$15 bucks.......................... wha....................

[SignManiac]

We have no right nor obligation to tell someone else how to spend their 30 billion dollars. They worked for it and it's theirs to do with whatever they want. All this moral high ground is crap. Stop blaming rich people for not giving away their hard earned money to those who choose not to sacrifice for it.

You want to give your money away to the needy, then so be it. But don't expect others to do it because its your crusade. Sorry but I've always had to survive on my own sacrifices. Others should have to do the same. The problems those in need have are all their own doing.

 

[GWSigns]

We have no right nor obligation to tell someone else how to spend their 30 billion dollars. They worked for it and it's theirs to do with whatever they want. All this moral high ground is crap. Stop blaming rich people for not giving away their hard earned money to those who choose not to sacrifice for it.

You want to give your money away to the needy, then so be it. But don't expect others to do it because its your crusade. Sorry but I've always had to survive on my own sacrifices. Others should have to do the same. The problems those in need have are all their own doing.

I agree, it is not anyone's place to tell another what to do in any regard, however, a periodic reflection on perspective is not a bad thing for anyone, humans a whole tend to become overfilled with themselves.......

 

[SignManiac]

I agree, it is not anyone's place to tell another what to do in any regard, however, a periodic reflection on perspective is not a bad thing for anyone, humans a whole tend to become overfilled with themselves.......

You're correct. But that is just the state of our society today and it will probably never change. It's always been dog eat dog and I don't ever see that changing, not even in a thousand years.

 

[GWSigns]

It is the nature of the beast and has been from day one, so really it is going to always be so, unfortuantely.

Just found this article that really relates in a way to the issue of the OP - Individuals wanting higher wages to live day to day

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/10/b...l-housing-demand-soars.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0

 

[Gino]

Okay, so you want to give someone more money an hour so they can have a warm bed, food on the table, clothes and a roof over their head. That's a great thought..... wait, hold that thought....... instead of me paying higher wages for someone to live in a fashion beyond their means, since I'm a tightwad, why not ask the nice landlord to reduce their rent, ask the electric company to reduce their rate, tell the gas station on the corner to lower their gas a gallon, give them hot water for free and add texting and more music to their phone for free. Oh.... and don't forget they need 978 stations o their television...... get them a reduced cable or satellite set up.

Why is it me that always has to pay ?? What's wrong with Takshak lowering his mini-market prices ?? Can't Zaid cut a break at the money-exchange window and slip them a few extra dollars ?? What's wrong with some else for a change ??


I have more pity for those dogs and cats [which can't talk a bit] you see on television with all their ailments, lost eyes, burnt bodies and purposely misformed limbs and will love any stranger that just treats them with affection without beating them all the time, than for these people constantly nagging about their hardships. I never caused them a hardship so they should take it up with themselves for not living up to their own standards. What's that ?? They have no standards ?? Again, how is that my fault ??

It's a shame we have people living like this in America..... in this world for that matter, but there always has been and there always will be. That IS the nature of the beast. No one can stop it, but you can ruin yourself trying to.

I give to what charity I choose and how much I choose to give. We give to several places and have also given to the needy, but we pick the needy we want to help. I won't blindly go off half-cocked and just send money here or there and hope it does some good. That's the same by giving these people a 50% raise. They won't spend it on necessities. Heck, they don't now and you wanna give them more for their supposed helplessness ?? Believe me, I get that some people truly do need... and they are the ones I want to help, but not some boob who wants to text while taking an order at the window and you getting someone else's breakfast and then they say, well, step back up and we'll try to fix this. Now, this didn't happen to me, but someone I know..... and they just threw the food in the window at them for their inability to get something so simple so terribly wrong. They wanted them to pay for again, too. They can't go back more than one transaction to fix things.

Ya know, like mentioned, when I go to the grocery store, Lowes or any store that has a self check out, I won't use that line because that just puts more people out of work, so I'll wait in line to have an actual person wait on me and earn their keep. Last week, I was at Lowes waiting in line to pay for some extension cords. The girl, not doing anything said, you can go over there [pointing to the self check-out] and pay for it it. I looked at her and said, if I did that, you'll be out a job, huh ?? She shrugged and said, they can't get rid of me, I'm too valuable. I said.... doing what ?? She laughed, then I paid and left.

