Fast food workers in Iowa plan a one day strike for $15 per

[Value Buy]

wage.

www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/iowa-fast-food-workers-seeking-dollar15-wage-to-strike-ahead-of-republican-debate/ar-BBoNpAF

[Value Buy]

Okay, from the article........

Early Thursday morning, approximately 1,000 low-wage workers—largely cooks and cashiers from fast-food chains including McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, and Long John Silvers—will gather at a Des Moines McDonald’s, on Euclid Avenue, to begin the strike. They will gather again at noon at another McDonald’s. In the evening, a group including child-care and home-care workers will march to the Iowa Events Center, in advance of the Republican debate.



Among the workers marching and rallying will be Angelica Serrano, a 45-year-old woman born in Guanajuato, Mexico, who has has been an employee at a Des Moines McDonald’s for 17 years. When she began, she was making $6.50; now she's making $9.90 an hour. “It's an injustice what they're doing to fast-food workers and McDonald's workers,” she said in Spanish, through an interpreter.

[Value Buy]

The best they can do is quote a Mexican immigrant denouncing her wage scale as too low, after leaving Mexico 17 years ago and she still cannot speak English?
Give me a break.
They could not find a white or black middle aged single woman to do the message to America? A Mexican immigrant who does not speak English after seventeen years.
This is a joke.
Later in the article she is quoted as saying she has never voted or caucused, but is considering it now, so I assume she is a legal naturalized citizen, but then in a Democratic primary in many states it is not really a problem.


Note to mods, this is political not current news, please do not move.

[Value Buy]

I love the word "strike" in the argument of the $15 minimum wage fight.
They never manage to actually close any of the fast food outlets for the day of the strike.
Close the store down for two days, and you can call it a strike.
This is a protest.

[Opti]

I hope they do not get it. While some rents in Des Moines are higher than I expected, at $600 to $700 for some one bedrooms their rents are much lower than NYC, Seattle, most of NJ and other places that could use that wage just to get by.

I just looked up one bedroom apt rents in San Francisco.

[Opti]

In this case, I think the reporter was going for less to no sympathy.

[sesfw]

Among the workers marching and rallying will be Angelica Serrano, a 45-year-old woman born in Guanajuato, Mexico, who has has been an employee at a Des Moines McDonald’s for 17 years. When she began, she was making $6.50; now she's making $9.90 an hour. “It's an injustice what they're doing to fast-food workers and McDonald's workers,” she said in Spanish, through an interpreter.


She doesn't speak English?  After 17 years?

Lady ....... you ain't worth $30K annual wage.  If you want more than $9.90 per hour then learn English, get some training and find a better job.

[wvugurl26]

Jan 28, 2016 11:33:10 GMT -5 sesfw said:

Among the workers marching and rallying will be Angelica Serrano, a 45-year-old woman born in Guanajuato, Mexico, who has has been an employee at a Des Moines McDonald’s for 17 years. When she began, she was making $6.50; now she's making $9.90 an hour. “It's an injustice what they're doing to fast-food workers and McDonald's workers,” she said in Spanish, through an interpreter.


She doesn't speak English?  After 17 years?

Lady ....... you ain't worth $30K annual wage.  If you want more than $9.90 per hour then learn English, get some training and find a better job.

This!! Learn English, learn some job skills.

I don't get people with very few job skills wanting higher wages. You want more money you improve your skills and find a new job!

I didn't want to earn minimum wage forever so I went to college and got a degree.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

The best they can do is quote a Mexican immigrant denouncing her wage scale as too low, after leaving Mexico 17 years ago and she still cannot speak English?

Of course they pick her.   Quoting her gets you all pissed off and focusing on how dare a probably illegal immigrant who can't speak English after 17 years in our country ask for $15/hr!

I am starting to think the media has an agenda but not the one that people on here seem to claim.

I don't fall on the side of agreeing with $15/hr as minimum wage but I do think there is an issue when it comes to wage discrepancies.   However that discussion gets lost among the "Damn illegals coming here taking our jobs and demanding higher wages!"

