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Fast food workers to get a $20 minimum wage in CA

https://lemmy.world/post/5923468

Fast food workers to get a $20 minimum wage in CA - Lemmy.world

California fast food workers will be paid at least $20 per hour next year under a new law signed Thursday by Gov. Gavin Newsom. When it takes effect on April 1, fast food workers in the state will have among the highest minimum wages in the country, according to data compiled by the University of California-Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education. The state’s minimum wage for all other workers is at $15.50 per hour and is already among the highest in the nation. Newsom’s signature on Thursday reflects the power and influence of labor unions in the nation’s most populous state, which have worked to organize fast food workers in an attempt to improve their wages and working conditions.

Sep 28, 2023 at 10:53pmWeb
Show threadsapient [they/them]Sep 28, 2023
This is an awesome victory for fast food workers and unions. People constantly shit on the folks working in customer service and kitchen jobs, but they are often gruelling and unpleasant. The people there certainly deserve it more than the CEOs and shareholders exploiting them (I mean, I’m against the entire structure, but if we’re working within that structure, then ye ^.^).
Show threadPunnyNameSep 28, 2023
Hopefully this will cause a push to higher wages across the board. California is expensive to live in, and $20 / hr is reasonable, but difficult, to live on.
Show threadgringo_papiSep 29, 2023
Lol. It won’t.
Show threadPunnyNameSep 29, 2023
Yet
Show threadnooneescapesthelawSep 30, 2023
You can get 20/hr + jobs pretty fucking easily in California
Show threadPunnyNameSep 30, 2023
Bullshit.
Show threadnooneescapesthelawSep 30, 2023
Bay area SF SJ area 20 is basicallt the nee minimum, lots of security jobs pay 22-25 for no experience
Show threadPunnyNameSep 30, 2023
And the minimum wage in that area should be at least $30-40+ to live there.
Show threadbobs_monkeySep 28, 2023

Here’s a (not so) funny anecdote: I went to Italy years ago and got McDonald’s equivalent of a double quarter pounder with cheese for shits and giggles. Dollar for euro, the price was about the same, if not a little cheaper, in Italy. Now couple that with the fact that Italians have access to healthcare, are paid a living wage, and have ample vacation pay.

These companies could pay their workers properly and provide benefits if they wanted to, they have the money. They don’t because fuck you

Show threadLetMeEatCakeSep 29, 2023

But did you ever stop to think about how Italy’s system impacts the most important among us: the wealthy shareholders? A truly humane system would prioritize them at all costs.

(/s to be safe…)

Show threadcabron_offsetsSep 29, 2023
But muh freedumb
Show threadbeanSep 29, 2023
They still monkey around the hours in these places to avoid paying any employee too much. I’ve worked in similar industries and you have to fight for shifts, or deal with taking shifts last minute on your days off.
Show threadBobSep 29, 2023
This is also anecdotal but I’ve met a lot of Italians where I now live and they all say pay and working conditions in Italy are poopoo. I suppose it’s all relative though.
Show threadKillAllPoorPeopleSep 29, 2023

Immigrants usually say that.

But central and southern Italy is like in a perpetuate state of Alabama.

Show threadMetalJewSolidSep 29, 2023
yee-a haw
Show threadBobSep 30, 2023
I’ve no idea what that means but I’m sure it’s nice?
Show threadSpaceCowboySep 29, 2023

Yeah when you think about how many meals they sell in an hour, they probably only need to charge less than 20 cents more for a meal to cover the cost of employees having a livable wage.

If were charging more for your burger in Italy, the difference in price was small enough to be unnoticeable. Because when you do the math, employees wages at a fast food joint isn’t a significant percentage of the price.