 

[Deaton Design]

Bob, I agree with a lot of what you say, but when companies move factories to other countries, so they can pay much lower wages and pay less for just about everything,
they then bring those goods back to us and expect us to buy them without raising an eyebrow. And also at the same high price. I look at that the same way I look at people
in my home town that shop for their signs out of town or anyplace else. Dont expect me to buy from you, when you wont buy from me. If companies want to send the work
to outside countries, that's definitely their choice and right, but it's also my right to turn away and ignore them and buy elsewhere. Which is hard to do the way it is now.

 

[GWSigns]

And another.....


http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-12-09/harvard-study-finds-the-rent-is-too-damn-high#!

 

[GWSigns]

what-a-higher-minimum-wage-does-for-workers-and-the-economy

http://www.businessweek.com/article...minimum-wage-does-for-workers-and-the-economy

 

[SignManiac]

John it's not that the companies at fault who want to outsource jobs, it's the shareholders of those companies who demand more valuable stock returns more money. Everyday people who own shared in these corporations want their stocks to be more valuable. You can't have it both ways. The same people in this country who cry about losing their jobs are the same ones who are responsible for losing them. These are the same people who rush to Walmart and buy 80% Chinese junk because its cheap. Even if they don't need it, they buy it just because it's on sale.

Americans have the power to take back their good paying jobs if they stop buying foreign. Simple as that.

 

[Gino]

Bob, I agree with a lot of what you say, but when companies move factories to other countries, so they can pay much lower wages and pay less for just about everything,
they then bring those goods back to us and expect us to buy them without raising an eyebrow. And also at the same high price. I look at that the same way I look at people
in my home town that shop for their signs out of town or anyplace else. Dont expect me to buy from you, when you wont buy from me. If companies want to send the work
to outside countries, that's definitely their choice and right, but it's also my right to turn away and ignore them and buy elsewhere. Which is hard to do the way it is now.

I sure hope this doesn't go political, but for the most part, those companies moving overseas, down to Mexico or where-have-ya.... they are companies who had been forced out of the market place by foreign companies copy-catting our stuff and selling it... made by child labor and forced labor for our marketplace and fooling everyone of it's origin. We dominated making just about everything in the world at one time, except for trinkets and those companies quickly started to copy things made in our country. As our tax codes and restrictions to do everything the government and labor laws dictated expended, we still brought in crap made in Hong Kong, Taiwan and other foreign countries for next to nothing and they were happy just getting a foot hold in our country. It later turned to automobiles and clothes and finally, our companies could no longer compete with companies not playing by the same rules. They either shut down or kept their companies running by moving somewhere, where the rules were easier and made a more level playing field. However, as we grow our government in the last 20 years and go deeper and deeper into debt, the tide has almost done a complete about-face. We are now the ones depending on other countries for our goods and products and they are booming, but still don't have near the restrictions that our country has to do the work.

Move forward to today and while it's a known fact we are using their labor force at a much higher level then they do, we can at least compete, but the label still says made in _ _ _ _.

Again, this has nothing to do with where you buy your products or the fast food as this thread started out, but how it's gonna lay the foundation for what's coming up next.
​

 

[HDvinyl]

Some Americans should be sent off to Mexico to work the country's dirty jobs.

 

[Kaiser]

I wasnt going to really say anything in this thread but a few remarks have stirred me up the wrong way.

In response to certain remarks made: Simply put. We all consume more than what we really need first of all. Eat at home. Lol.
I for one live in a country that is going through a crisis that most of you probably will never see and to be quite honest, even though I probably earn less than 95% of "y'all", Im happy. Ive had to tighten my belt and sacrifice alot of my habits. Yes habits is what I call them because all I need to survive is a room and a kitchen stocked with food. Worst case scenario Ill take a dump in the woods and wipe my a55 with a leaf. Do I deserve a better life? I probably do considering the amount of work I do and the skills I have but Im living and paying the bills and that is what counts. My son gets 3 meals and snacks a day, he is clothed and warm in winter and my girlfriend has the same. I havent bought an item of clothing for myself in about 2 years but I guess I'll just have to lose weight then. I look at people starving all over the world and here we are complaining about our problems(hence my previous comment). I very much doubt this forum in Northern Africa(take your pick of a country) would have this thread to begin with. Im good at what I do because I LOVE what I do and THAT is what I am most proud and thankful of. Ive worked my arse off to get here and I can honestly say not many people actually make money while having fun and doing what they love, so, yes. Im blessed and if someone is pi55ed off with their job and thinks that some dude flipping burgers is overpaid, change your job. Go flip burgers. Who knows. It may even beat selling shoes. If someone prefers to flip burgers and make a better wage, then so be it and whether its a real job or not is irrelevant. Tastes are subjective and not to be argued with. I HAVE FLIPPED burgers and it was a job whether it be up to par with some people's standards or not. A job is a Job. The burger flipper saves you the time of making your own at home. Does he deserve what he's being paid? Who cares. Im not going to ask my boss for a raise just because I THINK I deserve it or because some other guy who's probably doing a job with less responsibility is earning more than me. Does it bother me, yeah, maybe a little, who wouldnt want more wage but thats a whole different story and I call it envy but on the other hand, you know what, good for him. I'm doing my job and he's doing his. If he isnt doing his job right, then thats his boss' fault to be perfectly honest with you and if you really feel like complaining about his incompetence when he's earning pretty well, request a complaints book and take some action instead of bit***g about it.

