Week 7 Article #1
1. Fletcher, Michael. Low fast-food wages come at high public cost, reports say.
October 15, 2013. Washington Post
2.Category:Wages
3. Level: National
4. This article concerns:
Fast food workers are demanding higher working wages. The workers are demanding raises to $15 an hour.
5. This affects individuals and families:
This affects many individuals because more than half of the nation are fast food workers who heavily rely on the federal net to make ends meet.Not only do fast food joints offer a valuable entry into the workforce for many people, but only 40% of workers are students.
6. What are your views?
I believe they should receive more money than what they currently being compensated for. We all know that there are many jobs that pay their workers very low wages and the demand of work being asked should result in a better pay. I see that if wages were to be raised in fast food restaurants that would lead to fewer jobs due to the fact each business is allotted a budget for payroll, but I still feel they need to find a balance to financially give the workers a better pay without worrying about their budgets. A better pay will lead to them providing a better life for themselves and for their loved ones. Fast food joints being a lot of revenue to the corporate level and fast food restaurants never really go out of business unless due to certain circumstances, but we need to invest in our workers to see better results and we can start by raising their wages.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/low-fast-food-wages-come-at-high-public-cost-report-say/2013/10/15/3fc5a608-34e7-11e3-80c6-7e6dd8d22d8f_story.html?hpid=z5
Low fast-food wages in this article is considered the main topic of discussion. I think it is very difficult to agree that a place like McDonalds or Burger King should pay their weekly employees much more than minimum wage. They are being compensated fairly for the duties that they perform. If they had other jobs that needed more skill I think this whole article would be a different story. After all, the fast-food industry is so cheap anyways. I do not see a way they would have the funding to pay the workers more. They are already relying on the government for payroll.
ReplyDeleteI understand the people that are employed at these places wanting more pay, but they knew what they were signing up for when they applied. If they are not happy with the amount of money they are being compensated with, then they should look for a new job.
I appreciate businesses like McDonalds that try to help anyone get a job. Recently, I have noticed billboards around town. They that say things along the lines of; we have work for you, or we will work with you. Every time I pass by the homeless man on highway 80 I think of that sign and wonder if he has seen it. This is all to say, I think there are plenty of people that would love to have the minimum wage job that these other people are complaining about. If they are able to move on to higher paying job somewhere else then the homeless man on the corner could have that job. Our country works on a system, but as soon as someone is lazy the system will not work. To think that people that work at these restaurants think that they deserve $15 an hour for working fast-food, it just seems ridiculous to me.
I was brought up being told that if you want to get somewhere in life, you must work hard for it. In places like these, it is perfectly doable to move into managerial positions with a little bit of hard work and determination. If people are not satisfied with their job or the amount they make, then they should do something about it.
There seems to be a big problem with our country today. Everyone thinks that they deserve certain things that they do not even work for. Our country has already gone way into debt by helping by way of food stamps and grants. What else can we (as a country) do? Complaining will not get you anywhere.
Yes, I am completely aware that less than $13,500 a year is almost impossible to live on. I just think if you are working in the fast-food industry, you are aware of what you will make and that is why the strikes to not make sense to me. The government should not be paying the wages of the fast-food employees because the companies over employ. If the companies cannot afford to pay everyone they have working for them, they should not be hiring them.