People On Twitter Are Debating About Minimum Wage And Working Conditions After A Post About Closed Fast-Food Place Goes Viral
Most of us would agree that different jobs should be paid different salaries. If jobs for which you need a specific education paid the same amount as jobs for which you don’t need qualification, that would be unfair as qualifications are earned with hard work and should be rewarded. But that doesn’t mean that unqualified workers aren’t worth a decent wage that they can live off of.
It seems that not everyone understands this. A congressman tweeted a photo of a fast-food place which was closed due to staff shortage and was looking for new employees. The congressman was of the impression that there was no one working there because of the stimulus payments, but other people on the internet were convinced that it had more to with very low wages at the place. The tweet got 2.9k likes, but almost 15k people had something to say about this.
More info: Twitter
David Rouzer saw a sign saying that Hardee’s is closed due to no staff and explained that it is happening because nobody wants to work when there are unemployment benefits
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David Rouzer is an American politician who is currently the US Representative for North Carolina’s 7th congressional district. His tweet sparked a heated debate on the internet about jobs that pay so little that nobody wants to work there.
David Rouzer shared a photo of a sign put on a fast-food place window. In it, the restaurant Hardee’s says that due to no staff, they are closed and that they are hiring. The politician thought that the sign means that people don’t want to work because of unemployment benefits and a $1400 stimulus.
People on the internet were strongly disagreeing, saying it has nothing to do with the unemployment benefits
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Their view was that fast-food restaurants need to pay more—then the staff shortage problem wouldn’t exist
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However, other people couldn’t agree. Many Twitter users were saying that it’s because the wages are so low and the working conditions are not ideal, especially with the pandemic, that nobody wants to work there. Furthermore, there are other jobs that don’t require qualification and pay more.
They suggested that the solution for the lack of staff is simple–Hardee’s just has to pay more and adapt to the market. Of course people will apply to other jobs that pay more. For example, the minimum wage in the US is $7.25 for an hour, but at Costco, the starting hourly wage was increased from $15 to $16 this year.
Also, people said that $1400 isn’t enough and doesn’t last long enough to make people not work
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Others were surprised that this politician thought that $1400 is enough to survive for a month. They reasoned that it wouldn’t even be enough to pay for rent. Not only that, the benefits apply to those who lost their job and not to those who just decide that they wouldn’t want to work at a certain place.
Another issue people saw was that these workers not only are not paid enough, but also looked down upon
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Some people pointed out that workers at fast-food restaurants were always looked down upon, that this kind of job was never considered a life-long career, but more as a way for teenagers to earn some money, because there aren’t any specific skills you should have, you just learn on the go.
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And now, when these people don’t want to risk their health working in places were there are a lot of customers and a higher risk of getting sick when they would get only minimum wage for it, they are blamed for abusing the unemployment benefits.
The politician’s tweet did not get many likes, but it got a lot of responses of people proving that the problem here is the employers not wanting to pay a decent wage and not the employees’ laziness
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Some Twitter users went as far as to make some calculations to show how hard it is to survive getting only minimum wage, making a point that politicians don’t understand the hardships the people they represent go through.
A business owner seems to be on the same page with everyone, saying that they got an abundance of applications, which proves that people want to work, but they are just looking for a better offer.
Twitter users gave some examples of unqualified jobs in other places which pay better and have other benefits
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The discussion was actually pretty one-sided. The comments were flooded with people arguing that people do get jobs, just better ones and that businesses not paying enough don’t deserve to have employees. If a person has a job, it should be enough to have one’s ends meet.
From these reactions, you could conclude that David Rouzer missed the point
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What do you think about the politician’s interpretation of the sign? Do you think he’s right, or do the people responding to the tweet have more reason? Let’s start a discussion in the comments!
Republicans: "You should always work regardless of what you are paid! How else can we exploit you and feather our own nests?!"
As someone who generally votes democrat, Idon't feel like we have done enough either. We're like, but what if you got free school? Someone still needs to package and ship our Amazon and they are doing it while living under the poverty line.
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Wow, Imagine, in my country we have unemployment money and yet nearly everyone wants to work. I have since I was 15 years old. Maybe because of wages, with which you can enjoy your life a little now and then? For example when you get 2-3 weeks payed holiday? Or can't be fired without a good reason or 1-3 months time to find something else. Or when you are pregnant or sick. We are not forced to work when sick or suffering, if we don't want to starve. Sounds awful, right?!