[djAdvocate]

Jan 28, 2016 11:36:25 GMT -5 wvugurl26 said:

Jan 28, 2016 11:33:10 GMT -5 sesfw said:

Among the workers marching and rallying will be Angelica Serrano, a 45-year-old woman born in Guanajuato, Mexico, who has has been an employee at a Des Moines McDonald’s for 17 years. When she began, she was making $6.50; now she's making $9.90 an hour. “It's an injustice what they're doing to fast-food workers and McDonald's workers,” she said in Spanish, through an interpreter.


She doesn't speak English?  After 17 years?

Lady ....... you ain't worth $30K annual wage.  If you want more than $9.90 per hour then learn English, get some training and find a better job.

This!! Learn English, learn some job skills.

I don't get people with very few job skills wanting higher wages. You want more money you improve your skills and find a new job!

I didn't want to earn minimum wage forever so I went to college and got a degree.

do you mind me asking how you afforded college?
did you get any encouragement to go?
how were your grade in HS?
were you raised by parents that cared about college?
did you have examples of college educated people in your community that showed you the way?

if this is all too personal, never mind.

[djAdvocate]

Jan 28, 2016 11:41:37 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

The best they can do is quote a Mexican immigrant denouncing her wage scale as too low, after leaving Mexico 17 years ago and she still cannot speak English?

Of course they pick her.   Quoting her gets you all pissed off and focusing on how dare a probably illegal immigrant who can't speak English after 17 years in our country ask for $15/hr!

I am starting to think the media has an agenda but not the one that people on here seem to claim.

I don't fall on the side of agreeing with $15/hr as minimum wage but I do think there is an issue when it comes to wage discrepancies.   However that discussion gets lost among the "Damn illegals coming here taking our jobs and demanding higher wages!"

i think that this is kind of a two faced argument.

people squalk all the time about "illegals" driving down wages to the point where no citizens apply for the work, and yet they also squalk when the same workers demand the kind of wages that citizens can survive on.  we should probably make up our minds what problem we hate the most, and stick with that.

[wvugurl26]

Jan 28, 2016 11:55:01 GMT -5 djAdvocate said:

Jan 28, 2016 11:36:25 GMT -5 wvugurl26 said:

This!! Learn English, learn some job skills.

I don't get people with very few job skills wanting higher wages. You want more money you improve your skills and find a new job!

I didn't want to earn minimum wage forever so I went to college and got a degree.

do you mind me asking how you afforded college?
did you get any encouragement to go?
how were your grade in HS?
were you raised by parents that cared about college?
did you have examples of college educated people in your community that showed you the way?

if this is all too personal, never mind.

I had a full ride scholarship. My state started offering scholarships for tuition my first year of college. When I just had that I was going to live with my aunt & uncle off campus. I had approval for that from the university before I got the full ride scholarship.

It was expected that I would go to college. By my teachers, my guidance counselor, my peer group and my parents.

I had a high GPA and barely missed the top 5% of my graduating class. Definitely in the top 10%.

My parents expected me to go to college. My mom had a RN from the community college. So they had no experience in going to big universities and how to navigate that. And my dad had custody of me so any guidance from mom regarding navigating college wasn't forthcoming.

I assume there were some people in the community that could have been examples? I was one of the first couple in my family to go to college.

While I had encouragement I had to figure it out as I went. Parents were encouraged at orientation. Mine wasn't there because my stepmom felt I needed to pay my dad's way for it and I didn't have the money. I went alone and figured it out. I took my uncle to work and drove myself to orientation.

Yes, I had help along the way. I'm not saying this person should have my degrees and professional licenses but in 17 damn years she could have learned English!!!! That alone opens up doors. I don't deny it would be harder than anything I've probably done but if you want to improve your life you do it. Based on this article, the woman has done zero to improve herself and job skills in that time. I don't have sympathy for that. You have to do something to help yourself instead of just saying you deserve a higher minimum wage.

