This page has been archived and commenting is disabled.

Fast-Food Workers Strike, Arrested Across America: The Unseen Costs Of The Minimum Wage

Tyler Durden's picture




 

"Get up! Get down! Fast-food workers run this town!" were the chants from fast-food workers in over 100 cities across America today, as empowered by President Obama's explanation of 'fairness', they demanded a $15-per-hour minimum wage amid strikes, rallies, and acts of civil disobedience.

"They want $15 an hour and McDonalds Corporation should give it to them immediately" - Protest Organizerr Rev. Charles Williams II

Many fast-food chains and independent restaurants have said that a $15 hourly wage would lead to big price increases on their menus or make it impossible to eke out a profit, adding that they "believe that any minimum wage increase should be implemented over time so that the impact on owners of small and medium-sized businesses." Police arrested 19 workers in NYC and several dozen were placed in handcuffs in Detroit and organizers strongly denied unconfirmed fast-food industry accusations that some workers were being paid $250 to $500 by the union to strike. While the economic reasoning for a minimum-wage hike has been dead-and-buried, we try one more time to explain the hidden costs of the minimum wage.

 

 

As The LA Times reports,

Fanny Velazquez, 36, said she was participating in the rally to fight for better wages to support her family. A single mother with three children, ages 11, 14 and 16, she said she struggles to make her $9.34-an-hour pay cover all the bills.

 

The South Los Angeles resident has been working at McDonald's for eight years doing a variety of jobs, usually working 20 hours a week. But lately, Velazquez said, the company has often cut her hours to 15 a week. She also qualifies for welfare and food assistance.

 

"It's difficult, it's not enough to pay my bills," she said.

 

A series of protests funded in part by the Service Employees International Union and local activist groups have sought to spotlight the plight of low-wage workers and push for higher pay.

And USA Today continues...

Strikers began to gather in more than 100 cities early Thursday, affecting major chains from McDonald's to Wendy's to Burger King. Shortly after 7 a.m. ET on Thursday, police arrested 19 workers who sat down in the street — and refused to move — outside the bustling McDonald's at New York's Times Square, reports the New York City Police Department. Up to several dozen striking fast-food workers were placed in handcuffs and arrested in Detroit, as well.

 

...

 

"There has to be civil disobedience because workers don't see any other way to get $15 an hour and a union," says Kendall Fells, organizing director of the organizing group Fast Food Forward, which is financially backed by the Service Employees International Union. "There's a long history of this, from the civil rights movement to the farm workers movement."

 

...

 

Organizers strongly denied unconfirmed fast-food industry accusations that some workers were being paid $250 to $500 by the union to strike. " Workers are not getting paid to strike," says Fells. "It's an age-old tradition in the union movement that workers who are losing pay by going on strike get support from other workers through strike funds. Other workers are supporting strikers through a strike fund, as they have since this movement started."

 

...

 

The strike comes just days after President Obama appeared to lend support to the so-called Fight for $15 movement at a Labor Day speech in Milwaukee. "All across the country right now, there's a national movement going on made up of fast-food workers organizing to life wages so they can provide for their families with pride and dignity," Obama said.

In a statement, McDonald's said

"We believe that any minimum wage increase should be implemented over time so that the impact on owners and small and medium-sized businesses — like the ones who own and operate the majority of our restaurants — is manageable."

*  *  *

And we leave it to Josh Grossman of The Ludwig von Mises Institute blog to explain, The Unseen costs of the minimum wage...

A recent article at US News and World Report by Pat Garofalo quotes Associated Press writer Christopher Rugaber who says that “US states that boosted their minimums at the beginning of the year, the number of jobs grew an average of 0.85 percent from January through June. The average for the other 37 states was 0.61 percent.” However, this appears to be another example of the Broken Window fallacy refuted by Frédéric Bastiat in his famous essay “That Which is Seen and Unseen.” In the introduction Bastiat states that

 

"in the economy, an act, a habit, an institution, a law, gives birth not only to an effect, but to a series of effects. Of these effects, the first only is immediate; it manifests itself simultaneously with its cause — it is seen. The others unfold in succession — they are not seen: it is well for us if they are foreseen. Between a good and a bad economist this constitutes the whole difference — the one takes account of the visible effect; the other takes account both of the effects which are seen and also of those which it is necessary to foresee."

 

By raising wage rates, the public can see their states’ minimum-wage earners making more money. This is the factor that is seen. What is unseen is the number of jobs destroyed or citizens who would have been able to obtain jobs if the minimum wage were never raised in these states in the first place.

 

But even the government statistics do not add nearly as much support as the pro-minimum wage group implies. Florida, for example, was one of the thirteen states that raised its minimum wage to $7.93 per hour as of January 1, 2014. Looking at monthly seasonally-adjusted employment and unemployment data for Florida, comparing January to May 2014, we find that the unemployment rate actually increased from 6.1 percent to 6.3 percent, respectively. The unemployment rate of Florida might be several times larger but for the fact that only those still actively seeking work are considered to be employed, and do not include those who are underemployed or have given up looking for work. In addition, this data clearly demonstrates that the Florida unemployment rate was decreasing every month prior to the minimum wage being raised from 7.4 percent in July 2013 to 5.9 percent in December 2013 before increasing to 6.3 percent upon introduction of the new minimum wage in January. It’s dangerous to draw broad conclusions from a single statistic like this, but it’s clear that we can hardly conclude, as Garofalo has done, that minimum wage hikes “have little to no effect on employment.”