At least thats what Id do.

They are about to pass a tax here now that every time you withdraw cash from the atm you have to pay. Not a monthly fee for having a debit card but an actual tax EVERY time you withdraw money.
Capitalist pigs right? Will my complaining help? Never. BUUUUUT, if they are going to charge me to withdraw cash I have worked for Im not going to do nothing and complain, be my guest, take my money but as of today I will withdraw from the counter and make those thieves work for what they're taking from me. Will it take me out of my comfort zone. Definately but to be honest, at least I know Im paying for a service instead of being robbed.

Ok. Thats MY rant.

On yet another remark: I constantly hear of strikes in my country because people are sick of the way this government is being run. The same people that complain they are unemployed YET instead of looking for work, they prefer to rally at a strike and complain. The unemployment rate is at a constant rise yet when I flip through the classifieds I find some openings that last a few weeks actually. Why? Because its jobs nobody wants to do. Guess what Gino. Burger flippers included. Since I have been in this country I have been unemployed and lets count, 0 Times. I have had more temp jobs than I can count on all my digits and I have worked in practically every area from fast food to nightclubs to hairdressers assistant to delivery guy to steelworker to plain peter production assembly personell. You know what, it wasn't easy but I wouldnt change a thing if I had to do it again. I learnt from it and I always kept the cash flowing. Now I deal with clients on an international level and basically speak 4 languages on any given day not to mention have the responsibility of a department on my shoulders and mine alone. How did I get here? I worked. Nobody gave me the job. Not the government nor some fat cat. I gave me the job. I worked. I didnt sit on my ar5e expecting it to be handed to me.

And finally, answering some of the more recent comments.
Firstly, companies move not only because of cheaper labour force elsewhere but mainly because of other financial benefits, period. Some countries are just better tax havens than others. Holland for example. People here got all worked up because a major food chain moved everything over there. The government started accusing the CEO of tax evasion. Really. Out of their jurisdiction so the accusation was plain ridiculous. Google Jeronimo Martins and Holland and you'll see what I'm talking about. Heck, Some countries actually lure billionaires with land and homes provided they keep their cash in local banks. Is it legal, probably not here but the country I am referring to has one of the lowest unemployemnet rates in Europe and is one of the wealthiest.... I wonder why. Seriously people. If YOU get a better offer elswhere, wouldnt you go?
Secondly. Assuming that now that the product is not made in your country it HAS to be crap is just a ridiculous and absurd comment and is one of the main reasons why some people away from your borders despise you so much. Not all just those that have this sort of mentality. fir 'murica. Probably 90% of the companies that WERE in your country were foreign to begin with and their work policies were brought with them from abroad. This patriotic crap just discredits the majority of comments made on this thread. I mean really. There is more beyond your borders than just burritos. Which brings me to another quick comment right off the bat before anyone thinks Im trashing them or their country directly. I cant help thinking that this is somewhat like some people HERE in my OWN country complaining that the chinese are messing up our buying power and economy in general or ukranians are stealing our jobs. I have a simple answer. They are harder workers and we could learn a thing or 2 from them and the latter get the same job done as you do, faster and probably more efficient. These attitudes unfortunately do span the globe.

Bottom line. Its got absolutely buggerall to do with what you earn or where you are or even what you do. Its no-ones fault but your own.
It all boils down to work ethics and if you dont have any or have a worker with bad work ethics, its not the governments fault or the fat cat who is to blame. Its plain and simply you and the boss who are to blame.

