Joke of the week. NYC Fast Food workers to strike

[thereisnospoon]

No one can make up this stuff...
from UPI News....
Fast food workers strike in New York City


By United Press International April 5, 2013 12:29 pm


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Fast food workers in New York said they would honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by going out on strike on Thursday for higher wages.

On the 45th anniversary of the day that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated while supporting a sanitation workers strike in Memphis, non-unionized New York fast food workers said they expected about 400 colleagues to walk out on their jobs, double the number who did so in November.

The November work action at the time was the largest strike ever conducted by fast food workers, The New York Times reported.

The strike is supported by several groups, including Fast Food Forward, New York Communities for Change, UnitedNY.org, the Black Institute, the Service Employees International Union and local clergy, the Times said.

Thursday's strike is expected to include workers from about 70 fast food restaurants.

Across the city, there are 50,000 fast-food workers, most making minimum wage, which is $7.25 per hour.

That is the rate, as yet unchanged, that Tabitha Verges has earned for four years at a Burger King in Harlem. When she has asked for raise, "They always give me the same excuse -- that they're not making enough money," she said.

Verges, who's weekly take-home pay is $122 for a 25-hour-per-week job, said she plans to join the walkout.

"We believe that it's a continuation of a civil rights fight against low wages and for Martin Luther King's movement to win dignity and living-wage jobs," said Jonathan Westin, executive director of New York Communities for Change.

New York State lawmakers have recently raised the minimum wage to $9 per hour, which does not take affect until 2016.

The fast-food workers are seeking $15 per hour now, the Times said.

"My community in Flatbush is filled with fast-food workers who have been suffering due to low wages, no sick days and unsafe working conditions," said Rev. Cheri Kroon, associate minister of the Flatbush Reform Church in Brooklyn.

Miguel Piedra, a spokesman for Burger King, said the company offers "compensation and benefits that are consistent with the quick-serve restaurant industry."

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Now if anyone who wished to find an easy way to get canned, this is it!

 

[iamwhatiseem]

As I have said 1000 times....$.99 for a beef patty, two pieces of bread, lettuce, tomato, pickle etc. Ketchup and Mustard. Then the wrap it comes in, the paper bag and napkin...the building and equipment inside...trucking of the food etc. etc. etc.......yet $.99??? Mayyyybe a few corners are being cut in both quality and employee compensation.

Questions is - everyone who supports a higher wage for these folks - you willing to spend $2.00 for that same $.99 burger?? No...your not.

 

[Ernie S.]

I predict a boom in the "Help Wanted" sign business.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I predict a boom in the "Help Wanted" sign business.

Perhaps, but more likely they will get little support outside of the liberal college crowd. If people can't get their cheesburgers quick enough they will riot.

 

[Ernie S.]

Less than 1% (400 out of 50,000) are expected to strike. The effect will be minimal.

 

[Againsheila]

As I have said 1000 times....$.99 for a beef patty, two pieces of bread, lettuce, tomato, pickle etc. Ketchup and Mustard. Then the wrap it comes in, the paper bag and napkin...the building and equipment inside...trucking of the food etc. etc. etc.......yet $.99??? Mayyyybe a few corners are being cut in both quality and employee compensation.

Questions is - everyone who supports a higher wage for these folks - you willing to spend $2.00 for that same $.99 burger?? No...your not.

You're right, I'm not. Of course, I'm not willing to pay the $.99 for it either. I'd rather have a real homemade burger instead. Though, lately, I've discovered that Denny's makes some good thick burgers, they're a lot more than $.99 but they are worth it.

Who wants to pay anything for some pink slime that's cooked up and covered with ketchup and bread so you can eat it? No thanks, I'd rather have real meat.

 

[KevinWestern]

Workers have a right to make demands, and I don't think that's a bad thing (not sure why you have to ridicule them).

Isn't this just a large scale form of wage negotiation, much like someone landing a job in a salaried position would do?


.

 

[PredFan]

Fire all of the strikers. there are people in NYC who need jobs.

 

[PredFan]

Workers have a right to protest, and I don't think that's a bad thing (that should be ridiculed). If enough workers do this at the right time, it can lead to wage increases across the board (which again isn't a bad thing).

Isn't this just a large scale form of wage negotiation, much like someone landing a job in a salaried position would do?



.