How does the minimum wage compare to the US and also taxes. We are taught in the Us that taxes in socialist countries are so high that people cant afford houses or cars.
Load More Replies...
I lasted one day at a Burger King, b/c it was nothing but angry rude people (staff, customers) and the front counter was the only clean surface in the place.-... *shudder* That, for then-minimum? No.
For most people the stimulus went to pay rent and other bills. Thank goodness I have been working during the pandemic. And umemployment is about half of what you were making. Why do people not want to work fast food: Sh*t wages federal min wage is $7.50 Terrible working conditions. Worked Micky's before. The karens that ran the place were the worst people I ever worked. For months I could not stand the smell of eggs and grease. that stench gets everywehere, in your hair and clothes In Couer d' alene Idaho there is a amusement park called Silverwood, they realized this and are offering $15 an hour (double the state minimum wage to work there for the season). Maybe hardees (and their gross cousin carls jr) need to get a clue to get quality people to work there and stay there.
If your business model doesn't work, you just don't get to operate your business.
Right! They wanted free market, they got free market. But then they whine when it doesn't favor them.
Load More Replies...
Sometimes it feels like this is some sort of underhanded effort to re-introduce slavery and indentured servitude. I mean minimum wage hasn't budged in two decades in parts of the US, yet cost of living has only gone up everywhere in that time...
The problem is half of the politicians don't want to solve them because that's how they got rich.
Load More Replies...
Workers unionizing was how companies were brought to heel and made to pay livable wages. The problem is that the unions are largely corrupt and are at best just another mandatory parasite a worker must pay for the "privilege" of working. We need to make it easier for unions to be created so that workers can more easily organize to petition for better working conditions and wages.
So are you pro union or not? Perhaps you're pro a new kind of improved union?
Load More Replies...
Economics 101, supply and demand. If the supply of something is low, and the demand of something is high: the price must go up. That something is workers. Workers who have hitherto been told they’re expendable and can be replaced by robots on a whim. The line of cars wrapped around every under-manned labor exploiting billion dollar fast food place begs to differ. You need them more than your shareholders need another dividend, pay them better.
We have dipshit politicians here in my country as well. People that pull arbitrary numbers from the ether to justify their crap. Who the heck would risk their lives for crappy wages. And, if your business cannot compete with unemployment benefits, that is meant to fund the bare minimum, then you do not deserve employees.
The narcissist life 😂😂 "would you work there?" "Of course not!" So why would anyone else want to??
"You want money enough to survive? Then get a real job!" Okay *gets a real job* "NO! I meant serve me while starving and don't complain because I consider you beneath me!"
Pay me $8 an hour. No heath care or vision or dental. No free food. No benefits. Then have me sit at the register, get screamed at and treated like garbage by management, the other employees and by the customers. Oh yippee.
hmm...let's see how this works: if fast food places pay minimum wage during 'healthy' times, it's okay for workers to live paycheck to paycheck, possibly needing public assistance just ot exist because 40 hrs aren't usually given nor are any benefits. but, during a global pandemic, places are closed & unemployment extended w/bare minimum of stimulus of $600 & $1400 which give small release. now, employers/politicians claiming this is making them lazy. guess they aren't taking into consideration that child care may not be available - due to pandemic; travel expenses have gone up (gas), as well as others needs required to work. ppl aren't getting rich or living high on the hog off unemployment. if they were there wouldn't still be the need of food pantries and/or other resources for necessities. republicans would deny ppl help if they thought that one person out of 100 was 'undeserving'/not needed whereas democrats tend to give to all 100 even knowing that one of them was fraudulent.
I have always thought that the problem with salaries is in my country paying professionals a bit more or even less the minimum wage due to 'lack of experience' but this saddens me even more because there are a lot of jobs that demands everything for workers but they still receive the minimum wage and even try to survive without employment benefits 🤦
it's not just that. Imagine they raise the min wage for them. so they'll have to increase (maybe a little) the price of the food for compensate. it's logical and have no problem with that. But people will complaint about that. so basically it's a lot because of the customers because a lot would complaint if they have to pay their 1.39 burger 1.59 instead! that's america! people scream when they have to pay more even if it's not a lot.