 

[FatCat]

Funny excerpt:

http://www.upworthy.com/2-monkeys-were-paid-unequally-see-what-happens-next-sc4-3a?g=2

 

[Gino]

:Oops: Kaiser.... didn't really mean to rile you up from so far away.

While reading this essay, I find where you are actually agreeing with what I and many others here are saying, but then you contradict yourself and go the other way. Perhaps it's the language barrier where, while some people speak and converse in a second, third or as your case a fourth language, they don't always fully understand when they say something, it might translate a little differently.

My main point being... throughout your whole post, you cling to one character trait in your own make-up 100%. That is, you never gave up and kept working and bettering yourself. That's exactly what I'm saying. The courage and hardships it takes to constantly make yourself a better person from within as well as with your friends and business associates is what [at least in this country] don't have. Here, they demand what others have just for the sake of..... THEY WANT IT. Do they deserve it ?? Not from a capability or knowledge point of view, but they still want it. Do they need it to live within their means. No, not at all, because almost every one one of them, completely the opposite of you.... live far beyond their wants and put their needs second.

You said having food and a roof over your head were essential. Not in our country. The [let's call them the gimme's] want television, latest phone set ups, cigarettes, booze, sometimes dope, fun times, a loud low car, fashionable clothes, fancy fingernails, dyed hair, pets and the list goes on. Does any of that include necessary clothes for a kid, food, heat, being responsible for paying their own bills or overhead ?? Now, before you say, if they made more, they could do it..... look at yourself. Doesn't matter where in the world you are..... priorities are priorities. You make them from choices. Your choices happened to be the hard way and you scratched and clawed your way up the ladder the hard way. Should everyone have to work to further themselves ?? Yes. The hard way ?? NO. But you play the cards you've been dealt in a responsible way and others will help you every step along the way, until they do, just like you.

I was born into a family where having or owning a business was unheard of. I was taught to work everything and anything that came down the pike and to the best of my ability. I had the oppurtunity to go to college through scholarships and some grants. My parents couldn't afford it, but they helped wherever they could.

I've been working odd jobs from 15¢ an hour shoveling snow and cutting grass to 75¢ ah hour working my first full-time job. I worked two and three jobs to do what I wanted in/out of life. I eventually played in bands [musical groups] and made the best money there in the late 60's into the early 80's. During that time, I was working close to 15 hours a day. Not much time for sleep or getting things done, but I managed to have fun and enjoy everything I did, just like you...... and ya know what, I still enjoy my job, family and life to it's fullest.


So Kaiser, like I said before, I don't begrudge anyone flipping burgers, cleaning the toilets at a department store or someone waving $1,000 bills in my face. I am responsible for what I, me & myself do and I pray to God, my wife is with me 100%.

If someone wants $15. an hour to flip a burger.....more power to them if they get it, but I still think it's wrong trying to gyp in line.

In case that doesn't make sense..... you're standing in a long line waiting your turn to get into a movie theater. Maybe 75 people in front of you. Some people come up and stand in front of you because they know someone in line. Now you're back at 80 behind. A minute later, some more BIG guys get in line in front of you and everyone lets them in because they don't want any trouble. Now you're at 85. A little later 10 girls go up front and the usher let's them in. Now you're at 95. Get a load of this..... there's only 100 tickets. Where at one time you were safe, now, you're almost cheated out of what's yours. Oops, guess what, some people in wheelchairs come and get in front of you and you're at 99.

 

[Marlene]

we need to knock off the cheap labor. the only reason it exists is companies want to make more money and who wouldn't if you can get away with it. where I am we have many people from Mexico, not here legally, to work the dairy farms. we all know they are out there yet no ones does anything as the dairy farms can't run if they pay a decent wage. why? since when did paying a decent wage mean you can't run a business. that doesn't just apply to the dairy farms it is what we are hearing form all who pay next to nothing for labor. so tell me, if Mcdonalds did pay a better wage, would it go out of business? no it wouldn't. they make claims to that but it wouldn't happen.

 

[Kaiser]

:Oops: Kaiser.... didn't really mean to rile you up from so far away.

While reading this essay, I find where you are actually agreeing with what I and many others here are saying, but then you contradict yourself and go the other way. Perhaps it's the language barrier where, while some people speak and converse in a second, third or as your case a fourth language, they don't always fully understand when they say something, it might translate a little differently.

