What are your thoughts about the $15 minimum wage protests?

My thoughts:

I believe the $15 minimum wage that so many fast food workers are asking for is ridiculous. Many jobs will be lost since automation will be cheaper than paying these $15 wages. Ordering kiosks are rapidly being installed into fast-food places and that will replace the jobs of cashiers. As automation becomes more sophisticated we can reasonably expect the jobs of the hamburger flipper to be replaced by a robot. Restaurants will be run by a couple of fast food workers and an IT person. That is the future.

These protesters fail to realize that they are protesting themselves out of a job as this will pressure companies to invest in more cost-effective technology.

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Which part of we are supposed to refrain from discussing politics are you not getting?

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.

Our local McD recently raised wages significantly. Prices did not go up. Instead they are scheduling fewer people per shift to absorb the difference. This means that the least qualified people are getting very few hours. The rise hurts those who can least afford it.

Now scheduling travel shops for the day after Christmas through mid-January.

@PasswordNotFound wrote:

Our local McD recently raised wages significantly. Prices did not go up. Instead they are scheduling fewer people per shift to absorb the difference. This means that the least qualified people are getting very few hours. The rise hurts those who can least afford it.

Absolutely on target. Several fast foods raised wages in my area and the employees were ecstatic about their good fortune. The next week, they weren't so happy. Like in your area, the employees were given fewer hours, resulting in lower paychecks than before they were granted higher hourly wages. A few weeks later, I started to see several of the less competent gone completely. As the wages rise, more competent, better educated applicants apply for the jobs. Not too long ago, a fast food worker in my town did not need to graduate from high school. Now, because the salaries are more competitive, folks without a high school diploma are having tremendous difficulty.

I think things didn't turn out as many thought. They must not have expected the push back from owners. Less workers, more expected from the ones that are still there.
I just can not understand $15 for fast food, but only $10.75 for the CNA'S that are taking care of the vulnerable elderly. But, I have an expired Epi-pen sitting on my kitchen counter, and my replacement cost is about the same price as a set of tires for my car. Costs vs wages are all out of whack.

I think @roflwofl hit the nail on the head. The problem at heart isn't the wages it's the lack of education. The people who are generally employed long term in fast food are there because they lack the education and skill set to do other jobs. Raise the wage and that doesn't change the fact that their education is still sub-par.

$15 x 2080 (40 hrs per week x 52 wks) = $31,200.

$15 per hour is still poverty level.

Shopping & Auditing Western Colorado, North Denver, the Central Rockies ~~~ and all stops leading to Aspen & Vail.

No one is saying they shouldn't raise the wages for all people who make small amounts. It's just that the fast food workers get a majority of the press because it's easy to pick on the sect of society.
Fast Food Workers fighting for higher wages does not mean they don't also want higher wages for other jobs. CNAs, Cops, who ever. They can also fight for higher wages in their jobs.

@ekitz15 wrote:

$15 x 2080 (40 hrs per week x 52 wks) = $31,200.

$15 per hour is still poverty level.

The federal guidelines for poverty as of 2/1/2016-
1 person-11,880
2- 16,020
3 - 20,160
4- 24,300
5- 28,440
6- 32, 580
7- 36,730
As in all things, it is location, location, location. I could live like a queen in certain parts of the country on $30,000. In others I would probably be living in my car.Skill should be the determining factor in wages. Burger flipping was traditionally the entry level job where you learned good work habits. Showing up for work, learning cashier work, following directions, proper food handling techniques. Getting along with co workers and the customers. Valuable life skills for the next step in your work life. Not a life long career.

@ekitz15 wrote:

$15 x 2080 (40 hrs per week x 52 wks) = $31,200.

$15 per hour is still poverty level.

$31,200 in Rapid City, SD is a nice living. Not so much in NYC. Fast food does not require skilled labor. It should not pay as much as skilled labor, and is not a job intended to support a family. Two people working at fast food can be pulling in $62,400 -- a nice living in most places.
CNA's have a rough job. I couldn't do that. Pay here is higher than most entry level jobs, though. Most people don't want to be in old people &*^% all day long.
@Mike, I'm saying that wages should not be raised for "all people who make small amounts." Very often, people are paid what they're worth.

Police and firefighters here start at $65,000/yr. Still not enough to have to deal with the problems they face.

Now scheduling travel shops for the day after Christmas through mid-January.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/2016 07:30PM by PasswordNotFound.

