Great quote from the fast food workers strike in Chicago (Time: minimum wage, live)

[glass_of_merlot]

If a fast food worker should make 15 dollars an hour than all the other jobs needs to raise their wages too with 5 bucks an hour. Most regional airline pilots may start out their career not even making 25 k a year. Does that seem right? Well, maybe...Since they many times don't stop at that point. they keep climbing the latter. Key things here is, further your education. Don't settle for a fast food career.

So before we paying the lowest skilled job out there 15 bucks an hour, lets take a look around for the jobs that truly deserves making more and money compared to their skill, education or responsibilities.

[treemoni]

People are not "settling" for fast food jobs. These are the jobs that are available. Where I work, we have people with Master's and JDs applying for entry level positions. There is a race to the bottom, and people who feel "low skilled" workers should get the shaft aren't helping. If you don't want to pay people to clean the toilets and serve you at a fast food joint, do it yourself.

[Jesse69]

People make a career of fast food jobs, and it's not mostly teens!

See:The Majority Of Fast Food Workers Are Not Teenagers, Report Finds | ThinkProgress

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by treemoni

People are not "settling" for fast food jobs. These are the jobs that are available. Where I work, we have people with Master's and JDs applying for entry level positions. There is a race to the bottom, and people who feel "low skilled" workers should get the shaft aren't helping. If you don't want to pay people to clean the toilets and serve you at a fast food joint, do it yourself.

Excellent post. Interesting to read those posts from those who denying that this is happening--they are completely out-to-lunch, and out-of-touch with today's employment world. There are those in their 50s who have lost their jobs,and worry about EVER rejoining the workforce. This situation is disgraceful..

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by emathias

You don't know how she became pregnant. Is it ideal in this culture to be 21 and pregnant? Perhaps not, but 21 isn't 16 and there's really no good excuse to be paying people a non-living wage.

Skipped sex ed class?

[scottinpdx]

Minimum Education + Minimum Skill + Minimum Effort = Minimum Wage

[baileyvpotter]

Originally Posted by treemoni

Bring it on. This is what needs to happen in this country. Too many people are complacent, and the wealthy are getting away with murder.

Originally Posted by treemoni

People are not "settling" for fast food jobs. These are the jobs that are available. Where I work, we have people with Master's and JDs applying for entry level positions. There is a race to the bottom, and people who feel "low skilled" workers should get the shaft aren't helping. If you don't want to pay people to clean the toilets and serve you at a fast food joint, do it yourself.

Originally Posted by Jesse69

People make a career of fast food jobs, and it's not mostly teens!
See:The Majority Of Fast Food Workers Are Not Teenagers, Report Finds | ThinkProgress

No, they are not mostly teens - they are also college graduates, former professionals and employees
who lost their jobs for many reasons (down sizing for profit margins would be one example).

[pnwmdk]

Wow, did this thread ever degenerate. People went to college or a university and got a degree in a subject that doesn't help them get a job, and now they are starting at the bottom. Duhhh. Perhaps someone should have told them to investigate the job market before spending tens of thousands to get a useless degree.

And, for the person who quotes "thinkprogress", please be aware that NOTHING from that site is ever objectively true.

Now, nobody is owed a 'living wage'. Nobody. You EARN IT. If you lack the skills to earn it, you need to get them.

Meanwhile, people who want to hire someone, are not your pockets to pick to give someone else money they didn't earn.

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by lenniel

I don't pick on people but I do have little sympathy for people that don't understand the economics behind their demands, which is usually because they just assume they deserve more money.

I also don't begrudge those above me making many times over what I make. Very little of that is due to luck, most is due to hard work, perseverance, risk taking, etc. Unlike actors and entertainers, those making a lot of money in the corporate world have to actually work and are held accountable to performance.

Would everyone like to make what the CEO of McD makes? Sure, but very, very few have what it takes to do the job where as thousands upon thousands have what it takes to flip burgers.

Many CEOs have no concept of the term "hard work" since many have never actually done it..

Spare me the nonsense about CEOs, "hard work" and accountability. These people are the first ones with their hands out, and the first ones demanding a "golden parachute" before they run a company into the ground.

Accountability, my a**.

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by pnwmdk

Wow, did this thread ever degenerate. People went to college or a university and got a degree in a subject that doesn't help them get a job, and now they are starting at the bottom. Duhhh. Perhaps someone should have told them to investigate the job market before spending tens of thousands to get a useless degree.

And, for the person who quotes "thinkprogress", please be aware that NOTHING from that site is ever objectively true.

Now, nobody is owed a 'living wage'. Nobody. You EARN IT. If you lack the skills to earn it, you need to get them.

Meanwhile, people who want to hire someone, are not your pockets to pick to give someone else money they didn't earn.

Some of the best pickpockets are CEOs.