranteed that type of job. As I posted earlier in this thread 50% of recent grads are not working in a field where a degree is needed. Many people are working jobs that are beneath them, and even fast food companies that was once a place for teenagers and college kids are now being filled by older, with more experience simply because of the economic problems in our country.

OK, I have to jump in here. Of COURSE you're not guaranteed a certain paying job just because you have a college degree. You still have to put in effort. That might mean internships, moving, networking, whatever.

How do you lower your expenses on $7 a hour in the area that these employees live in? lol

Walk to work, get a roommate (or more than 1), drop the iphone, cable, internet. For that matter, no one is forcing people to live in NYC.

No, but a company should be able to give an employee a living wage salary when their intake is as large as McDonalds, and they mark up the prices to fit a high cost area yet refuse to pay their employees.

The prices also go up because the fixed costs for the business (rent, utilities, taxes, etc) are also higher.

What if I said you should be able to give 10% of every check to charity. In fact, because I think you should be able to do so, we're going to arrange to take it out of your check automatically?

Last but not least, since you know how much money McDonalds brings in, I assume you know what their expenses are too. Do you care to share?

 

[joviroxx]

So this really then has nothing to do with earning what the job is worth but its about large corporations sharing the wealth, I still cannot figure how someone can say that a McDonald's burger flipper should make more than the flipper at the neighborhood grill because mcd'd makes more money.

It's not a corporations responsibility to make sure you make enough to cover your expenses . It's their responsibility to pay you what you are worth. If they want to pay more , that's great but it should be an option , not a mandate. But if you want to discuss spreading the wealth, that's a different conversation.

As far as large corporations and their shareholders . You bet it's important.

 

[iheartdisney]

So this really then has nothing to do with earning what the job is worth but its about large corporations sharing the wealth, I still cannot figure how someone can say that a McDonald's burger flipper should make more than the flipper at the neighborhood grill because mcd'd makes more money.

It's not a corporations responsibility to make sure you make enough to cover your expenses . It's their responsibility to pay you what you are worth. If they want to pay more , that's great but it should be an option , not a mandate. But if you want to discuss spreading the wealth, that's a different conversation.

As far as large corporations and their shareholders . You bet it's important.

I think you hit it right on the head. Many opinions on this thread are not about making the poor less poor, they just want the rich to be less rich.

 

[angwill]

You do realize that most employers are not mulit million dollar corporations. Small businesses pay minimum wage as well. Flipping burgers is flipping burgers. Are you saying that high profit companies should be forced to pay a higher minimum wage ? What about burger flippers at a smaller mom&pop? The worthiness of a job is the worthiness of a job. Now, if the company CHOOSES to pay higher, its up to them, but what you pay your employees shouldn't be mandated according to how much profit you make.

All companies big or small should pay higher wages and if the cost of a burger goes up so be it. A fast food meal is not a need it is a want. Putting a roof over ones head, food in their mouth, clothing, and transportation to a job are needs. Supplementing any business so they can pay their employee less than poverty is something I feel should not be passed on to every tax payer in America to suppliment.

 

[angwill]

OK, I have to jump in here. Of COURSE you're not guaranteed a certain paying job just because you have a college degree. You still have to put in effort. That might mean internships, moving, networking, whatever.

Walk to work, get a roommate (or more than 1), drop the iphone, cable, internet. For that matter, no one is forcing people to live in NYC.


The prices also go up because the fixed costs for the business (rent, utilities, taxes, etc) are also higher.

What if I said you should be able to give 10% of every check to charity. In fact, because I think you should be able to do so, we're going to arrange to take it out of your check automatically?

Last but not least, since you know how much money McDonalds brings in, I assume you know what their expenses are too. Do you care to share?

If someone can't afford to live in NY on minimum wage that means they have to live where it would be impossible to walk to work. If you really sit down and figure out how much someone would make working 40 or even 60 hours at minimum wage you would know that they could not afford and Iphone, cable or interenet access. They would instead only be able to afford the free state track phone and that is so their job can contact them so it is a need. They would be lucky to own a TV that get local stations or even have time to watch it. That's even with a half dozen roomates in a studio apartment that is against fire codes.

The government does take over 10% out of peoples check as taxes automatically just because they say so that is nothing new. Call it charity if you must some of it is going to pay welfare for those who make minimum wage so I guess it is charity if you think of it that way.

 

[usd2bmd]

I have not read through all of the responses, so please forgive me if this information is already here. I live in New York. (not NYC thank goodness because even at what I make I could not afford to live in NYC).
To those of you who say they make enough I ask if any of you have gotten a raise in the last 5 years. Because in New York, the minimum wage has gone up .10 in the last 5 years. (yes a dime)

New York has some of the highest taxes and cost of living in the country, but we by no means have the highest minimum wage. 7.25 equates to a little over $15,000 annually. if you are working full time there is no way you can support yourself, let alone a family on that. They deserve a raise and if they start with demanding 100% maybe they will come out of it with something that makes a life possible.

 

[usd2bmd]

So this really then has nothing to do with earning what the job is worth but its about large corporations sharing the wealth, I still cannot figure how someone can say that a McDonald's burger flipper should make more than the flipper at the neighborhood grill because mcd'd makes more money.

It's not a corporations responsibility to make sure you make enough to cover your expenses . It's their responsibility to pay you what you are worth. If they want to pay more , that's great but it should be an option , not a mandate. But if you want to discuss spreading the wealth, that's a different conversation.

As far as large corporations and their shareholders . You bet it's important.

I'm sorry but I have to disagree...I don't think of it as sharing the wealth. these people are worth more than $7.25/hr.

I wonder of you would feel the same if your employer told you that they have decided that your job is now worth 1/2 of what you're making.