We're also having a hard time finding police officers, doctors, journalists, and teachers BECAUSE PEOPLE DONT RESPECT the ways their work upholds society (not solely but a big part) plus the lack of pay is huge. Weve villified and scapegoated people dedicated to helping others because they foster the kind of people who don't follow political narratives and force people to think about their role in the community and why it's messed up. Embrace the truth And remember that you can work your job because somebody else is doing jobs you need like preparing and selling food, working at a gas station. So show some respect. Ahhh the cops. Including them here is tricky. I am all for defunding the police and using that money to increase social services and create an unarmed force. BUT we will always need some body to show up for murder, drugs, n violent men the police we keep should be better paid (without having to work a bunch of shady dubious ot) and uninterrupted access to continuing education. Also an argument can be made that cops very much do f ollow political narratives but their bastardization of the US flag says otherwise
its worse if you are a student. Some states are allowed to pay a training wage (a lot lower than the minimum wage). Some other restraunts will pay a lower rate if you get tips. So you may only get $2 an hour and still have to pay tax on the tips.
Can we refrain from making a wave of assumptions about ONE STORE to use it as "proof" of our political talking points? None of the people tweeting about it know what actually happened in the store or what went on in the former employees' heads. Maybe they all quit because of one specific manager? Maybe they felt unsafe for some specific reason?
Perhaps you should be posting this to the politician who started the thread by making an assumption about all workers, based on one store. People are responding to the political spin, not the circumstances of the store.
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Sorry for the inconvenience. When is it a good time to highlight inequities in society?
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And yet, all over the world countries with well developed social support systems AND minimum wage guarantees have no problem finding employees. Perhaps the problem is not the unemployment benefit?
Load More Replies... Republicans: "You should always work regardless of what you are paid! How else can we exploit you and feather our own nests?!"
As someone who generally votes democrat, Idon't feel like we have done enough either. We're like, but what if you got free school? Someone still needs to package and ship our Amazon and they are doing it while living under the poverty line.
Load More Replies... Wow, Imagine, in my country we have unemployment money and yet nearly everyone wants to work. I have since I was 15 years old. Maybe because of wages, with which you can enjoy your life a little now and then? For example when you get 2-3 weeks payed holiday? Or can't be fired without a good reason or 1-3 months time to find something else. Or when you are pregnant or sick. We are not forced to work when sick or suffering, if we don't want to starve. Sounds awful, right?!
How does the minimum wage compare to the US and also taxes. We are taught in the Us that taxes in socialist countries are so high that people cant afford houses or cars.
Load More Replies... I lasted one day at a Burger King, b/c it was nothing but angry rude people (staff, customers) and the front counter was the only clean surface in the place.-... *shudder* That, for then-minimum? No.
For most people the stimulus went to pay rent and other bills. Thank goodness I have been working during the pandemic. And umemployment is about half of what you were making. Why do people not want to work fast food: Sh*t wages federal min wage is $7.50 Terrible working conditions. Worked Micky's before. The karens that ran the place were the worst people I ever worked. For months I could not stand the smell of eggs and grease. that stench gets everywehere, in your hair and clothes In Couer d' alene Idaho there is a amusement park called Silverwood, they realized this and are offering $15 an hour (double the state minimum wage to work there for the season). Maybe hardees (and their gross cousin carls jr) need to get a clue to get quality people to work there and stay there.
If your business model doesn't work, you just don't get to operate your business.
Right! They wanted free market, they got free market. But then they whine when it doesn't favor them.
Load More Replies... Sometimes it feels like this is some sort of underhanded effort to re-introduce slavery and indentured servitude. I mean minimum wage hasn't budged in two decades in parts of the US, yet cost of living has only gone up everywhere in that time...
The problem is half of the politicians don't want to solve them because that's how they got rich.
Load More Replies... Workers unionizing was how companies were brought to heel and made to pay livable wages. The problem is that the unions are largely corrupt and are at best just another mandatory parasite a worker must pay for the "privilege" of working. We need to make it easier for unions to be created so that workers can more easily organize to petition for better working conditions and wages.