I worked for $10/hour for a good nine months after losing a public accounting job. And I had a bachelor's and master's. I didn't like it so I figured out a new job to get where I am today.

[sesfw]

do you mind me asking how you afforded college?  I started DeVry at age 50 and applied for grants and student loans. ......... and I paid back every cent of student loans.  I have an AA as an electronic technician.


did you get any encouragement to go?  No .... I needed a job that would pay for the standard of living we wished to have


how were your grade in HS?  That was so long ago I've forgotten but I think it was over 3.0


were you raised by parents that cared about college? No  

did you have examples of college educated people in your community that showed you the way?  I saw the higher educated people had a higher standard of living and that's what we wanted.  So while DH stayed working as a warehouseman I got an education so he could semi-retire and we could move.

The lady in question has absolutely NO excuse, especially after 17 years and still no English.

[djAdvocate]

Jan 28, 2016 14:20:42 GMT -5 wvugurl26 said:

Jan 28, 2016 11:55:01 GMT -5 djAdvocate said:

do you mind me asking how you afforded college?
did you get any encouragement to go?
how were your grade in HS?
were you raised by parents that cared about college?
did you have examples of college educated people in your community that showed you the way?

if this is all too personal, never mind.

I had a full ride scholarship. My state started offering scholarships for tuition my first year of college. When I just had that I was going to live with my aunt & uncle off campus. I had approval for that from the university before I got the full ride scholarship.

It was expected that I would go to college. By my teachers, my guidance counselor, my peer group and my parents.

I had a high GPA and barely missed the top 5% of my graduating class. Definitely in the top 10%.

My parents expected me to go to college. My mom had a RN from the community college. So they had no experience in going to big universities and how to navigate that. And my dad had custody of me so any guidance from mom regarding navigating college wasn't forthcoming.

I assume there were some people in the community that could have been examples? I was one of the first couple in my family to go to college.

While I had encouragement I had to figure it out as I went. Parents were encouraged at orientation. Mine wasn't there because my stepmom felt I needed to pay my dad's way for it and I didn't have the money. I went alone and figured it out. I took my uncle to work and drove myself to orientation.

Yes, I had help along the way. I'm not saying this person should have my degrees and professional licenses but in 17 damn years she could have learned English!!!! That alone opens up doors. I don't deny it would be harder than anything I've probably done but if you want to improve your life you do it. Based on this article, the woman has done zero to improve herself and job skills in that time. I don't have sympathy for that. You have to do something to help yourself instead of just saying you deserve a higher minimum wage.

I worked for $10/hour for a good nine months after losing a public accounting job. And I had a bachelor's and master's. I didn't like it so I figured out a new job to get where I am today.

very impressive.  thanks.

i didn't do well enough to have any scholarships.  it was a lot different for me.

[djAdvocate]

Jan 28, 2016 18:02:29 GMT -5 sesfw said:

do you mind me asking how you afforded college?  I started DeVry at age 50 and applied for grants and student loans. ......... and I paid back every cent of student loans.  I have an AA as an electronic technician.


did you get any encouragement to go?  No .... I needed a job that would pay for the standard of living we wished to have


how were your grade in HS?  That was so long ago I've forgotten but I think it was over 3.0


were you raised by parents that cared about college? No  

did you have examples of college educated people in your community that showed you the way?  I saw the higher educated people had a higher standard of living and that's what we wanted.  So while DH stayed working as a warehouseman I got an education so he could semi-retire and we could move.

The lady in question has absolutely NO excuse, especially after 17 years and still no English.

this is worse than my situation by a long shot.  and also very impressive.

[Deleted]

Can't speak English after 17 YEARS? Sorry. Not worth $10.00 an hour (much less $15.00).

In general though, even the lowly burger flippers at fast food joints should be able to afford a decent home and a decent car and all the necessities (water, gas, electric, food, et cetera) on one 40-hour per week job.

