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Friday, August 30, 2013

Fast Food Workers walk out demanding Higher pay. How about getting an education and getting a Better Job?

     Yesterday Fast Food workers across the nation held a walk out, a "Strike" demanding $15 an hour jobs.  Some complained that they could not raise their kids and supply for their families on their minimum $7 an hour jobs. 

     Which is correct, these workers are absolutely right, part time fast food jobs were never meant for Moms and dads raising kids to make careers out of working for McDonalds, Jack in the Box and or even Star Bucks, of which some of those who walked off yesterday were employed by.

     Fast food jobs were intended for 16-22 year olds to work while going to school and preparing themselves for real careers in the future. 

   The reality is that Many Americans can only afford  eating at fast food restaurants because those restaurants offer cheap discounted $1 menus.  If those restaurants were forced to pay $15 an hour they would have no choice but to pass the raise in costs.  Yes wages are costs to a restaurant.  They would have to raise those costs onto the customers, many of whom would have to stop eating at those restaurants.  

    When customers stop eating at a restaurant that restaurant has no choice but to close its doors.  When a restaurant closes its doors, EVERYONE.  And I Mean EVERYONE, who was making money off that restaurant, including the lowest employee making $7 an hour to the managers and GM's and even the restaurant owner all stop making money and that hurts city, state and nation in General.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/08/29/fast-food-workers-strike-for-higher-pay-in-nearly-60-cities/2726815/

In Wausau, Wis., Wendy's worker DuWayne Lewis planned to join fellow workers in an afternoon walkout.
With seven children, including one in college, money is tight for Lewis, who makes $7.25 an hour.
"I can't live off this, but it's all I've got," Lewis said. "I need to work. But it's hard to pay the bills and put food on the table with this kind of pay. I've got seven girls to take care of."

   No one is saying that Fast Food workers are lazy. 

   Most are not.  But the reality is that You cannot work at a lower end job that most everyone can do and expect to make great money.

   Floor sweepers get paid minimum wage because they do something everyone can do.   If you paid the lowest of the low jobs higher wages then EVERYTHING goes up.  Just as Everything is now more expensive than it was just a few years ago when they last raised minimum wage.

   The reality is that our founding fathers created a Nation where EVERYONE No matter their social standing when born could engage in their own individual pursuit of happiness.   But the founding fathers never said that meant putting a gun to the heads of others and paying those who refused to do what was necessary in their lives to improve their lives to live happily in a dead end job.

   If DuWayne Lewis and others working $7 an hour the only real option for them would be to go out get some form of education whether it be at a trade school or even an Accredited University and find a better paying job.

   Or go out on their own and start their own business and hope it will turn into a success.

  The irony is that it is far easier for Fast Food Workers to qualify for Educational funding at their current wages than if they were to be making $15 an hour.

But then that is the point.  They really do not want to leave their jobs.  Making more would mean they do not have  to.

The reality is that anything worth while in life is never easy.

I am not saying that Fast Food workers are Lazy.  Or even that what they are doing is Easy.  But I am saying that it is often easier to stay doing the same thing over and over and over again than taking a risk and reaping the rewards after taking that risk. 

Including higher wages.

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