Paying your employees a living wage shouldn't have to be a mandate...but too many employers would exploiting their workers if it wasn't.

 

[luvmy3]

I have not read through all of the responses, so please forgive me if this information is already here. I live in New York. (not NYC thank goodness because even at what I make I could not afford to live in NYC).
To those of you who say they make enough I ask if any of you have gotten a raise in the last 5 years. Because in New York, the minimum wage has gone up .10 in the last 5 years. (yes a dime)

New York has some of the highest taxes and cost of living in the country, but we by no means have the highest minimum wage. 7.25 equates to a little over $15,000 annually. if you are working full time there is no way you can support yourself, let alone a family on that. They deserve a raise and if they start with demanding 100% maybe they will come out of it with something that makes a life possible.

A minimum wage job is not meant to raise a family on And no they don't deserve a raise because they think it is.

 

[iheartdisney]

All companies big or small should pay higher wages and if the cost of a burger goes up so be it. A fast food meal is not a need it is a want. Putting a roof over ones head, food in their mouth, clothing, and transportation to a job are needs. Supplementing any business so they can pay their employee less than poverty is something I feel should not be passed on to every tax payer in America to suppliment.

yep. that is a great solution. Raise the price of the burger so you can pay a higher wage. No one can afford a $20 burger so the the restaurant goes out of business. Now instead of a low paying job, they have no job. Problem solved.

McDonalds was never designed to be a career. You are supposed to work there while still living at home/ going to school/ starting out. by the time you are paying your own rent/ supporting a family you should have moved up the chain slightly. Menial labor/ grunt work is compensated appropriately. Get an education, acquire a trade. But it is easier to get a job at McDonald's and say Well, that's all I get.

 

[usd2bmd]

yep. that is a great solution. Raise the price of the burger so you can pay a higher wage. No one can afford a $20 burger so the the restaurant goes out of business. Now instead of a low paying job, they have no job. Problem solved.

McDonalds was never designed to be a career. You are supposed to work there while still living at home/ going to school/ starting out. by the time you are paying your own rent/ supporting a family you should have moved up the chain slightly. Menial labor/ grunt work is compensated appropriately. Get an education, acquire a trade. But it is easier to get a job at McDonald's and say Well, that's all I get.

If only it was that easy... Get an education acquire a trade... Too bad there are kids doing just that and graduating to find there are no jobs and now there are student loans due... To assume that everyone that works there is there because it's EASIER is making a huge assumption.

 

[iheartdisney]

If only it was that easy... Get an education acquire a trade... Too bad there are kids doing just that and graduating to find there are no jobs and now there are student loans due... To assume that everyone that works there is there because it's EASIER is making a huge assumption.

Sorry. Allow me to rephrase. Get a MARKETABLE education. Acquire a trade that is in needed in your area or relocate. I'm sure there are quite a few college graduates holding Liberal Arts or Gender Studies degrees that are having a hard time finding work. No one is going to GIVE you a job. You have to be qualified for a position that is open.
Likewise, no one is going to GIVE you a raise, or pay you double minimum wage just because you think they should.

 

[joviroxx]

And for the record, most McDonalds are franchises. They are NOT corporate owned. So in essence, they are small businesses.They pay McDonalds Corporate monthly fees based on sales as well as rent. Does that change your opinion?

 

[luvmy3]

And for the record, most McDonalds are franchises. They are NOT corporate owned. So in essence, they are small businesses.They pay McDonalds Corporate monthly fees based on sales as well as rent. Does that change your opinion?

I pointed that out earlier in the thread so I doubt anyone is going to answer yes.

 

[sam_gordon]

I'm sorry but I have to disagree...I don't think of it as sharing the wealth. these people are worth more than $7.25/hr.

Why?

I wonder of you would feel the same if your employer told you that they have decided that your job is now worth 1/2 of what you're making.

I wouldn't strike. I'd make as many cuts as I could, and start looking for another (or a 2nd) job.

 

[luvsJack]

It always amazes me that so many think the answer is "get an education, get another job" We have college grads coming back every day trying to do just that and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

If every one of those coming back to school jump into the same program because there are jobs in that field, guess what? Soon there won't be any jobs there either and they are right back at square one.

We have people that are trying to get in to some of our two-year allied health programs that have a BS in education or some other major that when they got that degree they thought it WAS a marketable career. Not so much anymore. And who can say that in the year to two years that it takes to get the new degree, the same thing want happen in that field?

Most people that work at McD's do not want to be there. Most would love to move on to something else but its not always a choice they have at the moment.

The McD's employees that always surprise me about keeping the job are the managers. They are paid a salary and when the number of hours they are expected to work are added up; its a whole less than minimum wage. They are the ones that I would expect to be striking.

As for the mistakes and low work ethics that come in to play at many fast food places; maybe if there was more incentive to do a good job, the employees would be more likely to put forth some effort.

 

[usd2bmd]

It always amazes me that so many think the answer is "get an education, get another job" We have college grads coming back every day trying to do just that and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

If every one of those coming back to school jump into the same program because there are jobs in that field, guess what? Soon there won't be any jobs there either and they are right back at square one.

We have people that are trying to get in to some of our two-year allied health programs that have a BS in education or some other major that when they got that degree they thought it WAS a marketable career. Not so much anymore. And who can say that in the year to two years that it takes to get the new degree, the same thing want happen in that field?

Most people that work at McD's do not want to be there. Most would love to move on to something else but its not always a choice they have at the moment.

The McD's employees that always surprise me about keeping the job are the managers. They are paid a salary and when the number of hours they are expected to work are added up; its a whole less than minimum wage. They are the ones that I would expect to be striking.

As for the mistakes and low work ethics that come in to play at many fast food places; maybe if there was more incentive to do a good job, the employees would be more likely to put forth some effort.

I totally agree....