So are you pro union or not? Perhaps you're pro a new kind of improved union?
Load More Replies... Economics 101, supply and demand. If the supply of something is low, and the demand of something is high: the price must go up. That something is workers. Workers who have hitherto been told they’re expendable and can be replaced by robots on a whim. The line of cars wrapped around every under-manned labor exploiting billion dollar fast food place begs to differ. You need them more than your shareholders need another dividend, pay them better.
We have dipshit politicians here in my country as well. People that pull arbitrary numbers from the ether to justify their crap. Who the heck would risk their lives for crappy wages. And, if your business cannot compete with unemployment benefits, that is meant to fund the bare minimum, then you do not deserve employees.
The narcissist life 😂😂 "would you work there?" "Of course not!" So why would anyone else want to??
"You want money enough to survive? Then get a real job!" Okay *gets a real job* "NO! I meant serve me while starving and don't complain because I consider you beneath me!"
Pay me $8 an hour. No heath care or vision or dental. No free food. No benefits. Then have me sit at the register, get screamed at and treated like garbage by management, the other employees and by the customers. Oh yippee.
hmm...let's see how this works: if fast food places pay minimum wage during 'healthy' times, it's okay for workers to live paycheck to paycheck, possibly needing public assistance just ot exist because 40 hrs aren't usually given nor are any benefits. but, during a global pandemic, places are closed & unemployment extended w/bare minimum of stimulus of $600 & $1400 which give small release. now, employers/politicians claiming this is making them lazy. guess they aren't taking into consideration that child care may not be available - due to pandemic; travel expenses have gone up (gas), as well as others needs required to work. ppl aren't getting rich or living high on the hog off unemployment. if they were there wouldn't still be the need of food pantries and/or other resources for necessities. republicans would deny ppl help if they thought that one person out of 100 was 'undeserving'/not needed whereas democrats tend to give to all 100 even knowing that one of them was fraudulent.
I have always thought that the problem with salaries is in my country paying professionals a bit more or even less the minimum wage due to 'lack of experience' but this saddens me even more because there are a lot of jobs that demands everything for workers but they still receive the minimum wage and even try to survive without employment benefits 🤦
it's not just that. Imagine they raise the min wage for them. so they'll have to increase (maybe a little) the price of the food for compensate. it's logical and have no problem with that. But people will complaint about that. so basically it's a lot because of the customers because a lot would complaint if they have to pay their 1.39 burger 1.59 instead! that's america! people scream when they have to pay more even if it's not a lot.
We're also having a hard time finding police officers, doctors, journalists, and teachers BECAUSE PEOPLE DONT RESPECT the ways their work upholds society (not solely but a big part) plus the lack of pay is huge. Weve villified and scapegoated people dedicated to helping others because they foster the kind of people who don't follow political narratives and force people to think about their role in the community and why it's messed up. Embrace the truth And remember that you can work your job because somebody else is doing jobs you need like preparing and selling food, working at a gas station. So show some respect. Ahhh the cops. Including them here is tricky. I am all for defunding the police and using that money to increase social services and create an unarmed force. BUT we will always need some body to show up for murder, drugs, n violent men the police we keep should be better paid (without having to work a bunch of shady dubious ot) and uninterrupted access to continuing education. Also an argument can be made that cops very much do f ollow political narratives but their bastardization of the US flag says otherwise
its worse if you are a student. Some states are allowed to pay a training wage (a lot lower than the minimum wage). Some other restraunts will pay a lower rate if you get tips. So you may only get $2 an hour and still have to pay tax on the tips.
Can we refrain from making a wave of assumptions about ONE STORE to use it as "proof" of our political talking points? None of the people tweeting about it know what actually happened in the store or what went on in the former employees' heads. Maybe they all quit because of one specific manager? Maybe they felt unsafe for some specific reason?
Perhaps you should be posting this to the politician who started the thread by making an assumption about all workers, based on one store. People are responding to the political spin, not the circumstances of the store.
Load More Replies... Sorry for the inconvenience. When is it a good time to highlight inequities in society?
Load More Replies... And yet, all over the world countries with well developed social support systems AND minimum wage guarantees have no problem finding employees. Perhaps the problem is not the unemployment benefit?
Load More Replies...
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