1. Article
Majority of Texas fast food workers on public assistance
Category: Consumer/ healthcare
Level:
State
The article concern: In Texas 59% of front-line employees
working in fast food relies on government assistance programs such as Medicare
or food stamps to support their families.
How does it affect individuals or families:
The
percentage of fast food workers living on government assistance affects the
cause of why people are living in poverty. The percentages go back to why minimum
wage is not enough for individuals to live on. Without the help, the workers will
not be able to support their families on a low wage of $7.25 per hour. Restaurant
industries are what fuel the economy, these workers are helping out. It puts into
perspective that those living on funded programs, are also doing right for the
economy in circumstances they only can.
5 My views:
From my understanding, workings in restaurant
industries are very hard work. I have been a waitress for 3 years and I have
gained great working ethics from doing so. My first job was fast food and it is job that
only few can be cut out for. I saw how hard it was for some of my co-workers working
many hours to try and support their families on these types of low income
salaries. When I look back, now I see that the only why they could afford it
was through government assistance programs. I have some much empathy for fast
food workers. They are working just as hard to make ends meet.
I totally agree. I'm a manager at a fast food restaurant and I make a higher wage than all of the other employees. Granted, yes, I am a manager, but I have been working there since I was 16. Even when I work 40 hours a week, I barely have enough to pay all of my bills and sometimes often feel as though I am going to come up short one day. Yes, I am in college and I know that I won't be there for much longer, but for many of the employees, their families depend on that income to survive. Most of the employees there make around $7.50-$8.25/hr and work 40 hours a week and are on public assistance or receive assistance elsewhere. If I sometimes struggle to pay my bills and I just take care of myself, I often worry about these families that work the same amount of hours and provide for more people. It's a harsh reality, but without government assistance, they would not be able to make it.
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