What wage is just?

[RuthAnne]

Those brands should not let their products be made in 98F plants where the workers have to work 60 hours a week.

People should take care of the poor.
People should eat right.
People should be kind.
People should exercise.
People should avoid debt.
People should be honest.

We can talk about a zillion things that people should do. Are you just trying to make us aware or are you advocating force?

 

[Gingersnaps4]

We can talk about a zillion things that people should do. Are you just trying to make us aware or are you advocating force?

This is a thread about just wages, and not any of those other things so of course I am focusing on just wages and just working conditions here. I would argue that any activity that preys on or wrongs other human beings is wrong and we shouldn’t do it, though. Some of those things you mentioned are just bad personal decisions. It would have been great to hear “oh wow yes that’s wrong and they shouldn’t do that to people” on a forum like this. Agreeing that something is wrong does not have to mean that you (general you) agree with any particular idea on how to fix said problems. I am also not one of those people who thinks people don’t care about an issue if they would address the problem differently. There are so many people like that today and I know it’s maddening.

 

[Gingersnaps4]

And honestly, I don’t know how to fix this issue myself. I just personally try not to buy the products of companies that I know do this.

 

[RuthAnne]

As it should be.

 

[Peeps]

McDonald’s has to be careful.

There is a limit to what people will pay for a dry tiny beef patty with freeze-dried onions on a white bun

I gladly paid 1.09 last night for that McDonald’s cheeseburger, and I happen to like them.

But I know a lot of people who won’t even go into a McDonald’s because they think the food is awful.

Instead, they go to burger places like Culvers, 5 Guys, In and Out (if you have one in your part of the U.S.), or even Wendy’s. These places have bigger, moister burgers with more choices of fresh condiments, and they pay $2.50 or more for the burger.

I would not pay $2.50 for a McDonald’s cheeseburger.

And then there are all the healthy people who stay home and grill their own burgers–they’re getting the best deal of all! Unfortunately, my husband and I are incapable of using a grill and producing anything other than a raw burger with a blackened, burned outside. Yuck. We just don’t have the Gift (at grilling) and after leaving at least 6 grills out for the trash to pick up (or flea market scavengers), we’ve given up grilling forever and let our brother-in-law do any family grilling parties.

Anyway, McDonald’s can only charge eaters so much, and that means they can only charge franchisers so much.

 

[Socrates92]

Those brands should not let their products be made in 98F plants where the workers have to work 60 hours a week.

Are you arguing that the people that currently work there would be better off if the businesses currently employing them suddenly lost contracts? If so, why do you think that?

 

[Socrates92]

Perhaps, but such an area is also not likely to able to support higher wages either.

 

[signit]

McDonald’s has to be careful.

There is a limit to what people will pay for a dry tiny beef patty with freeze-dried onions on a white bun

I gladly paid 1.09 last night for that McDonald’s cheeseburger, and I happen to like them.

But I know a lot of people who won’t even go into a McDonald’s because they think the food is awful.

Instead, they go to burger places like Culvers, 5 Guys, In and Out (if you have one in your part of the U.S.), or even Wendy’s. These places have bigger, moister burgers with more choices of fresh condiments, and they pay $2.50 or more for the burger.

I would not pay $2.50 for a McDonald’s cheeseburger.

And then there are all the healthy people who stay home and grill their own burgers–they’re getting the best deal of all! Unfortunately, my husband and I are incapable of using a grill and producing anything other than a raw burger with a blackened, burned outside. Yuck. We just don’t have the Gift (at grilling) and after leaving at least 6 grills out for the trash to pick up (or flea market scavengers), we’ve given up grilling forever and let our brother-in-law do any family grilling parties.

Anyway, McDonald’s can only charge eaters so much, and that means they can only charge franchisers so much.

And, to follow up on that, I was talking to one of the employees at my local McDonald’s who opposes an increase in the minimum wage.

He said that if the price of a Big Mac goes up to $8.95, people won’t buy it; they’ll go to a “fast casual” place (Qdoba, Chipotle, etc.) instead, and the store will go out of business.

