Bruce with a Canon Loc: Islip

why 15 bucks an hour for a low skill entry level job? why not 25?

Why do actors, athletes need to make more than 25 bucks an hour?

If we assign wages to skill levels the politicians are vastly overpaid, they should make 10 bucks an hour for hours actually worked

LLucas Loc: Upstate South Carolina, USA

Until those in the public service industry (teachers, law enforcement, etc) are paid more fairly, I simply cannot be empathetic to the unskilled fast food workers who are dishing out crap for a living.

camshot Loc: Peterborough ontario Canada

In Ontario Canada the minimum wage went from $8. to $10. and prices were not changed at all, competition settles the price. In Camnore Alberta (Canada) minimum wage is $11. they would not get anyone to work these jobs without this rat, and prices are the same as anywhere else.
The greedy fast food joints can remodel every so often without any worry, it'd just their fat wallets are a bit thinner.

Raider Fan Loc: Lake County, IL.

I am so glad that I gave up fast food years ago. I do not remember the last time I was in a McDonalds or a Burger King for anything other than an ice tea or water or for their restroom.

Wellhiem Loc: Sunny England.

You don't have a minimum wage for people working in the fast food industry. But you have one of the biggest obesity problems in the western world. Any-one else see a conection?

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

The Democrats and Unions are so dishonest about this current debate. First they again as recently as yesterday on MSNBC are using the McDonald's corporate income statement to justify the wage increase that they are seeking, when the fact is that McDonald's corporate is quite abit different from a franchise operation, McDonald's corporate makes a ton of money, the franchisees make between 3 and 5% profits on their sales. So think about that if you pretty much double the price of their labor which represents fully about 25% of their operating costs then they will have to raise the price of their product fully 25% to stay even if there were no other changes in customer counts, rents etc.... The Unions are claiming that it would only raise the price of a $3 hamburger 50 cents and that is BS...

But let's look a little deeper, in forcing a price increase the value proposition will be changed for the McDonald's customer and one would expect for there to be a drop off in customer traffic and the number of units sold, if that were not the case McDonald's would have raised those prices long ago, so to compensate for the lower traffic through their stores McDonald's will have to raise their prices higher than the mere 25% represented by higher labor costs.

McDonalds pricing has been determined by years of economic activity and market interaction and feedback. Only a Democrat could be silly enough to think that the answer is as simple as raising the price of a hamburger 50 cents.

home brewer Loc: Fort Wayne, Indiana

Do a little simple math that even a math teacher should agree with $ 0.50/ $3.00 is 16.67% thus one should expect that everything in the store goes up by 16.67%, or reduce the work force by enough to offset the increase in wages

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

That assumes that they were correct in their claim of 50 cents which they weren't, but at least it is better than their previous claim of about 17 cents...

JCam Loc: MD Eastern Shore

I have never seen a McD's franchise Operating Statement but I'd be very surprised if labor was only 25% of the Cost of Goods Sold especially when you add in the indirect labor costs that are based on total payroll. I agree that their profit margin is probably only 3 - 5%; if it is much more than than that they should go on the teaching/lecture circuit and not waste their time running a burger joint unless they are gluttons for punishment.

Most small business owners are not "Rich Capitalists" and generally put in more hours than anyone they employ. They DESERVE whatever they make! Remember it is their money at risk and they deserve a return on that investment over whatever amount they take out in payroll, and if they fail, no one wants to bail them out.

magicray Loc: Tampa Bay, Florida

Yes, but how do you expect them to support their families and extravagant lifestyles on $100 a week? They might be forced to take bribes, pad their expense accounts and peddle their influence. Ha ha.

:thumbup:

rlaugh Loc: Michigan & Florida

I haven't really studied all the facts and figures on this subject,as I'm sure most posters haven't,and $15 an hour minimum wage does seem a little high,but it never ceases to amaze me that when people talk about other peoples wages,they always make too much! But talk about their own personal wage,and they don't get paid enough!

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

I fondly remember a Horn and Hardart Automat in Manhattan from the 60s.

Fotografer Loc: Denmark WI

all elected should have term limits. all judges should be elected by the people. law makers should be part time say Sept. to April with time off Thankgiving to JAN. 5TH. THE less time they spend iin session the less damage they can do. same for states. discuss among your selves.

JCam Loc: MD Eastern Shore

Fotographer,

That system could work, but in NY where they do elect judges, their cronies make sure that they don't get assigned to any possibly controversial cases in the year they are up for re-election so they still don't know what they are getting and voter memories are short.

chrisscholbe Loc: Kansas City, MO

So, are you advocating that the minimum wage be......$1.00/hour?
Leave it alone, forever?
Eliminate it altogether and let the "market" dictate the wage?

The problem, IMHO, is that the minumum can not stay as it currently is forever. Prices go up.

To my knowledge, the economy has NOT failed with each raise in the minimum wage.

The real issue, is how do we raise the minimum wage responsibly?