Fast-food worker strike about to go global

The fast food industry is bracing for a big strike by workers who want $15 an hour.

This could happen in multiple countries May 15th.

So, if you are looking for a job, go apply a day or two ahead of the strike.

The "competition" should be interesting when restaurants start hiring replacements.

The fast-food worker movement for higher pay is about to go global.

Workers from dozens of countries on six continents are joining the push for higher pay and worker rights, it was announced Wednesday at a press conference outside a McDonald's restaurant in Midtown Manhattan by Fast Food Forward, which represents U.S. fast-food workers.

The group announced nationwide strike plans for May 15 -- a date which mirrors the $15 per hour pay they are demanding. On that same date, workers from dozens of countries on six continents will hold protests at McDonald's, Burger King and KFC outlets. It is not known how many workers will strike, but thousands of the nation's estimated 4 million fast-food workers are expected to take part in the one-day strike.

Fast-food worker strike about to go global

Fire every striker and replace them with people who really need the jobs. Striking for $15/hr is just ridiculous. If they were a little more reasonable I could maybe understand, but who really thinks that a burger flipper deserves to make $15/hr?

Bah the dreaded dbl post........

a reply to: xuenchen

It is not known how many workers will strike, but thousands of the nation's estimated 4 million fast-food workers are expected to take part in the one-day strike.

Poor people.

Yes, they are poor. Take home for even that increase is barely sustainable, living single in a small apartment. Too bad they can't afford to strike for more than a day.

Thats what Organized Unions used to provide. A meager daily allowance during strikes to subsist on and representatives to hassle it out in the board rooms with the lawyers.

I doubt the mega gut bomb corporations will miss one days worth of sales enough to relent. I hope it burns them up between the ears though.

Give them their $15hr and let the price of a burger go to $10 - $15 and then see how long they have jobs. Fast food isn't a necessity.

www.minimumwage.com... they dont even need to hire scabs or replacement workers for fast food ,they want 15 an hour buy an expensive machine that in the long run will be cheaper(robots have no rights dont need to be paid and only need maintenance and replacement parts)

Today, the Employment Policies Institute is running a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal illustrating the consequences of a $15 minimum wage. It coincides with union-organized fast food strikes that are expected to take place today in at least 35 major cities. There’s an old saying – “be careful what you wish for” – that applies here. If the employees participating in the union-backed protests are successful in their demands, the burgers of tomorrow will be made by robots rather than employees. The end result is fewer job opportunities for the very people the protests are intended to help.

it seems to be what the wall street journal thinks will happen,the mc donalds in my town have automated drink makers currently(machine picks up soda cup,moves to filling station fills with soda then puts lid on) and with all the hubbub about minimum wage and health care going on why would they not go with what amount to automated slaves instead of humans with rights that can sue or demand more money

news.rapgenius.com... bunch more links on the topic,and hey its not like robots could ever truly replace a industry of humans....oh wait the auto industry did that already with the assembly lines so not like the precedent is not there.

www.examiner.com...

www.bbc.com... serving food currently in china.

www.bloomberg.com...$
2000 price tag so they are not even that expensive

so let them demand more and have the ceos that own the companies just employ robots.

If they trim the fat and quit paying CEO's an exorbitant salary maybe prices wouldn't have to be raised so much. Let the overpriveliged fat cats take one for the team, for once.

a reply to: catt3

a reply to: BlueMule
Most fast food restaurants are not corporate owned and the franchiser doesn't make a lot of profit. So making them pay a higher wage will just put them, the franchiser, out of business. It will hurt the corporation a little while but they will find a way to make money without paying more than minimum wage.
(not sure if the correct word is franchiser or franchisee, but I mean the person or people who pay the corporation for the right to sell the corporations product)

originally posted by: catt3
Give them their $15hr and let the price of a burger go to $10 - $15 and then see how long they have jobs. Fast food isn't a necessity.

exactly what I was thinking....do they not get this?????

Good for public health.

Robots will replace them very soon.

a reply to: xuenchen

Workers strike, maybe get higher wages...people stop eating fast food so much, maybe lose weight.

Seems kind of win-win but then again, I don't eat fast food as a rule so this doesn't effect me.

a reply to: BlueMule
I would also love to see one of the burger flippers become CEO of a company for awhile and see how the company does. I don't think they have the skill set to be CEO or even a manager.
To add to this I would watch a TV reality show that gave a minimum wage employ of a company become CEO for 2 or 3 months so I could see how well they do. I don't think there is a company willing to lose the money to do it, but I wish one would.

a reply to: xuenchen

$15.00/hour is pushing it a bit too far, for both the owners and consumers on the long run.

The only thing these strikes will accomplish is getting people fired.

You guys are making it sound like they are demanding some insanely huge amount of money, but these days $15/hour is hardly enough to live on.

At $15/hr they would make 31,200 /year BEFORE taxes, after taxes it would be around $28,000. This is also assuming they work a full 40 hours a week and don't get they hours chopped up to bits.

In this day an age, who is going to honestly say that $28k/year is asking for too much? With inflation and the cost of living already off the charts and rising every day, its still not enough IMO.

The extra cost to pay their workers a fair wage could be taken out of the pay of the top 10 people in each corporation and it would hardly be noticeable. They would still make record profit each and every year while having employees that are, for once, not totally miserable.

DC

a reply to: xDeadcowx

I don't see why they need to make $30,000 working a non skilled job. I get by on $20,000 but I am retired. If you don't want to make minimum wage learn a skill that is needed, there are plenty of jobs that you can even learn on the job that you might start out at minimum wage but in 3 or 4 years be making close to $20 an hour.

originally posted by: BlueMule
If they trim the fat and quit paying CEO's an exorbitant salary maybe prices wouldn't have to be raised so much. Let the overpriveliged fat cats take one for the team, for once.

a reply to: catt3

I laugh at the people that assume if you are a business owner that you must be making all kinds of money. The first year that my business was open I had a net loss of over $20k. I paid employees with borrowed money and had to take a salary that was just above minimum wage to keep things afloat. Keep thinking that it's all bentley's and gold watches.

As long as I start getting paid at least $30

I won't complain...

a reply to: xuenchen

If only it could really happen.

Minimum wage should be over 15 an hour if adjusted for inflation.

It would stimulate Americas economy, obviously, and raise many people out of poverty.

All workers should strike for it. We would get it, but it would require ALL low-paid workers to strike.

originally posted by: catt3
Give them their $15hr and let the price of a burger go to $10 - $15 and then see how long they have jobs. Fast food isn't a necessity.

If the price didn't go up at all, fast food giants would remain very profitable anyways. The only question is whether they would try to push it on to the consumer or not. If they did, they would go out of business anyways - so they would just pay it. They can afford to pay it, easily I should add, after all.

If minimum wage went up to 15, and wealth was transferred back down, it would ACTUALLY trickle up as opposed to the trickle down that does not trickle down. We need workers spending money. We don't need rich people hoarding it and putting it into the global economy. That does not stimulate the economy. Stimulate the economy and EVERYONE makes more who does business here - including the workers who are in the business of selling their energy and time.

a reply to: DrinkMoreWater
Do you understand economics at all? Have you ever ran a business? Just questions I would like to know the answers to.