Show threadatzanteolSep 28, 2023
I look forward to everyone bitching about how much more food costs.
Show threadrobocallSep 29, 2023
Why would you assume food costs will increase?
Show threadatzanteolSep 29, 2023
Why would you assume increasing the cost of labor won’t increase the cost of the service?
Show threadrobocallSep 29, 2023
Could you answer the question before asking another one?
Show threadatzanteolSep 29, 2023
Can you?
Show threadCheemsSep 29, 2023
In Denmark McDonald’s employees make $20~ an hour and a big Mac costs less. The only reason prices need to go up is to keep profits at an all time high to satisfy the Almighty shareholder. It’s just greed.
Show threadatzanteolSep 29, 2023
That’s awesome. Nowhere near answered the question but thanks for all the facts.
Show threadNeve8028Sep 29, 2023
Your question was literally answered in the first sentence lmfao. Learn to read?
Show threadatzanteolSep 29, 2023
I was unaware that Denmark was in the US now.
Show threadNeve8028Sep 30, 2023
The point is that they’re able to raise wages and keep prices the same. It has nothing to do with being in a different country. Why would it not be the same case in the US?
Show threadatzanteolSep 30, 2023

There are many factors that affect price. Wages is one of them.

Do you dispute that wages affect price? Why would you expect an across the board increase in labor costs to have zero affect on prices?

To take it to an extreme - if CA raised the minimum to $100/hr would you expect a 1$ burger still?

Show threadNeve8028Sep 30, 2023
Obviously wages effect price but Denmark having equivalent wages with what we’re talking about is proof that fast food joints can afford $20/hr without raising prices. You’re bringing up extremes without looking at the reality that exists in other countries. Get out of here with your bad faith arguments.
Show threadatzanteolSep 30, 2023

Get out of here with your bad faith arguments.

You first.

I’m saying they will likely raise prices. Not that they can’t keep them the same. Not that food may be cheaper elsewhere. None of the other this the lemmykins are pretending I’m saying.

As you yourself fucking said - wages can affect prices.

Show threadtigeruppercutSep 30, 2023

To take it to an extreme - if CA raised the minimum to $100/hr would you expect a 1$ burger still?

How about the opposite? To take it to an extreme, if CA raised the minimum to $100/hr would you expect a 100$ burger?

There’s obviously a price that consumers won’t accept and so some of the cost of the wages need to start coming out of the pockets of people making millions.

Show threadCheemsSep 29, 2023
I mean. I absolutely did, in the first post.
Show threadatzanteolSep 29, 2023
Is Denmark in California? These are completely different economies with entirely different systems of benefits.
Show threadCheemsSep 29, 2023
Ok so you’re just making up a reason to be pissed off. Good luck with that.
Show threadatzanteolSep 29, 2023
… what? What do you think I’m pissed off at?
Show threadatzanteolSep 29, 2023
Let me ask this. If Denmark doubled the cost of labor would you expect to see the cost of services increase?
Show threadatzanteolSep 30, 2023
No reply. As expected.
Show threadslackassassinSep 29, 2023
I’m not sure their point was that prices should go up, but that they will go up. Which you seem to agree with, you even cited greed as the explanation.
Show threadCheemsSep 29, 2023
I cited that if they did, it would be because of greed. If you have to stop paying slave wages, record profits go away. If they want to pass 100% of that cost onto the consumer, then sure prices will go up to keep those record profits. In no way does it need to though.
Show threadslackassassinSep 29, 2023

So, either you think these companies will accept that loss, or you agree with the person you were arguing with.

Unless there is some wording in this legislation that dictates that the wage increase comes from profitability.