 

Another weakness behind the claims that minimum wages raise the well-being of workers, is that it does not state what kinds of jobs are being created. An increase in government jobs, for example, does not create added wealth to a state’s economy. In fact, such jobs are a drag because they have to be paid for by imposing higher taxes on the productive sector of the economy.

 

Even more uncertainty is added if we consider Cantillon effects, which tell us that in response to money-supply inflation, prices (including labor prices) do not change uniformly and at the same speed, so the effect of raising the minimum wage will be different in each of these thirteen states.

 

Finally, if raising minimum wages does increase the number of jobs in these states, why don’t their governors and legislatures raise the minimum wage to $100 to $1,000 dollars per hour? To ask the question is to answer it as even these interventionist politicians know that no one besides government bureaucrats would still be employed under such as system. Any first-year economics student knows that, all things being equal, as the price of an item increases, demand for that item decreases accordingly. Wage rates are labor’s price. As wage rates increase, employers demand for workers will decrease. By increasing the minimum wage, politicians in these thirteen states are condemning many of their citizens to unemployment.

 

Murray Rothbard perhaps said it best when he argued that the minimum wage “is compulsory unemployment, period … the minimum wage law provides no jobs; it only outlaws them; and outlawed jobs are the inevitable result.”

*  *  *

Enough?

 

- advertisements -

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.
Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:40 | 5182651 teslaberry
teslaberry's picture

dear tyler, you have to stop using the language that the tptb use to define the debates for the sake of pitying the  sheep. 

title should read 

 

' THE UNSEEN COSTS OF LEGISLATING MINIMUM PURCHASING POWER OF AN HOUR OF LABOR"

 

I'TS NOT ABOUT WAGES ITS ABOUT PURCHASING POWER. 

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:46 | 5182670 Four chan
Four chan's picture

fine 15 bucks an hour, thats double the wage? 
we will have half as many employees, and those of you left making 15 per hour will be working twice as hard and long.

only a fucking moron cant or refuses to understand how this works.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:48 | 5182681 Slave
Slave's picture

This debate has gone full retard.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:53 | 5182696 TeamDepends
TeamDepends's picture

New item on the Dollar Menu: The McScab......only 89 cents!

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:54 | 5182707 Publicus
Publicus's picture

"Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains."

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:57 | 5182723 knukles
knukles's picture

Ned Ludd was right.
Anymore shit like this and the BurgerKings of the world will be 100% automated.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:11 | 5182784 MonsterBox
MonsterBox's picture

Shit...make it $100/hr, for everyone.   Helicopter Ben.  And watch all savings & fixed instruments melt away.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:26 | 5182845 Bossman1967
Bossman1967's picture

Exactly look at the prices now and I wouldnt buy that shit food when I can go to a decent restaurant and eat. So double the wage and they will be on govt assistance just great

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:36 | 5182889 Theta_Burn
Theta_Burn's picture

If you thought RedLobster was fucked up before, wait till this crowd rolls in for the $8.99 sea-leg special...

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:46 | 5182918 kaiserhoff
kaiserhoff's picture

But lately, Velazquez said, the company has often cut her hours to 15 a week. She also qualifies for welfare and food assistance.

There's the truth about all of this fist pumping.  Those making the most noise are living on welfare.

After taxes and benefit cuts, they would be no better off, probably worse.  But, never miss a chance to fuck up the economy with Central Planning.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:59 | 5182945 Siniverisyys
Siniverisyys's picture

Zero Hedge has more than one article showing that low-income earners are subsidized by the government. It seems that low-income, part-time jobs are all that's left in the U.S. of A. Without these subsidies, a substantial number of working people would be out in the street. 

These fast-food corporations merely transfer the cost of employment to the government.

They also set the prices & wages for the industry.

So who are the deadbeats? The ones who would have to work 100+ hours a week to cover the cost of rent, or the ones who deflect the cost of employment onto the social safety net?

"PRIVATIZE PROFITS. SOCIALIZE LOSSES."

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 22:00 | 5182971 FredFlintstone
FredFlintstone's picture

The corporations don't transfer the cost of employment to government. The government transfers the cost of your burger to the taxpayer.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 22:04 | 5182982 Siniverisyys
Siniverisyys's picture

...and McDonald's billion dollar profits are just coincidental?

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 22:09 | 5183002 FredFlintstone
FredFlintstone's picture

What happens to those profits? They get taxed and then get distributed to shareholders and get taxed again.

I am sure that some people think that Ronald McDonald and the Hamburgler up in his hideout are sitting on billions of dollars in illgotten loot.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 22:22 | 5183024 Siniverisyys
Siniverisyys's picture

I'm sure McDonald's shareholders and C-level execs cry all the way to the Cayman Islands.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 22:34 | 5183051 philipat
philipat's picture

Does that minmum wage also apply to the new hamburger-making machines and the self-order/pay terminals?

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 23:11 | 5183123 Drunk In Church
Drunk In Church's picture

Fifteen bucks an hour sound right to me.  Manufacturing has shit the bed.  And people need to eat.  I don't understand the nay-sayers.

Fri, 09/05/2014 - 00:11 | 5183259 Never One Roach
Never One Roach's picture

I’m going to stick my neck out here and take a wild guess that the workers at that McDs in Ferguson are not striking. Just a wild hunch....

