Wage Strikes Planned at Fast-Food Outlets

[CaptLouAlbano]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/02/b...-at-fast-food-outlets-in-100-cities.html?_r=0

From the article:

Simon Rojas, who earns $8.07 an hour working at a McDonald’s in South Central Los Angeles, said he would join Thursday’s one-day strike.

“It’s very difficult to live off $8.07 an hour,” said Mr. Rojas, 23, noting that he is often assigned just 20 or 25 hours of work a week. “I have to live with my parents. I would like to be able to afford a car and an apartment.”

Mr. Rojas said he had studied for a pharmacy technician’s certificate, but he had been unable to save the $100 needed to apply for a license.

My questions to Simon would first be, what the hell have you been doing for the past 8 years that today you are only valued by an employer at $8.07 per hour and they only want you 20 hours per week? As I see it, this man obviously has not gathered the skills needed in life to make his time & talents valued.

Second point, is that if he wants to afford a car and an apartment, why then is he not working elsewhere to make the money? Yes, jobs are scarce, but they still do exist. There are over 100 hours per week where he could be working, the article infers that his fast food job is his only job. So, then if he wants these things he desires, then he should be out there every day doing something to earn them.

Lastly, I applaud him for getting himself some education with his pharmacy tech education. But again, if you want to get the license, then go out and cut lawns or clean houses or something to make that money.

All in all, these people who would strike on this planned day, I would fire their asses. Fuck these people and all those who support them. We have a lot of problems with our economy caused by government, but on top of that we have a work ethic and skills deficit in this country like I have never seen before.

 

[Origanalist]

Mr. Rojas said he had studied for a pharmacy technician’s certificate, but he had been unable to save the $100 needed to apply for a license.

Huh? He's living with his parents.

 

[angelatc]

My son makes minimum wage, has an apartment with another guy and makes enough to pay rent, utilities and buy an occasional video game. If Mr. Rojas can't save $100 while living with his parents, his problem is not that he makes minimum wage.

Pick up some free stuff on Craigslist and sell it on eBay! $100 bucks in a couple weeks - no problem.

It probably does offer some insight as to why he still only makes minimum wage though.

 

[CaptLouAlbano]

Huh? He's living with his parents.

Exactly. What the hell is he spending his money on? Shit reporting. Agenda driven. A good reporter would ask, "do you have a cell phone?" Then cancel it

 

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

What--he can't sell weed like everybody else? I don't know the price of dope any more, but an oz. has to fetch at least a 100 dollars. He could probably collect his fee in one transaction at the drive-up window.

 

[aGameOfThrones]

Mr. Rojas said he had studied for a pharmacy technician’s certificate, but he had been unable to save the $100 needed to apply for a license.

Cut the license fee to $20. Have rent control. Give him a free car.

 

[Suzanimal]

Ok, so

8.07 x 25= 201.75 per week

I'm not sure how much is deducted from his check but even at 50% (which is doubtful), he would still have enough in one week to pay for his test.

 

[DamianTV]

Exactly. What the hell is he spending his money on? Shit reporting. Agenda driven. A good reporter would ask, "do you have a cell phone?" Then cancel it

Not just a cell phone, but most likely a cell phone with an unlimited everything plan as required by his carrier for the smart phone he carries, which, oh, look at that $200 bucks a month. Oh, is he sharing his plan with everyone else in his flat? At least $300 a month. Smokes pot each and every night? Theres another huge monthly bill. Regular tobacco costs can be cut to a fraction by rolling your own instead of buying per pack and whatever obscene state taxes are imposed. And monthly alcohol bill, and cable tv and internet bill, and World of Warcraft monthly fee. How many monthly subscriptions do they have, and to whom? Child Support? Shouldnt have been silly and should have wrapped that willy. Or maybe he should have not been paying a mothly fee to some big Online Dating Site. Another unnecessary expenditure. But he had to get the brand new car too instead of buying a used one that can be paid off and has lower insurance. My examples dont reflect everyone, but most people have some of the traits that I mentioned.

 

[Origanalist]

Backers of the movement for higher pay point to studies saying that the average age of fast-food workers is 29 and that more than one-fourth are parents raising children.

Well, that's different. They should be getting paid 30.00 per hr. if they are 29 and raising kids , right? That's what wages should be based on.

This whole thing is ridiculous. I was paying my own rent at 17. Don't like your wages? Get a second job or get a better one.

