Summary:
Many of America's fast-food workers have been protesting around the country due to the fact that they are, or getting close to, living the federal minimum wage. Although their wish is to get paid more than $7.25 an hour (which makes about $15,000 a year), the fast-food industry questions whether they will be able to raise the pay. The costs of the fast-food industry business are purposely low to supply a fair amount of pay for the workers while keeping the prices of the food cheap. If the industry raises the pay for the workers, the cost of the food will increase as well. Recently, President Obama raised the pay from $7.25 an hour to $9 an hour. The protesters are shooting towards getting paid $15 an hour, which would equal wages of $31,000 a year. If these wages increase, the consumers have to be willing to pay a higher cost on foods in order for the economy to keep thriving.
Analysis:
In my opinion, I believe getting paid $15 an hour, $31,000 a year, as a fast-food worker is not fair at all to the Americans who actually have a college education/degree to work professionally and get the same, or close to the same, pay. This is putting these two very different working classes up against each other when they should be no where close to being "equal".
Plus, many fast-food workers are young adults or uneducated people who need a job. Some of these people who consumers encounter do not have the language skills or politeness that deserves a pay that high. However, if the pay is increased and so are the prices of the food, most people are not going to want to buy fast-food that is double the price it was before. This may lead to less problems with obesity in America.
This article is important because it proves that something as small as fast-food workers pay increasing by $6 can completely affect the economy of America in many ways. Not only will this affect the business by consumers not paying for higher costs of food, but the whole economy will not thrive.
http://news.yahoo.com/workers-protests-highlight-fast-food-130129184.html
I had actually read about this before seeing this blog. It's a thought provoking story. I choose to not support fast food restaurants and I believe that the companies' desire for personal gain contributes to wages of employees. At the same time I agree with you in saying that fast food jobs don't deserve the same pay as many other occupations.
ReplyDeleteFelicia Padilla 5th period: in my opinion fast food workers should only be getting paid at most minimum wage since the job itself doesn't really require and qualifications such as a degree. Also I don't think that working at a fast food restaurant is supposed to be a lifelong career choice, but more of a job that a young adult has to help them get through college or even highschool. I don't think it's fair to the American people to have to pay more for their food just because workers think they deserve more pay when they really don't.
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