$15

Fast food workers want $15 per hour and they are marching and demanding it.  And, they want union rights.  Let’s get one thing clear, I know that $7.50 per hour is not a lot of pay, but if you don’t have the skills to get a higher paying job, you need to improve your skills.  Fast food jobs were never intended to be a career.  These jobs offer work experience, the ability to do a job as directed and offer ideas on how to do it better.

Let’s do a little quick math using some assumed averages.  If a burger cost $5 at an hourly rate of pay of $7.50, then the worker can buy a burger and have a couple of bucks left.  If labor doubles, then the burger price will have to double, or more.  Now we have a $10 burger, but wait!  Don’t think that there is $5 left when a worker buys one.

The worker may move into another tax bracket and certainly will on Social Security and Medicare taxes.  Now, let’s add in some union dues, say $.50 per hour.  Sales will drop dramatically because few people want a $10 burger.  And, because the cost of labor has doubled, the fast food establishment owner is going to cut cost, including the hours a person gets to work.  That’s business.

These jobs are great as a learning point in a person’s life.  And, sometimes a great place for old people to make a little pocket money and stay busy.  But, the trickle down effect will not benefit the workers.

It’s simple economics.

Best to move on to bigger and better paying jobs.

PMO
©2016