No, the difference is that the negotiation takes place when the salaried person gets hired, then agrees to a salary. The strikers are blackmailing the businesses for money they don't deserve.

 

[Katzndogz]

Are the workers striking or paid protesters appearing on behalf of the workers.

 

[KevinWestern]

Workers have a right to protest, and I don't think that's a bad thing (that should be ridiculed). If enough workers do this at the right time, it can lead to wage increases across the board (which again isn't a bad thing).

Isn't this just a large scale form of wage negotiation, much like someone landing a job in a salaried position would do?



.

No, the difference is that the negotiation takes place when the salaried person gets hired, then agrees to a salary. The strikers are blackmailing the businesses for money they don't deserve.

Yea, but the thing is that workers at this level don't get a legitimate chance to negotiate salary during the hiring process (because they're worth so little - individually - to the company).

But as a whole - when they band together - they give themselves a bit more leverage when asking for a higher wage. It makes sense to me..

"Blackmailing" is a bit extreme of a word, because this is the only realistic process that available to them for negotiating a higher wage.

Again, what's the big deal? This isn't a story of the gov't swooping in and forcing the company to offer a higher wage; it's an example of private entities negotiating employment terms. I think it's perfectly acceptable.


.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

You know,if they got my order right at least 95% of the time instead of the 60% I get now?
Or maybe I got a burger that hasn't been sitting under a heat lamp for two hours because they dont want to work to hard during the lunch hour?
Then MAYBE I would feel a little sympathy.
Until then they can fuck off ....

More of that lib philosophy at work. I want to get paid and then I'll work harder. Instead of working hard and proving you deserve it.

 

[KevinWestern]

You know,if they got my order right at least 95% of the time instead of the 60% I get now?
Or maybe I got a burger that hasn't been sitting under a heat lamp for two hours because they dont want to work to hard during the lunch hour?
Then MAYBE I would feel a little sympathy.
Until then they can fuck off ....

More of that lib philosophy at work. I want to get paid and then I'll work harder. Instead of working hard and proving you deserve it.

Hey, you get what you pay for. When I pay $0.99 for a burger, I generally don't expect four star service. If I pay $13 for a burger, then I would.

Just sayin...



.

 

[PredFan]

Workers have a right to protest, and I don't think that's a bad thing (that should be ridiculed). If enough workers do this at the right time, it can lead to wage increases across the board (which again isn't a bad thing).

Isn't this just a large scale form of wage negotiation, much like someone landing a job in a salaried position would do?



.

No, the difference is that the negotiation takes place when the salaried person gets hired, then agrees to a salary. The strikers are blackmailing the businesses for money they don't deserve.

Yea, but the thing is that workers at this level don't get a legitimate chance to negotiate salary during the hiring process (because they're worth so little - individually - to the company).

But as a whole - when they band together - they give themselves a bit more leverage when asking for a higher wage. It makes sense to me..

"Blackmailing" is a bit extreme of a word, because this is the only realistic process that available to them for negotiating a higher wage.

Again, what's the big deal? This isn't a story of the gov't swooping in and forcing the company to offer a higher wage; it's an example of private entities negotiating employment terms. I think it's perfectly acceptable.


.

It's perfectly legal yes, it's also perfectly legal if the companies said screw you you are all fired and replaced them.

Fast food isn't supposed to be a career.

 

[KevinWestern]

No, the difference is that the negotiation takes place when the salaried person gets hired, then agrees to a salary. The strikers are blackmailing the businesses for money they don't deserve.

Yea, but the thing is that workers at this level don't get a legitimate chance to negotiate salary during the hiring process (because they're worth so little - individually - to the company).

But as a whole - when they band together - they give themselves a bit more leverage when asking for a higher wage. It makes sense to me..

"Blackmailing" is a bit extreme of a word, because this is the only realistic process that available to them for negotiating a higher wage.

Again, what's the big deal? This isn't a story of the gov't swooping in and forcing the company to offer a higher wage; it's an example of private entities negotiating employment terms. I think it's perfectly acceptable.


.

It's perfectly legal yes, it's also perfectly legal if the companies said screw you you are all fired and replaced them.

Fast food isn't supposed to be a career.

Yea, I never said that firing the employees wasn't acceptable, I just was noting that banding together is an intelligent way to negotiate a wage increase because there's strength in numbers in this situation.

I don't understand why this has to be classified as a "joke".