 

[CaptLouAlbano]

Two more things:

Someone should send Simon this link: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/jjj/

Also, every pharmacy in LA should be on alert for this guy's application. It's already known that he will walk off the job if he doesn't like his pay, therefore he shouldn't be hired by anyone wanting a quality employee.

 

[CaptLouAlbano]

Well, that's different. They should be getting paid 30.00 per hr. if they are 29 and raising kids , right? That's what wages should be based on.

This whole thing is ridiculous. I was paying my own rent at 17. Don't like your wages? Get a second job or get a better one.

Exactly. Why is this guy (and others like him) working a job at 23, that they should have been working when they were 15. I have ZERO sympathy for these people.

 

[Origanalist]

Two more things:

Someone should send Simon this link: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/jjj/

Also, every pharmacy in LA should be on alert for this guy's application. It's already known that he will walk off the job if he doesn't like his pay, therefore he shouldn't be hired by anyone wanting a quality employee.

It took me two minutes to find him a job there that pays $15.00 to start.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/sls/4225304296.html

 

[Origanalist]

Cut the license fee to $20. Have rent control. Give him a free car.

Don't forget the Obama phone.

 

[CaptLouAlbano]

It took me two minutes to find him a job there that pays $15.00 to start.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/sls/4225304296.html

Nice find. But look at the qualifications:

2-3 years of retail sales and customer service experience
Must be eligible to obtain a Bail License (State of California)
Have no serious criminal history and a good driving record
Must be willing to work any shift to support our 24 hour operations including weekends, holidays and graveyards

How much do you want to bet that Simon falls short in most of these? At 23 he shouldn't, but I would wager that he does.

 

[Rudeman]

Nice find. But look at the qualifications:

2-3 years of retail sales and customer service experience
Must be eligible to obtain a Bail License (State of California)
Have no serious criminal history and a good driving record
Must be willing to work any shift to support our 24 hour operations including weekends, holidays and graveyards

How much do you want to bet that Simon falls short in most of these? At 23 he shouldn't, but I would wager that he does.

Well if he can't pay $100 for the pharmacy technician certificate what are the odds he'll be able to afford the Bail License?

 

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

He should be out there striking/protesting against occupational licensing.

 

[CaptLouAlbano]

Well if he can't pay $100 for the pharmacy technician certificate what are the odds he'll be able to afford the Bail License?

From the ad: "We provide on the job training and we will help you work towards obtaining your bail agent license."

All in all Simon is an illustration of the work ethic and skills deficit we have in this country today. For one, at 23 he should already be on a path to a career, but that's beside the point. He should be working his ass off at this stage of his life. The didn't say he was supporting a kid (and I am sure if he was they would have said it to tug at the bleeding heart's strings some more). So he lives at home, presumably has no kid to take care of - then he should be out there working 12-16 hours per day, 7 days per week. Two jobs, three jobs, four jobs - whatever. Even if he was making more money than he is at the burger joint, he still should be out there busting his ass right now.

 

[Origanalist]

Nice find. But look at the qualifications:

2-3 years of retail sales and customer service experience
Must be eligible to obtain a Bail License (State of California)
Have no serious criminal history and a good driving record
Must be willing to work any shift to support our 24 hour operations including weekends, holidays and graveyards

How much do you want to bet that Simon falls short in most of these? At 23 he shouldn't, but I would wager that he does.

Well, he could use his time flipping burgers and asking "do you want fries with that?" as retail sales and customer service.....maybe.

 

[angelatc]

From the ad: "We provide on the job training and we will help you work towards obtaining your bail agent license."

All in all Simon is an illustration of the work ethic and skills deficit we have in this country today. For one, at 23 he should already be on a path to a career, but that's beside the point. He should be working his ass off at this stage of his life. The didn't say he was supporting a kid (and I am sure if he was they would have said it to tug at the bleeding heart's strings some more). So he lives at home, presumably has no kid to take care of - then he should be out there working 12-16 hours per day, 7 days per week. Two jobs, three jobs, four jobs - whatever. Even if he was making more money than he is at the burger joint, he still should be out there busting his ass right now.

Yeah, I didn't think about it, but I started working a second job when I was still in high school.

 

[belian78]

What--he can't sell weed like everybody else? I don't know the price of dope any more, but an oz. has to fetch at least a 100 dollars. He could probably collect his fee in one transaction at the drive-up window.

Heh... For the good good, you can get $400 out of an oz, more if you break it down and sell it.