Tell them to get a better job if they want new computers every year and 10,000 channels on TV and a new Maserati in the driveway... Remember: If Person A "gets a better job" someone else (Person B) will have to fill their shoes... don't they deserve to be able to live at least decently?


"Get a better job" doesn't solve the problem of the low paying job. It just solves the problem of the low paid worker.

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Jan 28, 2016 20:17:04 GMT -5 @richardintn said:

Can't speak English after 17 YEARS? Sorry. Not worth $10.00 an hour (much less $15.00).

In general though, even the lowly burger flippers at fast food joints should be able to afford a decent home and a decent car and all the necessities (water, gas, electric, food, et cetera) on one 40-hour per week job.

Tell them to get a better job if they want new computers every year and 10,000 channels on TV and a new Maserati in the driveway... Remember: If Person A "gets a better job" someone else (Person B) will have to fill their shoes... don't they deserve to be able to live at least decently?


"Get a better job" doesn't solve the problem of the low paying job. It just solves the problem of the low paid worker.

The lady we are talking about has three kids and one grandkid. I'm sure welfare has helped out, but she obviously wasn't hurting bad enough to worry about learning english and getting a better job in close to two decades.

Further.. I'm pretty sure flipping burgers at MCD and working the counter at 7/11 isn't supposed to be more than a job for HS seniors and college students..

But I do know that after like two years on the line at a fast food place you can easily start working in better restaurants, and one you are a decent cook you can make enough money to live decently. Heck some cooks become personal chefs and even more so business owners..

I wonder how much this plays into - always on their phones - millennials and their mentality toward work? Karl Marx is the most assigned economist in U.S. college classes

[Value Buy]

Jan 28, 2016 11:06:44 GMT -5 Opti said:

In this case, I think the reporter was going for less to no sympathy.

I think you are partially wrong on your premise.
They were looking for sympathy, but got less.

Outside of the capital of Iowa and a hand full of cities in the state, there are not a lot of industries paying $15 to start a job.
Want to destroy the last of industrial production in the states?
Institute a $15 minimum wage for everyone. Why is it only fast food workers?
Everyone is worried about deflation occurring here in the states. The $15 wage makes deflation the entire system.
Start the depression now and get it over with.

[Value Buy]

Jan 29, 2016 9:27:39 GMT -5 deminmaine said:

Huh? It's been a long time since I took any econ- but if anything raising the MW is inflationary.

Unless you are envisioning a result further down the road....

When immediately institutes, it is deflationary. Everyone buys things and they still have money to buy other things. Hence, deflationary as to usage of the consumer's spare money.
If one week I have $150 to spend, then the following week I have $175 to spend, it is a deflationary effect for them.

Inflation kicks in down the road when all businesses realize they can now charge more without a loss of widgets being sold.

[Tennesseer]

Jan 29, 2016 0:01:58 GMT -5 Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger said:

Jan 28, 2016 20:17:04 GMT -5 @richardintn said:

Can't speak English after 17 YEARS? Sorry. Not worth $10.00 an hour (much less $15.00).

In general though, even the lowly burger flippers at fast food joints should be able to afford a decent home and a decent car and all the necessities (water, gas, electric, food, et cetera) on one 40-hour per week job.

Tell them to get a better job if they want new computers every year and 10,000 channels on TV and a new Maserati in the driveway... Remember: If Person A "gets a better job" someone else (Person B) will have to fill their shoes... don't they deserve to be able to live at least decently?


"Get a better job" doesn't solve the problem of the low paying job. It just solves the problem of the low paid worker.

The lady we are talking about has three kids and one grandkid. I'm sure welfare has helped out, but she obviously wasn't hurting bad enough to worry about learning english and getting a better job in close to two decades.

Further.. I'm pretty sure flipping burgers at MCD and working the counter at 7/11 isn't supposed to be more than a job for HS seniors and college students..

But I do know that after like two years on the line at a fast food place you can easily start working in better restaurants, and one you are a decent cook you can make enough money to live decently. Heck some cooks become personal chefs and even more so business owners..