My main point being... throughout your whole post, you cling to one character trait in your own make-up 100%. That is, you never gave up and kept working and bettering yourself. That's exactly what I'm saying. The courage and hardships it takes to constantly make yourself a better person from within as well as with your friends and business associates is what [at least in this country] don't have. Here, they demand what others have just for the sake of..... THEY WANT IT. Do they deserve it ?? Not from a capability or knowledge point of view, but they still want it. Do they need it to live within their means. No, not at all, because almost every one one of them, completely the opposite of you.... live far beyond their wants and put their needs second.

You said having food and a roof over your head were essential. Not in our country. The [let's call them the gimme's] want television, latest phone set ups, cigarettes, booze, sometimes dope, fun times, a loud low car, fashionable clothes, fancy fingernails, dyed hair, pets and the list goes on. Does any of that include necessary clothes for a kid, food, heat, being responsible for paying their own bills or overhead ?? Now, before you say, if they made more, they could do it..... look at yourself. Doesn't matter where in the world you are..... priorities are priorities. You make them from choices. Your choices happened to be the hard way and you scratched and clawed your way up the ladder the hard way. Should everyone have to work to further themselves ?? Yes. The hard way ?? NO. But you play the cards you've been dealt in a responsible way and others will help you every step along the way, until they do, just like you.

I was born into a family where having or owning a business was unheard of. I was taught to work everything and anything that came down the pike and to the best of my ability. I had the oppurtunity to go to college through scholarships and some grants. My parents couldn't afford it, but they helped wherever they could.

I've been working odd jobs from 15¢ an hour shoveling snow and cutting grass to 75¢ ah hour working my first full-time job. I worked two and three jobs to do what I wanted in/out of life. I eventually played in bands [musical groups] and made the best money there in the late 60's into the early 80's. During that time, I was working close to 15 hours a day. Not much time for sleep or getting things done, but I managed to have fun and enjoy everything I did, just like you...... and ya know what, I still enjoy my job, family and life to it's fullest.


So Kaiser, like I said before, I don't begrudge anyone flipping burgers, cleaning the toilets at a department store or someone waving $1,000 bills in my face. I am responsible for what I, me & myself do and I pray to God, my wife is with me 100%.

If someone wants $15. an hour to flip a burger.....more power to them if they get it, but I still think it's wrong trying to gyp in line.

In case that doesn't make sense..... you're standing in a long line waiting your turn to get into a movie theater. Maybe 75 people in front of you. Some people come up and stand in front of you because they know someone in line. Now you're back at 80 behind. A minute later, some more BIG guys get in line in front of you and everyone lets them in because they don't want any trouble. Now you're at 85. A little later 10 girls go up front and the usher let's them in. Now you're at 95. Get a load of this..... there's only 100 tickets. Where at one time you were safe, now, you're almost cheated out of what's yours. Oops, guess what, some people in wheelchairs come and get in front of you and you're at 99.

Gino. First of all. English is my first language and I probably didnt explain things properly. My apologies and Im also sorry you get the impression I was contradicting myself. Reading over my previous post I can see where there could be a misunderstanding. I probably even got the wrong impression from your first post. I got the impression you were generally bashing burger flippers(that sounds so funny re-reading it) and saying they dont deserve what they earn because they arent bright enough to. Maybe if they got a real job they would? What is a real job? Thats relative. Lets put this in lamens terms then.

As I concluded in my last post. The bottom line is this: Incompetence is the employee and the boss' fault and this all boils down to each ones individual ethics or principals.
We spend SO much time blaming somebody else like major corporations and the government because we find it unfair that some idiots, yes, I agree, idiots, are making a fantastic wage to sit on their a55 and do nothing let alone think because even that is too much work. Who's fault is this when you come to think of it? Most of the posts on this thread, and correct me if Im wrong seem to be blaming someone higher up on the ladder than the actual employee or boss. If the foundation is buggered how on earth do you plan on even getting the roof up. Understand where Im coming from? If you were in my country of birth, South Africa, go ahead and blame the government! Affirmative action wasn't as perfect and rosy as they thought it would be and some officials just took it way beyond what it was meant to be but in a country like the USofA or even my country? Its the general mentality of the nation itself and not higher up thats up to crap and it has absolutely nothing to do with money. Wether they deserve it or not is quite frankly irrelevant and in the long run wont make the slightest difference in any of our lives. If its not them, its someone else! It just racks me up when I see everyone complaining about this and that and I dont see anyone doing anything about it. I agree with alot that has been said here and disagree with alot too. Getting into semantics will just keeps us here until 00:00.