Fri, 09/05/2014 - 03:00 | 5183427 James_Cole
James_Cole's picture

Lemme see if i get this right. Corps get unlimited bailouts when shit goes south, free money to buy their own stocks (anytime) intellectual property protection, general legal protection, military protection, various tax subsidies etc. - You know, free market shit.

And the workers (paid in peanuts subsidized by .gov, crumbs if they're lucky) are fuckin' up the whole thing by asking for extra peanuts? Fucking with the laws of economics, thus sayeth Mises? 

Oh wait i know, we gotta deal with BOTH issues. But somehow FIRST it's always fuck labour. And dealing with the other side...never seems to happen does it? Funny that. How's JP morgue doin? How's your paycheque?

Last 30 yrs been great making labour more 'flexibile.' And banks? Yeah.. deregulate deregulate deregulate...but give em free cash from uncle sam! How's that workin' out bitchez? How's that high wages, low unemployment shit these days?

Whatever you do, don't band together to demand better wages and worker benefits. That shit gunna tank the whole system, gawd forbid that happens!!

Fri, 09/05/2014 - 03:37 | 5183445 Siniverisyys
Siniverisyys's picture

XD

Fri, 09/05/2014 - 05:55 | 5183526 Oracle 911
Oracle 911's picture

Does it really matters how big or small is the minimum wage when it came to employment?

I mean do the corporations have to pay just the minimum wage?

Fri, 09/05/2014 - 06:47 | 5183551 Supernova Born
Supernova Born's picture

You can't even buy the shit they serve on the shit they pay.

Unrest?

Shocking.

Fri, 09/05/2014 - 04:41 | 5183484 snr-moment
snr-moment's picture

Right!!  Like the UAW and Detroit!!!!!!  Like the  pilot's unions and the airlines!!!  Teacher's unions and education!!?? Cabbies?  aw fuck it.

A roll of free toilet paper near every pot!!!

Fri, 09/05/2014 - 00:35 | 5183294 All_Your_Base
All_Your_Base's picture

Do you understand censorship? Information is transmitted in an unfettered price. Fixing a price censors that information. A lack of information (or a deluge of misinformation) leads to malinvestment. Malinvestment leads to waste. Waste leads to collapse. Collapse increases poverty. 

Fri, 09/05/2014 - 11:26 | 5184691 FredFlintstone
FredFlintstone's picture

Pension funds and mutual funds for your IRA and 401K have a bunch of these stocks as well.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 22:29 | 5183041 Anusocracy
Anusocracy's picture

So why haven't you started a fast food chain and offered lower prices?

Fri, 09/05/2014 - 00:05 | 5183249 FredFlintstone
FredFlintstone's picture

Good point. If Mayor McCheese is hording all of this cash, you would think that any old mom & pop hamburger joint could offer lower prices and clean up. They could then open other stores and expand and eventually drive all of these obscene businesses (which must be colluding in holding down wages) out of business.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:13 | 5182792 Yes_Questions
Yes_Questions's picture

 

 

given the state of their product yours truly had the pleasure consume about a year ago: I'd say it already is automated.

 

and to run the automation, the wage will be more than minimum.

 

the product will still only resemble food tho..

 

this is a no-win situation.  fast food workers are already on the path to extinction as the product has long since become poisonous dreck.  these businesses have been in a race to the bottom so long its too far outside their model to staff a shop by paying a living wage.

 

enigmatic paradocks

 

 

 

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:32 | 5182856 Theta_Burn
Theta_Burn's picture

+1

The resulting cost increases will make the marginally better food quality of Darden restaurants, and neigborhood diners an option now...

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:41 | 5182901 SilverIsKing
SilverIsKing's picture

I would love to see these hard working FOLKS get the $15 they deserve. Then the people who eat at these fast food restaurants will get what they deserve.

Looks like a win win to me.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:49 | 5182930 Yes_Questions
Yes_Questions's picture

 

 

fast food workers are not valued, but value-mealed instead.

 

we (american public at large) basically do not really care about workers at a McDonalds, BK, et al.

 

we sure love our sports stars, tho.  and actors.

 

and national politicans, we like them.

 

then there's our Favorites:  banksters, weapons dealers, and oil company and social media CEO's.

 

we love them the MOST.

Fri, 09/05/2014 - 00:02 | 5183241 christiangustafson
christiangustafson's picture

BZZZT wrong answer.

It's not about how much we care about the fast-food worker.

It's about the marginal productivity of unskilled labor in our economy.  Do they really create $15 of value in an hour of work?

This is what the ol' dismal science tells us.

Fri, 09/05/2014 - 11:10 | 5183536 Supernova Born
Supernova Born's picture

McWages paid in McMoney for serving McFood.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 22:47 | 5183082 Keyser
Keyser's picture

You obviously know nothing of the value of currency...  $15 per hour equates to $30,000 per year and you want to pay uneducated burger-flippers that much? I know unemployed college graduates that would love a shot at that kind of income... To hell with the knuckle draggers, everyone is not a winner in life... As my father used to say, the world needs ditch diggers too...

 

 

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:15 | 5182798 Escrava Isaura
Escrava Isaura's picture

Check the chart below. The less people working, the higher the profit

http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/?g=Dnc

Then, the most bizarre government chart ever… I think!

http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/?g=FHo

 

Minimum wage earners: The right wing Judeo-Christianity is committed that your existence remain as miserable as it can possible be.