I wonder how much this plays into - always on their phones - millennials and their mentality toward work? Karl Marx is the most assigned economist in U.S. college classes

You know nothing of the sort. You are stereotyping this woman. She may very well have a husband who also works which brings in just enough for bare basics but no need for welfare assistance. She also may be working at McDonalds because it fits her schedule as a mother. You and I don't know why she has been there for 17 years.

She is also quoted as saying she is going to caucus and vote this year. That means she is an American citizen. Part of the naturalization process (as I understand it) is the candidate must pass an English test and be able to write three sentences correctly (not penalized for punctuation, spelling, and capitalization). The sentence's meaning must be clear to the tester. So this woman must know some English.

It also may have been easier for the article author to use an interpreter to with this woman. There could have been multiple questions asked of her in a very short period of time, so an interpreter would and could speed the interview process.

[djAdvocate]

Jan 29, 2016 9:27:39 GMT -5 deminmaine said:

Huh? It's been a long time since I took any econ- but if anything raising the MW is inflationary.

Unless you are envisioning a result further down the road....

sure.  the sensitivity of the overall economy to FMW is about 5%.  in other words, for every 20% you raise FMW, you get 1% inflation.  so, raising it 50% as Obama proposed, would add about 1% inflation per year over (3) years.

[djAdvocate]

Jan 29, 2016 9:21:23 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Jan 28, 2016 11:06:44 GMT -5 Opti said:

In this case, I think the reporter was going for less to no sympathy.

I think you are partially wrong on your premise.
They were looking for sympathy, but got less.

Outside of the capital of Iowa and a hand full of cities in the state, there are not a lot of industries paying $15 to start a job.
Want to destroy the last of industrial production in the states?
Institute a $15 minimum wage for everyone. Why is it only fast food workers?
Everyone is worried about deflation occurring here in the states. The $15 wage makes deflation the entire system.
Start the depression now and get it over with.

i could post Captain Hyperbole, but this seems more appropriate:

[Value Buy]

For someone who does not care to kid around with fellow posters, you are not afraid to dish it out.
I should quote the message and delete it and say "message deleted for personal remarks

There was another thread where I told you I will try to keep it very level with you when responding, but I assume we can now joke a little with each other.
For the record, it does not really bother me, I just need to know which way we will be talking to each other.
ty

[djAdvocate]

Jan 29, 2016 13:16:16 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

For someone who does not care to kid around with fellow posters, you are not afraid to dish it out.
I should quote the message and delete it and say "message deleted for personal remarks

if that were directed at me, i would not consider it personal.  if you want to know why, let me know.

There was another thread where I told you I will try to keep it very level with you when responding, but I assume we can now joke a little with each other.
For the record, it does not really bother me, I just need to know which way we will be talking to each other.
ty

approximately how we are talking to each other now.

edit: FMW is $17.29/hr in Australia.  here is a chart of the economic growth and inflation:

www.tradingeconomics.com/australia/gdp-growth-annual
www.tradingeconomics.com/australia/inflation-cpi

looks like here.....but with over 2x the FMW......huh.....

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Jan 29, 2016 9:21:23 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Start the depression now and get it over with.

Haha, I seen that Mr. Z popped up for some air.

The difference between us - which I kept arguing with him about - is that the underlying threat is deflation. We are seeing it big time in earnings calls now+the Federal Reserve's apologies for their rate guidance+ The EU and Japan being at around 0% and negative interest rates respectively.

I think it was 2013-2014 when I was saying that this period will most likely be known as the Great Stagnation, the only question was when this period would come to an end. It's looking like either 2016 or 2017 - ATM anyway.

Stay , VB. Going forward is gonna be a wild ride my friend.

[Value Buy]

Jan 29, 2016 15:10:53 GMT -5 Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger said:

Jan 29, 2016 9:21:23 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Start the depression now and get it over with.

Haha, I seen that Mr. Z popped up for some air.

