McDonald's CEO: 'We Will Support' A Minimum Wage Hike
Source: Huff Post
McDonald's might finally have figured out that paying its low-wage workers more would actually be a good thing for McDonald's.
McDonald's CEO Don Thompson recently suggested his company would support a bill, proposed by President Barack Obama, raising the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour from $7.25. Such a wage hike likely wouldn't satisfy his workers, some of whom recently stormed the company's Oak Brook, Ill., headquarters demanding $15 an hour. But it would be a noticeable shift in attitude for the world's biggest restaurant chain, which has so far been neutral as the debate about higher wages has roiled around it.
"You know, our franchisees look at me when I say this and they start to worry: 'Don, don't you say it. Don't you say we support $10.10,'" Thompson said during a little-noticed talk at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management last month, according to a Chicago Tribune report. "I will tell you we will support legislation that moves forward."
Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/04/mcdonalds-ceo-minimum-wage-hike_n_5445539.html
Has hell frozen over?
djean111
(14,255 posts)Plus - they can always pay more and give fewer hours.
Ikonoklast
(23,973 posts)You just can't cut hours without it impacting your business, you schedule based on demand projections and sales per man hour.
When there is a twenty minute wait to get a cup of coffee and a biscuit because the store owner doesn't have enough staff to service the customers, most people would just go elsewhere.
You still need enough employee hours scheduled to cover when your customers come in to your store.
Of course, the owner can always scream at what employees he has left to work even faster than 100% effort, but in a short time he will have neither employees to yell at or a store in which he can yell at them as he loses sales and goes out of business.
UncleYoder
(233 posts)You don't need a fucking bill passed to pay your workers a living wage.
How about setting an example for the rest of the assholes and lead for once.
DonViejo
(60,536 posts)jamzrockz
(1,333 posts)Costco didn't wait for legislators to pass a bill. They just did it and they are kicking wallmart's ass.
WhiteTara
(29,676 posts)shipped to me with no shipping fee; great price and fab coffee. Between my beginning to produce garden and mail order food, little by little I'm weaning myself from grocery stores.
4lbs
(6,756 posts)Yes, that includes those that somehow only get to work 30 hours a week.
mopinko
(69,806 posts)in the big city minimum wage doesnt really get you much. most of them around here might start you there, but they move you up quick if you are any good at all.
so, he is leveling his own playing field here more than you might think.
I remember working for burger king in the 2004 and they started you at $7.80 which was above the minimum wage and after 6 months you got another 50c raise.
The not so funny part is that I talked to my old manager and they still start their new employees at $7.80 and 50c raise after 6 months just like they did 10 yrs ago.
samplegirl
(11,415 posts)will shame them into it!
bluedigger
(17,077 posts)"Additionally, we believe that any increase needs to be considered in a broad context, one that considers, for example, the impact of the Affordable Care Act and its definition of full time employment, as well as the treatment, from a tax perspective, of investments made by businesses owners.
"You can have more money if you lower our tax rates and redefine full time employment" is what I get out of that.
okaawhatever
(9,453 posts)wage keep pace with inflation for all these years? Yeah, didn't think so.
tofuandbeer
(1,314 posts)progressoid
(49,827 posts)Nothing stopping you.
Except greed.
rurallib
(62,346 posts)Mickey D could make a policy that by some date (say a year from now) all stores will pay $10.10/hr or risk losing their franchise.
I am sure if they wanted to they could figure out a way.
Harmony Blue
(3,978 posts)are not doing too hot right now.
liberal N proud
(60,302 posts)Is he afraid the employees will all quit so they can go to work at Chick-Fil-A for less?
okaawhatever
(9,453 posts)A. I doubt McDonalds will be the industry leader on this one, but if they don't fight it with their billions of dollars that will help too.
liberal N proud
(60,302 posts)Now that's a concept, one that the greedy bastards will never allow to happen.
I don't eat at McDonald's because of the prices, I don't eat at McDonald's because the food and service suck!
Pay the people and maybe both will improve!
Sgent
(5,857 posts)in a McDonald's, with wages being about 30% of sales. Raising the wages by 50% without raising prices means they go from a profit of 10% to a loss of 5%.
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(107,111 posts)Now can he go slap some sense into the Walton family?
Arkana
(24,347 posts)Toss a few coins at the poors and pretend you're being charitable.
JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)Here is what is wrong with companies like McDonald's. They support advertising and organizations that vilify and complain about government regulations, but they can't take the initiative and do what they know is right for their employees, customers and the country without regulation.
That's a character flaw -- when you can't bring yourself to do what is right without somebody forcing you to do it.
Manifestor_of_Light
(21,046 posts)"If people are good only because they fear punishment and hope for reward then we are a sorry lot indeed."
Hosnon
(7,800 posts)Competition is the problem. If McDonald's does it, they are at a competitive disadvantage if their competitors don't also do it. But if everyone is required to do it, there is no relative competitive disadvantage.
It's similar to Republicans who say anyone who wants higher taxes should just send more money in.
Some things only really work when everyone does them.