 

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:19 | 5182824 nmewn
nmewn's picture

Yeah, Egyptians living on handouts of bread & water is much better.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:37 | 5182893 Escrava Isaura
Escrava Isaura's picture

Egyptians?

I am more worry about Western Intelligentsia!

If, there's much there to be found.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:22 | 5182836 MalteseFalcon
MalteseFalcon's picture

Why not automate them now?  Is there some magic number between $8 and $15 / hour?

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:46 | 5182891 plane jain
plane jain's picture

$11.59 an hour IMO.

Anything less and your tax dollars are subisidizing low wage employment more often than not.

Federal poverty line for a single person is $11,670.  Most social benefit programs serve people up to at least 150% of that, so $17,505 a year.  Divide that wage by 52 weeks and the new normal 29 hours a week and you get $11.59 an hour.

Of course a single mother of 3 would still totally qualify for everything on that wage, but likely less of it.

If that is too tough for the little guys then give small business a straight up subsidy on wages and gradually fade it out.

Easy to peg the minimum wage so that it keeps up too, very simple math.  Of course we all know that most government numbers are manipulated crap, but still easier to peg it to move in line with the federal poverty line.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 22:38 | 5183057 greyghost
greyghost's picture

who writes this crap? "many fast food and independent restraurants have said that a $15 hourly wage would lead to big price increases on their menus or make it impossible to eke out a profit"/ "adding that they believe any minimum wage increase should be implemented over time so that the impact on owners of small and medium-sized businesses." SO ARE THE BUSINESS OWNERS FOR OR AGAINST INCREASING THE MINIMUM WAGE?????? to say nothing about the second part of the above quote is just down right poor english and an incomplete thought. has this web site been bought out by the likes of fox news or the murdoch boys? i only ask because half the articles are about political shit and not investing and finance anymore.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:54 | 5182699 Publicus
Publicus's picture

"Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains."

Fri, 09/05/2014 - 08:51 | 5183858 marathonman
marathonman's picture

Just finished reading 'Animal Farm' to the kids.  They were kind of into the book until the pigs sold hard working old Boxer to the 'knackers' for a case of whiskey instead of giving him his retirement in the pasture like they promised.  In the end under 'Animalism' the non-pig/dog farm animals were worse off than under the ownership of Mr. Jones.  I can see a lot of parallels....

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:21 | 5182830 Freddie
Freddie's picture

Amerika has gone full retard.  Thank retard Democrats, liberals and blacks who voted for this twice.  Not that the fake alternative is much better.  The GOP-e nukes any Constitutionalists (Ron Paul) for their RINO NeoCon whores.

F McDonalds too.  They are a Chicago corporation so they supported this.  Their biggest client base is illegals and homies. F em.  Let em eat Big Macs which use wood filler and pink slime. 

 

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:29 | 5182854 Bossman1967
Bossman1967's picture

We are now seeing a flashback to jimmy Carter if he would have been re elected. Shit he even can show his face now that this looser cocksucker is in office.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:54 | 5182950 Freddie
Freddie's picture

My friend - Jimmy Carter would be a dream by comparison to today. 

McDonalds will push to hire hispanics and the illegals Obama is letting flood in.   I went into one not long ago. I almost never go in a MCD.  It was largely hispanic staff.  I have been to one a few months before that was black, white and others.  They were pretty nice because I bet MCD's business is down a lot and they are worried about their jobs.   Places like Chick Filet, Chipolte and others are destroying McDonalds. 

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 22:10 | 5183006 Escrava Isaura
Escrava Isaura's picture

Slave: This debate has gone full retard.

What do you expect from a country with an average IQ of 98?

http://www.statisticbrain.com/countries-with-the-highest-lowest-average-iq/

Fri, 09/05/2014 - 00:03 | 5183243 The_Dude
The_Dude's picture

I'm pretty sure you are not helping that number a bit....

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:10 | 5182772 MrTouchdown
MrTouchdown's picture

It makes it so that investing in machines becomes cost effective. The strikers think they're demanding more money. What they're actually demanding is the elimination of their jobs.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 22:08 | 5183000 garypaul
garypaul's picture

I'm still waiting for robotic McDonalds. Let's see it buddy.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 22:06 | 5182987 garypaul
garypaul's picture

I think it's great that the workers are striking. It will force the owners to criticize Yellen et al. instead of patting them on the back!

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 22:07 | 5182993 moneybots
moneybots's picture

"fine 15 bucks an hour, thats double the wage? 
we will have half as many employees, and those of you left making 15 per hour will be working twice as hard and long."

 

Not if robots are taking up the slack.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:56 | 5182713 rubiconsolutions
rubiconsolutions's picture

I would just have one question for any of these people: what would happen if I applied for a job and wanted to accept $10 per hour instead of the government mandated $15, should I have the right to do that?

If the answer is yes then there isn't a problem. If the answer is no then effectively I'm no longer in control of what I do with my labor.....a slave.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:58 | 5182728 XitSam
XitSam's picture

A slave, yes, but just think how empowered you are!