Show threadCheemsSep 29, 2023
I never said it won’t increase prices. What I am saying is that supporting record profits on the backs of people that are unable to afford to pay rent is fucked up. If they can’t supply a product that people can afford without basically using slaves to do it, then they shouldn’t exist. The fact that McDonald’s can exist in other countries and supply a product that is cheaper than it is here is proof that it doesn’t have to be the way it is. Despite doubling cost of wages they should have never been that low in the first place. If you have to eat into your record profits to have people be able to afford to live then that’s your problem Mr every corporation.
Show threadslackassassinSep 29, 2023
That’s all well and good. But nobody was arguing otherwise.
Show threadbluestributeSep 29, 2023
It’s a good thing food costs haven’t increased before this was announced! Where’s the dollar menu again?
Show threadatzanteolSep 29, 2023
Funny thing - there are multiple things that affect for prices.
Show threadafraid_of_zombiesSep 30, 2023
Food already costs too much and it does partially because the government continues to pay farmers not to grow to get votes.
Show threadTrembleJan 17, 2024
You obviously have no clue what you are talking about.
Show threadChlorineAddictSep 28, 2023
Out of all the pictures likely taken during the announcement they had to use the one with the Wendy’s gal picking her nose?
Show threadbetwixthewiresSep 28, 2023

minimum of 20 locations nationwide

And then, when this predictably puts all the small time, local food joints out of business, the people that vote for these clowns will be complaining that big corporations control everything.

Can you guys even see 10 inches in front of your own nose?

Show threadarquebus_xSep 28, 2023

Uh... no? It's right there at the bottom:

The raise takes effect on April 1 and applies to workers at restaurants that have at least 60 locations nationwide

Small time, local food joints would not be required to raise wages above the current minimum. They'd actually be able to compete more.

What the heck are you smoking?

Show threadFUCKRedditModsSep 29, 2023

Smoking the usual “right wing ignorance”

They’re fucking addicted to it

Show threadDominusOfMegadeusSep 29, 2023
Y’all got any more o’ that ignorance? I’m tired of knowing shit at this point.
Show threadbetwixthewiresSep 29, 2023

OK I fat fingered 20 instead of 60. That’s even better for my argument. To get the good pay you have to work for a huge multinational. Who else has 60 locations in the US alone?

What are you smoking? You know there’s a labor market right? And companies compete for workers? Imagine you run a taco shack and every one of your employees is waiting for the minute there’s an opening across the street at taco bell, or the opening of the new burger Kong down the street. What do you do? High turnover and employee resentment or raise wages? If raising wages means going out of business you’re stuck.

And then small minded people like you will be in a thread in 2 years quoting statistics showing how big corporations are putting smaller ones out of business and taking over all the industries, even going so far as to blame corrupt politicians and corporate capture, conveniently forgetting that you cheered on the very corporate capture legislation that led to it.

Show threadstupidflySep 29, 2023

This is what I knew you meant and very good points by the way.

They all just showed their own absolute ignorance about how an economy actually functions by their responses.

I would rather see the franchisees go under for a more limited impact to the economy overall (more inflation).

Show threadwhofearsthenightSep 29, 2023
idk personally I think if you can’t pay a living wage you don’t have a business model, you have a loophole of exploitive policy. Like, you’re saying all this and I’m hearing “but without slaves to pick my cotton I’ll go out of business!” good
Show threadbetwixthewiresSep 30, 2023
Then why not raise pay across the board?
Show threadwhofearsthenightSep 30, 2023
This is the fast food lobby’s main talking point. Personally, I don’t disagree. Decide a living wage, make that the bare minimum for everyone. The talking point however is that “my poor wittle small business can’t afford to pay people enough money to live please daddy let me continue the exploitation.”
Show threadwhofearsthenightSep 29, 2023
Indeed - not saying I agree, but this is the main talking point from the fast food companies. It’s not fair they have to pay more when (sometimes) slightly smaller businesses do not.
Show threadPLAVAT🧿SSep 28, 2023

The raise takes effect on April 1 and applies to workers at restaurants that have at least 60 locations nationwide — with an exception for restaurants that make and sell their own bread, like Panera Bread.

Where did you get 20? And does your point about minimum locations make sense with also bringing up local joints who are explicitly exempt given said minimum?

Show threadGentlemanLoserSep 29, 2023
A business that can’t pay its employees a living wage isn’t a business
Show threadiAmTheTotSep 29, 2023
Hear, hear.