The problem is that's all there is available for employment in today's world. People are now relying on what were once considered entry level positions to raise a family...

$15 per Hour To Flip a Hamburger???

Posted by David Kramer

That's what the economically-ignorant workers at many of the country's fast food restaurants want. It's so that they can make a "living" wage. Why so stingy with themselves? Why not $50 per hour or $100 per hour? Then they would really have a living wage.

As Peter Schiff pointed out in his excellent analysis of minimum wage laws:

The way it is supposed to work is that people do not choose to start families until they can earn enough to support them. Lower wage jobs enable workers to eventually acquire the skills necessary to earn wages high enough to support a family. Does anyone really think a kid with a paper route [or a fast food worker] should earn a wage high enough to support a family [or support himself, for that matter]?

MEMO to all workers (low-wage or otherwise): It is the market that determines the price of a product or service (i.e., labor). If the buyer of a product (i.e., customer) or service (i.e., employer) determined the price, everything would cost a penny (or, in the case of salary/wages, we'd all be paid minimum wage*). If the seller of a product (manufacturer/retailer) or service (employee) determined the price, we'd all be paying hundreds or thousands or even millions of dollars for readily abundant products (such as hamburgers) or services (such as the people who flip hamburgers).
_______________________________
*According to the Labor Department, the average fast food worker actually makes $9.00 per hour—which is above the $7.25 per hour minimum wage.

UPDATE: Fast food employee Michael writes:

This was surprisingly so personal and in one of my favorite places on the Net! I work in fast food.

While I, duh, defend the right of people to associate with fellow and other workers for peaceful unionization, to walk out en masse and such, I am skeptical to say the least about the practicality in this instance considering the firm competition, the age of the workforce, the high labor turnover, language barriers, and so on. This seems quite susceptible to consumers and employers just firing them, as they have the right to do.

As far as a "living wage" or whatever, I do make over minimum wage and that is in under a year and in this economy. I also have saved over a third of my wage income before taxes. So, it is indeed possible to live and relatively prosper on such an income. Sharing housing, living close to work, not having kids, and avoiding use and abuse of drugs goes a long way, and there is nothing undignified or unjust about facing reality so. Unfortunately, I didn't have the sense to avoid college debt or at least delay it until I had a better motive or plan beyond appeasing others. My current source of education is primarily my Kindle, and it is quite a bit more affordable and enjoyable.

I'd like a real $15 an hour for my job, a lot more even, but count me beyond skeptical that unionization could legitimately get me there. Also, as hostile to the illegitimate aspects of actual unions.

I would also like to take this chance to thank all the writers at LRC. I can't thank y'all enough for persuading me so absolutely away from the establishment. It is a big thing to me at least, but it is my intention to maintain my record of never voting.

Link:
http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/127435.html