And this is how the socialists pull the wool over their eyes.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:54 | 5182944 junction
junction's picture

Once again, Tyler Durden displays his total ignorance of the world outside of charts and colored graph lines.  Just like motorists' compliance with highway speed limits, in real life many employers avoid paying the minimum way.  Employees are paid weekly salaries, with no concern for overtime. Clerks are called assistant managers and illegally classified as minimum wage exempt employees.  Employees are fired and the employer refuses to pay wages for the last week worked.  Some employees are paid monthly salaries.  Employers illegally charge or fine employees for breakage, for customer walkouts in restaurants, for showing up a minute late to work.  Walmart became a retail giant in part because of a company-wide policy of requiring off the clock unpaid work by its "associates."  Criminality is criminality whether performed by banksters or thieving restaurant owners who steal service employee tips. In this case, Durden is on the side of the thieves. 

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 22:17 | 5183018 Sticky Wicket
Sticky Wicket's picture

Somebody is angry that their McJob is going to be automated soon.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 22:46 | 5183080 Escrava Isaura
Escrava Isaura's picture

My guess would be not because of robots that some of the Zero hedge crowd are angry.

My guess is because they have been wrong about how the US economy Ponzi scheme really works.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 22:29 | 5183043 Dr Strangemember
Dr Strangemember's picture

No disrespect or anything, but there is a reason these jobs pay what they do (and no they are not careers):

 

A company called Momentum Machines has built a robot that could radically change the fast-food industry and have some line cooks looking for new jobs.

The company's robot can "slice toppings like tomatoes and pickles immediately before it places the slice onto your burger, giving you the freshest burger possible." The robot is "more consistent, more sanitary, and can produce ~360 hamburgers per hour." That's one burger every 10 seconds.

Good luck with your "protests".
Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:44 | 5182665 seek
seek's picture

Meanwhile, burger-bots are doing 360 burgers in an hour, don't complain and don't spit in the food of customers they don't like.

Yeah, this ends well for fast-food workers.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:50 | 5182685 john39
john39's picture

Like with most of us.

Usury is the problem, but most are not aware enough to realize it.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:53 | 5182698 Caviar Emptor
Caviar Emptor's picture

Yeah right. Like cars are gonna drive themselves ...oh wait

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:59 | 5182735 knukles
knukles's picture

Yeah right.  Like we were gonna enter a new age of peace prosperity and whole bunches of other good shit.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:06 | 5182759 Caviar Emptor
Caviar Emptor's picture

Haven't you heard? This is a freekin utopia! Better like it

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:20 | 5182810 Theta_Burn
Theta_Burn's picture

When they figure out they can make more on the dole than they do working, they will be asking for $20hr.

Fri, 09/05/2014 - 11:02 | 5184565 TBT or not TBT
TBT or not TBT's picture

Well maybe, but you haven't noticed oceans rising lately have you?   Must be because they stopped.   The oceans may not have been impressed with the emperor, but the clothes, and the oratory, oh my!

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:59 | 5182736 cornflakesdisease
cornflakesdisease's picture

Just look at Japan to see the future for fast food.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:02 | 5182740 NoDebt
NoDebt's picture

Should get real interesting when Obama unilaterally enacts amnesty via executive order, probably shortly after the elections.  6-10 million new low-wage workers to choose from, and you don't even have to use a fake SS number or lie about their status to hire them any more.

 

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:14 | 5182791 seek
seek's picture

It's going to be a nightmare any way you look at it when amnesty hits.

More people, fewer jobs -- it could have radical impacts on 2016 unless they give the voting franchise to illegals by 2016. Even the bluest states might shift a bit when no one can get a job.

I think the interesting part is how they handle social services. Clearly they're dumping the school problem on the states, but my guess is if they don't deal with welfare/SNAP/etc on a federal level, you're going to see the left-leaning high-benefit states turn into magnets for the immigrants, much like Cali has done.

Plus god knows what will happen at the borders when it's becomes a free for all. I wouldn't be shocked if we see the states break away and enforce things themselves, and then the Feds pointing guns at state agencies to force the borders open.

What a shitshow this is going to be.

Fri, 09/05/2014 - 11:05 | 5184576 TBT or not TBT
TBT or not TBT's picture

Those particular union rubes will have to find themselves another savior amongst the Dem pols of the 2016 farce.   The black turn out should be quite depressed.   

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:28 | 5182850 Freddie
Freddie's picture

It is all astro turfing politics by Obama's crowd.   they devalue and destroy the currency.  LBJ destroyed the black family helped by the liberals in the music and movie/media business.

It is all African kabuki.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 22:12 | 5183008 moneybots
moneybots's picture

"It is all astro turfing politics by Obama's crowd.   they devalue and destroy the currency."

 

The value of the dollar went down when Bush Jr. was President.  It is both parties.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:00 | 5182669 nmewn
nmewn's picture

SEIU.

////

Awww, I've offended someone yet again...lol.

Well then tell me, how many fast food restaurants shut down today? Then tell me why someone should make fifteen dollars an hour to fuck my order up and when I return they can't understand what I'm saying without me presenting them with a pictograph of my order?

Most can't even make change in their heads, minimum wage is not a career, its a stepping stone.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:07 | 5182763 NoDebt
NoDebt's picture

And if you're smart, it's a stepping stone into Welfare, SSI Disability, SNAP and other government programs because you don't have to show up and put in hours AND the pay is better.  

These sorry sons of bitches have no idea what's coming down the pike at them.  They'll win their demands about the time McDonalds is a glorified snack room vending machine.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:13 | 5182794 nmewn
nmewn's picture

Thats about the super-size of it ;-)

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 23:13 | 5183125 Slave
Slave's picture

Doubly fucked cuz they waste their hard earned (voted) fiat for hookers and blow instead of guns and gold. Which category helps you survive what is coming? Maybe Darwin was right.