When you say that most of them are gimmes. Hell. Who Cares. Let them drive up the economy by wasting their hard earned cash! Im definately not going to go on a crusade to teach them otherwise because as I said in my previous post. I think we consume too much. On the other hand however, if we dont, there goes our economy right. Its a lose lose situation any way you look at it. On a personal note, Id prefer to save up and spend on the essentials only and this I can accredit to where I live. If I was living in the USofA I'd probably have a different view and agree with all of you. Who knows?

So, its a matter of education and yet again ethics which basically wraps up what you said in your last paragraph. Everyone is different and entitled to whatever they have. What they do with it is what counts. There is absolutely nothing more to it than human condition so I dont see why we, myself included, end up taking it to a political level. If we ALL actually have the balls to get up and fight to get out of this crap hole we are all in maybe then we might ALL get a good wage. Until then I dont really see what the use is of pointing fingers at everybody else. We all just end up looking like kids wanting each others candy.

 

[GWSigns]

Funny excerpt:

http://www.upworthy.com/2-monkeys-were-paid-unequally-see-what-happens-next-sc4-3a?g=2

LOL! Oh my Gosh that is FUNNY!

 

[bob]

we need to knock off the cheap labor. the only reason it exists is companies want to make more money and who wouldn't if you can get away with it. where I am we have many people from Mexico, not here legally, to work the dairy farms. we all know they are out there yet no ones does anything as the dairy farms can't run if they pay a decent wage. why?...

Probably because the market will only bear $X for a gallon of milk [not only set by market forces but to some extent by the US Department of Agriculture as well] and if it takes $X+$Y to produce that gallon you have a worthless reason for being in business. Your level of acumen as applied to livestock operations may not be such for you to realize that feed prices have increased astronomically in recent years as well as the costs for livestock as well. Virtually every dairy feeds their stock, there are precious few herds of dairy cattle gamboling about grazing green pastures waiting to be milked. Even if there were, the cost of maintaining pasture has also increased astronomically. The only significant variable a dairy has to play with are labor costs.

Moreover a business, any business, exists to turn a profit. As much a profit is as possible.This is not inherently evil to which you and others subtly, and some not so subtly, allude. Rather it is The Way Things Are. No business exists merely to provide employment.

...since when did paying a decent wage mean you can't run a business. that doesn't just apply to the dairy farms it is what we are hearing form all who pay next to nothing for labor. so tell me, if MacDonald's did pay a better wage, would it go out of business? no it wouldn't. they make claims to that but it wouldn't happen.

And you know this because?

While McDonald's et. al. might not go out of business, paying what are entry level jobs wages that do not exhibit a positive revenue to wage ratio would most certainly affect the proprietors and violate their fiduciary responsibility to maximize return to those proprietors. If that effect is sufficiently negative then the company wile almost certainly go out of business.

A business does not exist to support its employees. Rather just the opposite. Its employees exist to support the business.

 

[FatCat]

Just another thought here about McDonald's;

Anybody that has read the E-myth Revisited would know that the brilliance behind McDonald's and why it is so successful is that they have every task, duty and responsibility of their workers written out and explained so that ANYBODY can do it and it is almost impossible to fail. They don't need somebody with chef experience to make burgers. They don't need someone with 10 years of computer experience to operate a cash register. No, specifically, McDonald's has done all the work up front so that they can basically hire anybody off the street to perform the daily duties of making food for their customers. They even have extensive training for their managers and franchise owners to make them successful to manage the employees. It is a brilliant recipe for success and we should all be so lucky to have businesses that run as smoothly and consistently as most McDonald's do.

Regardless of how you feel, life isn't fair and never will be. A "living wage" is a different number for all of us, and as such is nothing more than an "opinion". McDonald's is set up to run a certain way, with certain types of people to do the necessary jobs for it to function. It's just the way it is.

 

[Marlene]

people will pay more for what they want. cigarettes are up over $12 a pack and still those who want them will pay for it.

A business does not exist to support its employees. Rather just the opposite. Its employees exist to support the business.

I don't buy that one. employees are what can make or break a business so they are important and deserve to be treated as such. ever get bad service at a company and never go back? it usually boils down to one employee that can make or break it for you, not the entire upper tier of the company. the lowly burger flipper will be the only person you ever meet at a McDonalds as you never will meet the "important" people asking if you want fries with that. they are important as they are the face of your company that the public sees, reacts to and will decide if they want to do business with you or not. so, yes, they do deserve to be paid what they are worth.