Fast Food workers picketing outside of Krystals on Moreland Ave (Atlanta: houses, unemployment)

[tikigod311]

A group of employees who work at a local Krystals are striking and demanding a $15 an hour wage. They also are attempting to possibly set up a fast food workers union.

Le gem of a quote -

“I make $7.40 an hour and I’m barely making it,” McCoy said. “I feel that if Church’s managers can ride around in Lexuses and have nice houses, the people who help make that money for them should be riding around in nice cars and not be on a bus trying to figure out how we’re going to eat for the next day.”

Classic example of someone who just doesn't get life. This is certainly in the running for dumbest quote of the year. But hey, that's just my opinion.

What are your thoughts?



Fast food wage protesters picket at Moreland Avenue Krystal | www.ajc.com











Please delete if this is not in the right forum as it is kind of political.

[gerrythesnake]

They are fools. If you want a higher paying job go to college

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by gerrythesnake

They are fools. If you want a higher paying job go to college

Not everyone can or wants to go to college. Do these people not deserve a living wage? I mean they do jobs no one else wants.

[red92s]

Originally Posted by gerrythesnake

They are fools. If you want a higher paying job go to college

They should just pull themselves up by the bootstraps like their parents, who flipped burgers for an inflation-adjusted $12/hr back in the 60's, right?

[gerrythesnake]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Not everyone can or wants to go to college. Do these people not deserve a living wage? I mean they do jobs no one else wants.

You get paid what you are worth. If they want more money they need to increase their value.


Nobody deserves anything.

You deserve what you are worth.

If you dont want to go to college or the military then do not complain about your wage.

[gerrythesnake]

Originally Posted by red92s

They should just pull themselves up by the bootstraps like their parents, who flipped burgers for an inflation-adjusted $12/hr back in the 60's, right?

Somebody has to do it. I need someone to make my sandwich at Subway. I need someone to bag my groceries at Kroger's.

You get paid depending on the demand of your position. That is why brain surgeons get paid more than people that pick onions

[tikigod311]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Not everyone can or wants to go to college. Do these people not deserve a living wage? I mean they do jobs no one else wants.

I hear the argument that the government is essentially picking up the tab or making up the difference for the lack of wages through EBT and subsidized housing. I kind of get that. But I do have a problem with making entry level jobs...not so entry level.

I feel like there should be low wage jobs because you have to START somewhere. If you are relying on a minimum wage job to feed your family, you are either a failure or disabled. For those that have failed, I don't feel like they should be comfortable remaining where they are. Basically, if you are able, you should be forced to advance. If you want to be lazy and maintain a minimum wage job, then they should have to deal with 7.25 an hour.


I know there are a lot of really stupid people out there, a fine example in the quote above, so what do we do with them? They do cost society as is. Maybe help in the form of career advancement? I think college, or better yet, trade school should be extremely accessible. Probably the best thing that can happen is to improve public schools.

But the fine folks working at Krystals making $15 bucks an hour, probably the same amount or more than the managers..... nope.

[residinghere2007]

I know plenty of people who went to college and don't make $15 an hour.

FWIW, I actually do think they should get paid more, maybe not $15 an h our, but $10 an hour at least.

I think it is positive that there are workers here in Atlanta protesting. Wages have been stagnate far too long in this country and I do think it will take a new labor movement to get things going again.

History repeats itself. Plenty of people in the early 20th century were valuable and worked hard and got paid pennies in horrible working conditions. I'm sure the Krystal employees aren't in any danger at work, but they work hard and put up with a lot of crap I am sure and they get paid less than many people in management positions or executives who are very well paid off of the work those "expediters" and cashiers are performing.

The managers/executives should take these actions as a warning and do something about valuing their employees more. And FWIW, those people picketing are the front liners for these organizations. They do have a high value because nothing in that corporation would get accomplished without their work, especially since many higher level managers/employees see it as "beneath" them to go out and do such a job.

[Atlanta_BD]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Not everyone can or wants to go to college. Do these people not deserve a living wage? I mean they do jobs no one else wants.

What I don't like is the arrogant notion that only people who went to college should earn a decent wage. Should someone working fast food earn $100k a year? No one is saying that. The same people who don't want to see fast food workers get a wage increase are the same ones who are against people getting food stamps. The thing about it is that people working jobs like fast food or Wal-Mart don't make enough money to support themselves and are having to supplement their wages with welfare programs. McDonald's even has a hotline that directs employees as to where how and where to apply for government assistance to supplement their incomes. Minimum wages employers are costing taxpayers money by their workers having to get welfare because they don't earn a living wage.

The days of only teens needing pocket money working these jobs are long gone, especially because of the recession. Many adults with families--including those with degrees--are working these jobs now.

[jsvh]

Higher minimum wage results in higher unemployment and higher prices.

Institute a basic income and get rid of all the government programs. That will force employers to pay fair prices to attract workers to unappealing jobs since workers are not forced to take them to qualify for other assistance needed just to survive.