Machines and computers have already replaced many jobs. In the future, for example, people in the financial sector risk losing their jobs because of more sophisticated technology and algorithms that make their jobs obsolete. There aren't enough jobs to go around and the only options many people face is minimum unskilled labor.

@DavePi wrote:

Machines and computers have already replaced many jobs. In the future, for example, people in the financial sector risk losing their jobs because of more sophisticated technology and algorithms that make their jobs obsolete. There aren't enough jobs to go around and the only options many people face is minimum unskilled labor.

Yet the manufacturing sector can not find tool and die makers, trained welders, other mechanically skilled workers. There are job fairs every month trying to hire in these fields. They even will train if the applicant has strong math skills. No one wants the blue collar jobs. These jobs start at well over $20 per hour with great benefits. For this I have to hold the educational system accountable. How many cashiers can't make change if the register doesn't tell them what change to give back? Need tile from a big box store? If you don't already know how much to buy, you better find the "old guy" in the dept, the kids can't help you do the math. The vocational schools are having to teach high school level math to try to get the kids up to speed. Poor reading and comprehension skills. What are they learning? But man, are they fast on a smartphone. Also whizzes at social media.

Happened to a friend, they cut hours, now many lost Ins. This was at a Hyatt franchise, it's a mess.

Live consciously....

@cindy55 wrote:

@DavePi wrote:

Machines and computers have already replaced many jobs. In the future, for example, people in the financial sector risk losing their jobs because of more sophisticated technology and algorithms that make their jobs obsolete. There aren't enough jobs to go around and the only options many people face is minimum unskilled labor.

Yet the manufacturing sector can not find tool and die makers, trained welders, other mechanically skilled workers. There are job fairs every month trying to hire in these fields. They even will train if the applicant has strong math skills. No one wants the blue collar jobs. These jobs start at well over $20 per hour with great benefits. For this I have to hold the educational system accountable. How many cashiers can't make change if the register doesn't tell them what change to give back? Need tile from a big box store? If you don't already know how much to buy, you better find the "old guy" in the dept, the kids can't help you do the math. The vocational schools are having to teach high school level math to try to get the kids up to speed. Poor reading and comprehension skills. What are they learning? But man, are they fast on a smartphone. Also whizzes at social media.

Yesterday I bought a pizza from a restaurant and the total was $13.03. I gave the cashier a $20 and was about to give the person 5 cents so I wouldn't get a lot of change back. As I handed the person the 5 cents, she already entered the $20 and the change was $6.97. Person said "I don't know how to do the math" so I had to tell her what the change was. Person looked like a high school kid. This is just an anecdote so this person could be an outlier, but gawd dayummm.

Walmart is cutting 7,000 accounting/office related jobs and replaced with automation. What job is gonna get replaced next?

Which is, as usual, a sensationalist 'report' of what they are doing. They are removing approximately 3 back office people per Supercenter who handle cash counting and invoicing for suppliers. The invoicing can be more efficiently be handled out of central office and the cash counting will be done mechanically. This will allow them to replace those 3 employees with more employees on the floor doing customer service as Walmart gears up to compete with Amazon.com more effectively (they think) by improving the customer experience.

@Flash wrote:

This will allow them to replace those 3 employees with more employees on the floor doing customer service as Walmart gears up to compete with Amazon.com more effectively (they think) by improving the customer experience.

Sounds like a good business decision. But fat chance they can compete with Amazon no matter what they do.

I have to agree that it doesn't sound like a splendid business decision. At the same time Amazon is getting more expensive so is significantly less of a competitor than they used to be. The problem I see is that as a consumer about the last thing I expect at Walmart is 'customer service' because in my market finding someone willing to admit they speak English to answer even a simple question is rare. Getting over that hurdle of perception will be hard for Walmart.

When the minimum-wage protests began, people starting to DEMAND higher wages, but nowhere in any of the news articles or TV videos did I see ANY protester say, in effect, that they would bring more value to the employer. No one said, "I promise that I will go to work every day, on time," or, "I promise that I will not call off sick with only one hour's notice," or things to that effect. If ANY fast-food employee spoke politely, clearly, with good diction, smiling sincerely and making eye contact with the customer; if that person acted like serving customers was important to him/her; if that person moved with a sense of purpose, rather than slouching around like the customer had all day to wait, that employee will have demonstrated value to the employer, and you can BET that the employer would be happy to retain that person--even at $15.00/hour.

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