Fri, 09/05/2014 - 11:08 | 5184589 TBT or not TBT
TBT or not TBT's picture

Darwin was early, which, on a financial site, is the same as being wrong.  

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:46 | 5182672 Coletrane
Coletrane's picture

guess they're gonna have a little less money once they bail their sorry asses out of jail.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:47 | 5182678 cpnscarlet
cpnscarlet's picture

Wow! Where do you start?

How about simply - "Here's the next industry to be destroyed by unions."

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:56 | 5182714 teslaberry
teslaberry's picture

the fast food 'industry' can go fuck itself.     americans would be BETTER OFF if every fast food joint and 'chain' simply went bankrupt and closed their doors tomorrow.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:17 | 5182809 nmewn
nmewn's picture

Thats a little central plannish, don't you think?

Grapes & apples for everyone! On me ;-)

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:26 | 5182847 MalteseFalcon
MalteseFalcon's picture

On the other hand America existed before fast food and did OK, if I remember.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:46 | 5182917 nmewn
nmewn's picture

Yes we did.

I just have a major problem with people on the one hand excoriating "the rich" (most of this is franchise owners) and on the other hand demanding "the rich" give them a raise for doing the very same work (after handing out moar to .gov on a percentile basis & someone who showed up with a pre-printed placard).

It gets a little tiresome ;-)

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:57 | 5182965 stvitus
stvitus's picture

Don't like it, don't eat it. I don't.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 22:02 | 5182979 XitSam
XitSam's picture

America did OK before a lot of things, does that mean we should avoid progress or just the things you, in your great wisdom, decide to eliminate?

My wisdom says End the Fed.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 22:05 | 5182989 FredFlintstone
FredFlintstone's picture

If we close down fast food joints where will mamma grab that quick meal for her and her brood before heading off to her job at... McDonalds.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:52 | 5182694 williambanzai7
williambanzai7's picture

I want to know who is certifying those things are real burgers.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:57 | 5182716 teslaberry
teslaberry's picture

why robot certification machines, what else? 

of course, they can certify more machines , more quickly, than their human counterparts. 

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:59 | 5182734 Caviar Emptor
Caviar Emptor's picture

Linda Green Machine

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:19 | 5182822 Yes_Questions
Yes_Questions's picture

 

 

+forgery in fast "food"

 

i saw what you did there.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:55 | 5182695 himaroid
himaroid's picture

At $9.34/hr Fanny will earn $19,427 if she works full time all year. Earned income credit tables at irs.gov say that with those three children even if she has zero income tax withheld, she will get $5644 in for earned income credit and another $3000 for Additional Child Tax Cedit paid to her at tax time.   $8644.00   That works out to $4.16 more per hour in pay. Not counting housing, childcare, education, school lunch, all medical, heat assistance.

What else am I forgetting?

 Those crotch droppings are the best profit center in the hood.

P.S. Ms Big FANNY get's more if she works less.

 

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:58 | 5182729 cornflakesdisease
cornflakesdisease's picture

5 kids?  Birth control, try it.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:02 | 5182744 TeamDepends
TeamDepends's picture

Um, will this be on the test?

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:05 | 5182757 himaroid
himaroid's picture

No, just put your X right here, and you are in like Flynn.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:11 | 5182779 FredFlintstone
FredFlintstone's picture

Crotch droppings... I like that.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 23:47 | 5183210 Never One Roach
Never One Roach's picture

You might say, it's Precious:

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0929632/

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 23:00 | 5183102 Sandmann
Sandmann's picture

Same in UK. If you are poorly educated and condemned to low-wage jobs have children, don't be childless but be single. Import cheap labour to feed low wage jobs with taxpayer subsidy and skew jobs growth into low wage sectors.......just as in UK.

Overcapacity in fast food means debased food with extenders. It is a model for economic and social destruction creating sandwich bars with corporate dividends and cost structures. Lots of these jobs should not exist in a growing economy but the real US economy has flatlined since 1973

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:56 | 5182709 Bunga Bunga
Bunga Bunga's picture

If Fanny Velazquez had bought McDonald stock for a meager $100,000 thirty years ago she would be rich now. Instead she wasted her time flipping burgers.

 

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:08 | 5182764 Berspankme
Berspankme's picture

If fanny would have stayed in mexico I wouldnt have to listen to her whining. Fuck you

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:57 | 5182720 Caviar Emptor
Caviar Emptor's picture

At $15-hr soon middle class won't be able to afford Big Macs.
And more global rounds of QE and doctors or lawyers won't afford them either

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:29 | 5182855 MalteseFalcon
MalteseFalcon's picture

They will all be healthier and the cost of Obamacare goes down.  Virtuous cycle.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:33 | 5182875 Caviar Emptor
Caviar Emptor's picture

But if they live longer... more bankrupt entitlements needed to support their old age

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:58 | 5182721 logicalman
logicalman's picture

This is a total bullshit argument.

There are 7 billion people on the planet.

85 richest have a s much wealth as the bottom half of them.

SOMETHING'S FUCKED UP.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:03 | 5182747 knukles
knukles's picture

Tell that to the president.  Give him a call.  I'm sure he'd like to have a chat with you and have you by his side while he addresses the nation to raise taxes by 20% on all those rich fuckers making more than $50,000 per annum. 