 

[signit]

Stop bringing in immigrants, deport 90% of immigrants, get women out of the workplace.
Then there will be a labor shortage and wages will go up.

However, employers refusing to hire women wouldn’t be feasible under current U.S. law.

 

[Socrates92]

And honestly, I don’t know how to fix this issue myself. I just personally try not to buy the products of companies that I know do this.

That implies that you do think a boycott is part of a solution though, when in fact if it has any effect at all, it’s likely to hurt the workers.

 

[Sarcelle]

The jobs can just overseas along with the immigrants you just deported.

More jobs have been lost to automation than to offshoring.

Unless you deport the robots too.

Yeah, that’s it. Deport the robots.

 

[Peeps]

Absolutely.

And they will also lose any family traffic–moms and dads with little kidlets. Not only can you get better grown-up food (although much more fattening) at the "casual sit downs, but you can also get cheap kids meals and often crayons/pictures, too.

McDonald’s is not the “Ronald McDonald” kid-friendly place that it use to be. Most of the McDonald’s in our city have been re-modeled in beige and taupe (yuck), and no pictures of the red-headed clown. (Perhaps too many pop-culture influenced parents have somehow managed to convince their children that clowns are terrifying.)

So the only people left will be…who? I won’t pay 8.95 for a Big Mac unless they put more special sauce (Thousand Island dressing and mayo) on it. And that will drive the price up to $9.50!

 

[RuthAnne]

That implies that you do think a boycott is part of a solution though, when in fact if it has any effect at all, it’s likely to hurt the workers.

Boycotts rarely work but I agree with her on this. If you disagree with something, just don’t be a part of it. Take your business elsewhere. It’s better than asking Mommy government to step in.

 

[LilyM]

Sure, because so many men are just dying to be Labor and Delivery nurses, secretaries, waitresses, hairstylists, preschool teachers…

And of course it’s not like there are any single ladies out there who can’t rely on hubby to bring in a paycheck and keep them in the style to which they need to survive, and have no other kindly and conveniently well-off relatives who can support them while they spend their days drinking tea and playing crocquet … sheesh…

 

[Sarcelle]

B

Sure, because so many men are just dying to be Labor and Delivery nurses, secretaries, waitresses, hairstylists, preschool teachers…

And of course it’s not like there are any single ladies out there who can’t rely on hubby to bring in a paycheck and keep them in the style to which they need to survive, and have no other kindly and conveniently well-off relatives who can support them while they spend their days drinking tea and playing crocquet … sheesh…

Nope.

No single women at all. All women will need to get married. It’s either that or starve.

Speaking as a legal immigrant, I will be probably be deported anyway so the get married or starve will not be my dilemma.

 

[Sarcelle]

I am a legal immigrant.

In what way have I driven up housing prices?

 

[Gingersnaps4]

Are you arguing that the people that currently work there would be better off if the businesses currently employing them suddenly lost contracts? If so, why do you think that?

So are you saying your solution with any bad situation is always “Do nothing, because it could always be worse.”??

That implies that you do think a boycott is part of a solution though, when in fact if it has any effect at all, it’s likely to hurt the workers.

So I take that to mean that you don’t think people should be able to spend their money where they choose, for any reason they deem appropriate?

 

[Sarcelle]

Well I was about to let you have it with both barrels but then you called me pretty, so you’re forgiven. :crazy_face:

 

[niceatheist]

So what you really want is impotent virtue signaling campaigns that don’t intrude on the all mighty dollar because freedom I guess.

 

[Socrates92]

Socrates92:

Are you arguing that the people that currently work there would be better off if the businesses currently employing them suddenly lost contracts? If so, why do you think that?

If the proposed solution is harmful, then yes, obviously. Your logic could just as easily be used to justify assisted suicide.

Socrates92:

That implies that you do think a boycott is part of a solution though, when in fact if it has any effect at all, it’s likely to hurt the workers.

Of course. Spending money on things like prostitution is evil. But I’m not sure what that has to do with the discussion. I never suggested that you shouldn’t be able to boycott. I just criticized the idea.