Fast food may not be a career for all, but if you aren't educated, or in a bind it might be your only option. And even so, that's not a good reason for accepting a wage (for all intents and purposes) that may not be a fair one.

It's all negotiation between the worker and employer.
.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

You know,if they got my order right at least 95% of the time instead of the 60% I get now?
Or maybe I got a burger that hasn't been sitting under a heat lamp for two hours because they dont want to work to hard during the lunch hour?
Then MAYBE I would feel a little sympathy.
Until then they can fuck off ....

More of that lib philosophy at work. I want to get paid and then I'll work harder. Instead of working hard and proving you deserve it.

Hey, you get what you pay for. When I pay $0.99 for a burger, I generally don't expect four star service. If I pay $13 for a burger, then I would.

Just sayin...



.

Yeah you would think.....but in the last week I got a sausage egg McMuffin with no sausage.
A steak egg and cheese bagel.......where the steak was replaced with bacon.
I dont expect gourmet fare from Micky Ds,but at least get my order right for fucks sake.

So right now they're batting a thousand in the two trips I've taken to A fast food joint this week.
The only fast food joint that I get flawless service from is Chick-File. Go figure....

 

[KevinWestern]

You know,if they got my order right at least 95% of the time instead of the 60% I get now?
Or maybe I got a burger that hasn't been sitting under a heat lamp for two hours because they dont want to work to hard during the lunch hour?
Then MAYBE I would feel a little sympathy.
Until then they can fuck off ....

More of that lib philosophy at work. I want to get paid and then I'll work harder. Instead of working hard and proving you deserve it.

Hey, you get what you pay for. When I pay $0.99 for a burger, I generally don't expect four star service. If I pay $13 for a burger, then I would.

Just sayin...



.

Yeah you would think.....but in the last week I got a sausage egg McMuffin with no sausage.
A steak egg and cheese bagel.......where the steak was replaced with bacon.
I dont expect gourmet fare from Micky Ds,but at least get my order right for fucks sake.

I mean, that's bad, but I'd blame management and training over anything. If your employees can't put sausage on a sausage McMuffin, I say who the heck is putting together these crews?

.

 

[thereisnospoon]

As I have said 1000 times....$.99 for a beef patty, two pieces of bread, lettuce, tomato, pickle etc. Ketchup and Mustard. Then the wrap it comes in, the paper bag and napkin...the building and equipment inside...trucking of the food etc. etc. etc.......yet $.99??? Mayyyybe a few corners are being cut in both quality and employee compensation.

Questions is - everyone who supports a higher wage for these folks - you willing to spend $2.00 for that same $.99 burger?? No...your not.

You're right, I'm not. Of course, I'm not willing to pay the $.99 for it either. I'd rather have a real homemade burger instead. Though, lately, I've discovered that Denny's makes some good thick burgers, they're a lot more than $.99 but they are worth it.

Who wants to pay anything for some pink slime that's cooked up and covered with ketchup and bread so you can eat it? No thanks, I'd rather have real meat.

Hey...Nice big swing and a miss at the POINT OF THE DISUCSSION.

 

[Againsheila]

As I have said 1000 times....$.99 for a beef patty, two pieces of bread, lettuce, tomato, pickle etc. Ketchup and Mustard. Then the wrap it comes in, the paper bag and napkin...the building and equipment inside...trucking of the food etc. etc. etc.......yet $.99??? Mayyyybe a few corners are being cut in both quality and employee compensation.

Questions is - everyone who supports a higher wage for these folks - you willing to spend $2.00 for that same $.99 burger?? No...your not.

You're right, I'm not. Of course, I'm not willing to pay the $.99 for it either. I'd rather have a real homemade burger instead. Though, lately, I've discovered that Denny's makes some good thick burgers, they're a lot more than $.99 but they are worth it.

Who wants to pay anything for some pink slime that's cooked up and covered with ketchup and bread so you can eat it? No thanks, I'd rather have real meat.

Hey...Nice big swing and a miss at the POINT OF THE DISUCSSION.

The point of the discussion is that some people think the employees don't have a right to try for higher wages. I think that not only do they have the right, they have the duty. If a company can't support it's workers, then it doesn't deserve to be in business. If you want to support a company that makes hamburgers with pink slime and pays their workers slave wages, that's up to you, but you do not have the right to tell the workers they don't have the right to complain or try to make things better for themselves.