McDonalds, KFC Workers Strike!

[Denny Crane]

But are they being compensated primarily for the work they perform, or for the image they present? Or more to the point, do fast food customers frequent their establishment of choice for the product/pricing or for the service. Employees are only worth the additional pay if their presence provides incremental profit as compared to workers who would accept minimum wage. If the primary draw is institutional, then the institution will have no motivation to increase wages.

I've been to some places that were terrible and some that were extremely well run. I don't see some blanket non-ability among the workers at these places.

I also think if they fired all the workers and tried to replace them, we'd all see it wouldn't be so easy.

FYI: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburger_University

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I look at fast food as a business. The business is making bigger and bigger profits. The entry level workers, as you think they are, are the face of the business to the public.

Seems to me they see there's a big enough pie to get a decent slice.

This makes sense but I disagree. Your logic suggests that all workers are entitled to a "slice of the pie" for how much money a business makes. I think a job is worth what it is worth regardless of how much money the company makes. A burger flipper is a low wage job. Period. If the owner makes good money, who cares.

 

[Denny Crane]

This makes sense but I disagree. Your logic suggests that all workers are entitled to a "slice of the pie" for how much money a business makes. I think a job is worth what it is worth regardless of how much money the company makes. A burger flipper is a low wage job. Period. If the owner makes good money, who cares.

I don't care.

What matters is if the workers want more, and the owner is willing to pay more... or not. A job is worth whatever the employer and employee negotiate as a fair wage.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I don't care.

What matters is if the workers want more, and the owner is willing to pay more... or not. A job is worth whatever the employer and employee negotiate as a fair wage.

Dang, that there is union talk.

 

[Denny Crane]

Dang, that there is union talk.

I was saying I don't care what the owner makes. More power to him. He took the risk to get the business started.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

well, the way McDonalds works, those workers are trained to basically be human robots. there is very little independent thought going in to this, they develop processes that workers follow, which is why they're really successful. the consistency across the chain.

this leads to the fact that workers are essentially disposible and replaceable. you can get any cashier at any of the 1 million mcdonalds franchises (made that up) in America and place him in NY and you won't miss a beat because of the processes the corporation put into place.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

well, the way McDonalds works, those workers are trained to basically be human robots. there is very little independent thought going in to this, they develop processes that workers follow, which is why they're really successful. the consistency across the chain.

this leads to the fact that workers are essentially disposible and replaceable. you can get any cashier at any of the 1 million mcdonalds franchises (made that up) in America and place him in NY and you won't miss a beat because of the processes the corporation put into place.

OooooooooooooooKaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay. So what's the point?

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

OooooooooooooooKaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay. So what's the point?

They are paid what they're worth, which isn't very much.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

They are paid what they're worth, which isn't very much.

All too true.

 

[maxiep]

Plenty of people who want those jobs. I bet they're replaced without even a ripple.

 

[ABM]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/kfc-offer-easy-eat-boneless-141830680.html

 

[huevonkiller]

Go ahead and strike, you're not going to force more people to get jobs by raising your wages artificially. Look at Spain and their ridiculous labor laws as an example.

Productivity determines your wage, nothing else usually.

 

[ABM]

Productivity determines your wage....

...and unions.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

actually, Value determines your wages, not productivity.

 

[MickZagger]

actually, Value determines your wages, not productivity.

...and in some cases contracts do.

 

[Denny Crane]

...and in some cases contracts do.

We have a winner.

 

[jlprk]

Seems to me they see there's a big enough pie to get a decent slice.

Their 50 cent apple or cherry pie is what I call a tart.

 

[MickZagger]

http://www.browncafe.com/forum/f6/do-we-deserve-32-hour-349423/

A good conversation kinda related to the topic of determining pay scale.

 

[huevonkiller]

actually, Value determines your wages, not productivity.

Marginal revenue product, to be most precise.