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:10 | 5182774 nmewn
nmewn's picture

Fucking progs, you just can't reach them.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:11 | 5182777 logicalman
logicalman's picture

The only resonable tax is an excise tax.

You can choose to pay it or not.

No forms to fill in.

If you buy shit you don't need you pay tax. Simple

Food clothing and shelter should be tax exempt, AND NOTHING ELSE.

This would put a lot of lawyers and accountants out of business, not to mention bureaucrats, so it ain't going to happen soon.

 

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:58 | 5182966 Trucker Glock
Trucker Glock's picture

If by "excise tax" you mean consumption tax, I'm all for that.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:14 | 5182793 Stormtrooper
Stormtrooper's picture

So, 85 well trained snipers can solve the problems in America?

Fri, 09/05/2014 - 11:14 | 5184640 TBT or not TBT
TBT or not TBT's picture

The secret service and capitol police have that opportunity all day long and not a one takes it.  I think that's because the system hasn't, superficially anyway, veered off the rails in a formal, constitutional sense, yet.   

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:59 | 5182732 reader2010
reader2010's picture

“Workers of the all lands, Unite. You have nothing to lose but your chains!”

-The Communist Manifesto, 1848

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 22:03 | 5182980 Trucker Glock
Trucker Glock's picture

They forgot the asterisk after chains.

* or your fooking job!

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 20:59 | 5182733 duck dodgers
duck dodgers's picture

Americans are so stupid.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:02 | 5182746 FredFlintstone
FredFlintstone's picture

We are exceptional from our president on down to our fast food workers.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:50 | 5182936 Kprime
Kprime's picture

DOH

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:02 | 5182741 Cangaroo.TNT
Cangaroo.TNT's picture

Where was I when all the menial jobs disappeared?

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:32 | 5182873 Yes_Questions
Yes_Questions's picture

 

 

at a gang bang?

 

Disney on Ice rehearsals?

 

slaving away for lower wages to pay higher debts?

 

reading ZH?

 

 

 

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 23:34 | 5183179 monad
monad's picture

Working for The Man.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:04 | 5182754 Tom Green Swedish
Tom Green Swedish's picture

Want fries with that?

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:05 | 5182755 Everyman
Everyman's picture

LOOK at THOSE PICTURES!!!  Those people "make food" "prepare food" and "clean" what makes the food and were you eat it in those joints  Is that scarey to anyone else?

Besides, this is BURGER FLIPPING!!!  Why the hell would anyone think flipping burgers, mucking out the men's and women's room stalls, or mopping the floors or any of the other "fast food" chores deserves $12-15 an hour??  If these idiots hink THEY deserve "minimum wage" they are right, but that is a minimum for "minimum ability".

 

Go work construction, surveying, or farm work, or change tires.   Lots of them get minimum wage AND work a helluva lot harder!

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:08 | 5182760 D-Fens
D-Fens's picture

They're not going to get all the way to $15, but that's pretty meaningless.

The truth is a bit more difficult to take...that many of them should consider themselves lucky to have a job and to have customers.  Food outlets in America are massively overbuilt, and we could easily get by with half or less of them.

 

For what it's worth, I've always been treated fairly well by fast food workers and only on occassion have I been disappointed by the service or food (knowing that you are not at a gourmet 5 star restaurant).

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:09 | 5182770 The_Prisoner
The_Prisoner's picture

They probably know you'll shoot up the joint if they don't serve you breakfast. ;-)

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:26 | 5182846 El Vaquero
El Vaquero's picture

That was a classic movie.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:39 | 5182900 Yes_Questions
Yes_Questions's picture

 

 

truly

Fri, 09/05/2014 - 01:59 | 5183372 Wild tree
Wild tree's picture

Truly, true. I went through it, minus suicide by cop. Hard time, and hard times acoming.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:08 | 5182765 surf0766
surf0766's picture

I am going to make so much money automating your jobs away.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:09 | 5182767 Duc888
Duc888's picture

I say we give 'em $60 or so per hour.  Fuck it. $300.00 an hour,, a free Ifag phone an EBT card and a full scholarship to Yale so I can listen to some ebonic babbling mofo talk down to me and serve me a shit sammich.

Gimme the pink muthafukken slime!

NOW!

Hahahahahah

 

 

 

or not.

 

Time to short Mickshits?

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:12 | 5182780 Tom Green Swedish
Tom Green Swedish's picture

Yes let's doing trading places. The "Mickshits" earn $300 an hour with bonus and Goldman Sachs can earn $7.50 an hour.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 23:48 | 5183214 Trucker Glock
Trucker Glock's picture

GS @ $7.50/hr?  Still overpaid.  Fuckers should be on a chain gang digging ditches in the southern heat and humidity.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:13 | 5182785 Duc888
Duc888's picture

 

 

Everyman:LOOK at THOSE PICTURES!!!  Those people "make food" "prepare food" and "clean" what makes the food and were you eat it in those joints  Is that scarey to anyone else?

 

 

 

ummmmm, define "food".

I'd rather eat properly prepared road kill than a mcshit sammich.

Phuck, I was behind a car that whacked a deer last year.  That thing bounced three times and I stuck it in the bed of my truck after it stopped twitching.  No deer tag needed.  Fresh Venison Yummy.

 

I lubb me some fresh road kill!