The difference between us - which I kept arguing with him about - is that the underlying threat is deflation. We are seeing it big time in earnings calls now+the Federal Reserve's apologies for their rate guidance+ The EU and Japan being at around 0% and negative interest rates respectively.

I think it was 2013-2014 when I was saying that this period will most likely be known as the Great Stagnation, the only question was when this period would come to an end. It's looking like either 2016 or 2017 - ATM anyway.

Stay , VB. Going forward is gonna be a wild ride my friend.

Only if America is dumb enough to put another socialist Democrat in the WH
Trump or Cruz would lead the turnaround, but I am not in favor of turning over the reins to another first term Senator, who we are not sure can legally be elected to the Presidency.

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Jan 30, 2016 9:04:34 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Jan 29, 2016 15:10:53 GMT -5 Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger said:

Haha, I seen that Mr. Z popped up for some air.

The difference between us - which I kept arguing with him about - is that the underlying threat is deflation. We are seeing it big time in earnings calls now+the Federal Reserve's apologies for their rate guidance+ The EU and Japan being at around 0% and negative interest rates respectively.

I think it was 2013-2014 when I was saying that this period will most likely be known as the Great Stagnation, the only question was when this period would come to an end. It's looking like either 2016 or 2017 - ATM anyway.

Stay , VB. Going forward is gonna be a wild ride my friend.

Only if America is dumb enough to put another socialist Democrat in the WH
Trump or Cruz would lead the turnaround, but I am not in favor of turning over the reins to another first term Senator, who we are not sure can legally be elected to the Presidency.

If we are talking a long term turn around, YEP we have to start moving away from socialism!!

Check out the chart in the link below. There is only one period in time since 1929 that has seen the value of US GDP double in six years. A.K.A it's hard to imagine that the Great Stagnation doesn't go out with a BOOM!

www.multpl.com/us-gdp-inflation-adjusted/table

[formerroomate99]

I agree that the minimum wage needs to go up.  $10 seems pretty reasonable, and it needs to be higher in HCOL areas.  

But the thing you have to take into account is that if it goes too high, then a lot of people would get priced out of the market.  What employer is going to pay an ex con, an ex couch potato, a SAHM looking for extra income or a woman who hasn't learned English after 17 years $15/hour?  I'm not sure how this myth got started, but there was never any time in this country's history where every job paid well enough to support a family, or even support living alone.  Shyt jobs have always been with us, have given countless marginal or new workers a foot in the door, and paid at least enough so that a marginal worker could rent a place with a bunch of roommates.  

[Value Buy]

Jan 30, 2016 16:11:10 GMT -5 formerroomate99 said:

I agree that the minimum wage needs to go up.  $10 seems pretty reasonable, and it needs to be higher in HCOL areas.  

But the thing you have to take into account is that if it goes too high, then a lot of people would get priced out of the market.  What employer is going to pay an ex con, an ex couch potato, a SAHM looking for extra income or a woman who hasn't learned English after 17 years $15/hour?  I'm not sure how this myth got started, but there was never any time in this country's history where every job paid well enough to support a family, or even support living alone.  Shyt jobs have always been with us, have given countless marginal or new workers a foot in the door, and paid at least enough so that a marginal worker could rent a place with a bunch of roommates.  

So true.
America does not owe or guarantee anyone, citizen, or legal immigrant anything, other than protection from big government and protection for whatever laws are on the books.
America only promises the chance to succeed to the best of your ability.
Where did the country decide to give everyone everything they want to lead a comfortable life?
As far as being illegal here, it should only promise you a one way trip home, and charge the ticket to the country of origin, and demand payment in full in 45 days from the various central banks.

[Value Buy]

The democrats have drifted so far left from the era of President Kennedy.

The leftists from the democratic party will probably be asking for his Inaugeration speech to be removed from public books.
You know, where he stated,

"Ask not what your country can do for you,
Ask what you can do for your country."

Today we have Bernie Sanders
Hillary Clinton
Martin O'malley
representing the party trying to give everyone whatever their heart's desire, and I assume, believe America owes it to Americans.