 


Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:19 | 5182820 Everyman
Everyman's picture

Fair point, LOL you asshole.

I was wondering if anyone was going to debate the "food" part.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:14 | 5182787 Caviar Emptor
Caviar Emptor's picture

I prefer my burger to be flipped by well paid workers. Not bitter underpaid misfits.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:17 | 5182811 FredFlintstone
FredFlintstone's picture

I want god dammed white table cloths at KFC, BK and so forth.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:21 | 5182829 Everyman
Everyman's picture

On the upside, well paid will be less likelly to spit on your food of those famous "Fight Club" moments where Tyler whizzed in the soup.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:37 | 5182881 Caviar Emptor
Caviar Emptor's picture

If we all flipped burgers the world would be at peace : mutually assured infection

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:13 | 5182788 starman
starman's picture

Is this about racism?  

 

 

Sarc

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:16 | 5182802 FredFlintstone
FredFlintstone's picture

Nah, this looks like a noble and honorable fight for justice and so forth.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:31 | 5182872 nmewn
nmewn's picture

And membership, which has its privileges.

Whats in the union bosses wallet? ;-)

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:16 | 5182804 logicalman
logicalman's picture

I'm a big fan of slow food, personally.

Can't beat a meal prepared from scratch with decent ingredients, care and pride in what you are producing.

Best to get rid of the TV and start making healthy food for yourself.

I think I hit a fast food place about twice a year, out of desperation, and always regret it.

 

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:16 | 5182807 Duc888
Duc888's picture

racism?  Nope, I just need my secret squirrel decoder ring to figure out what homey the klown is sayin' to me when I suffer the misfortune of frequenting a fine dining establishment such as Mcdonalds.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:18 | 5182819 logicalman
logicalman's picture

Easy fix, don't go to McDick's in the first place.

Russian roulette slowed down. It might not kill you, but better not to take the chance.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:16 | 5182808 Tom Green Swedish
Tom Green Swedish's picture

In Southern California it didn't make any difference anyhow where you went; there was always the same McDonaldburger place over and over, like a circular strip that turned past you as you pretended to go somewhere. And when finally you got hungry and went to the McDonaldburger place and bought a McDonald's hamburger, it was the one they sold you last time and the time before that and so forth, back to before you were born, and in addition bad people -- liars -- said it was made out of turkey gizzards anyhow.

 

Someday, he thought, it'll be mandatory that we all sell the McDonald's hamburger as well as buy it; we'll sell it back and forth to each other forever from our living rooms. That way we won't even have to go outside.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:19 | 5182817 Duc888
Duc888's picture

 

 

logicalman:I think I hit a fast food place about twice a year, out of desperation, and always regret it.

 

Yup.  Big Mac= suppository.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:20 | 5182828 logicalman
logicalman's picture

Eat at McD's and suffer the McGurgles for the next 4 hours.

 

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:38 | 5182890 Platinum
Platinum's picture

Or the McShits after 30 minutes. Their fowl is foul.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:45 | 5182908 El Vaquero
El Vaquero's picture

Back when I was a teenager, I was going to do a job, and on the way, my friend and I stopped off at McCrappers.  I ordered a double quartrer pounder.  It was so nasty that I couldn't finish more than about 1/4 of it, so as I was on the onramp to I40, I chucked it out the window.  There was a little triangle patch of land bounded by the on ramp, the street and I40, and some other teenagers just happened to be walking on it when, with a flick of the wrist, I flung the burger out the window.  I believe in merging on the interstate going the same speed as traffic, so that burger was moving at least 55mph and MCSMACK!  It drilled one of the poor kids right in the face.   The burger exploded in a shower of katsup, bread, pickles and faux beef and the kid covered his face and dropped to his knees.  I couldn't repeat that if I tried.

 

I damned near ran off the road because my buddy and I were laughing so hard.  I felt kind of bad about it, but I just couldn't help myself.  The best part is, I didn't mean to hit the kid.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:21 | 5182821 Duc888
Duc888's picture

 

 

Ray Krok is rolling over in his grave.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:21 | 5182832 dondonsurvelo
dondonsurvelo's picture

I think that if you think you are worth more than $8-10 an hour then prove it.  Take an exam to show your competancy level.  The exam would include reading, writing, arithmatic, geography, history and current events.  If you get an A on the exam then maybe you are worth $15 an hour.  If you fail then you are worth minimum wage until you can qualify for a higher paying position. 

Most of the people in fast food failed to get an education that would lead them to something better than flipping burgers.  Cutting class, smoking and drinking, carousing and not giving a crap sure was fun.  Look where that gets you.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:23 | 5182840 bigrooster
bigrooster's picture

I hope that this $15 law passes.  I for one eat too much fast food and this communist wage increase will make me quit the habit very fast.  We still cook dinner each night and eat as a family so I can easliy do the same for lunch.  Get an education you fucking losers.  Fast food jobs are for kids in high school to get beer money, nothing more.

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:25 | 5182844 p00k1e
p00k1e's picture

'She also qualifies for welfare and food assistance.'

What?  She should buy her own uniform to support her company.   Wal-Mart does.  Solidarity!  

Thu, 09/04/2014 - 21:27 | 5182848 yogibear
yogibear's picture

About $14/hr on SS disability and you can enjoy life. Once all the illegals get amnesty and figure it out they'll all be living off the government tit. Plus free healthcare.

Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site!