This is what demanding $15/hr minimum wage creates: The Burger flipping robot.

[Soul_Rattler]

I haven't seen a Walmart with less than 20 lanes since GW was in office, first term.

Depending on where you live, you'll see it sooner or later.

The Walmart nearest me has 5 lanes and the rest of the check out area is completely self operated.

Now if you want to know why this is happening, it's not to avoid paying humans. It's because humans spent years bitching about long lines, shitty service, and inconsistent quality. The answer is to get a machine capable of being operated by humans without human error and attitude.

Instead of blaming the employees, blame the public that couldn't be bothered to tolerate the challenges of working in the service sector.

 

[Soul_Rattler]

I cant speak on other places, but Walmart in fact does this on purpose. They purposely understaff cashiers to keep payroll down so the owners make more money. Then they'll open a few self check outs and direct frustrated people to them like they were actively trying to help. But that was the design from the beginning to get people to basically ring up their own stuff and bag it for free.


Thats what you think at a glance but thats not reality. The lines seem shorter but I'm sure you're waiting just as long or even longer to check out. Cashiers ring and bag stuff up all the time and are actually quiet fast. They also usually have all the common codes memorized and do things fairly quickly. But if you really watch people in self check out, they'll all pretty much slow as fuck. Take forever to bag and constantly have to call the person monitoring the machine to come help them.

You're right about payroll.

But tech advancements aren't for the 40+ crowd. We live in an increasingly detached society where young consumers rather be on a game system than play outside, be on their phone than socialize in person, and let tech do their work for them. And it's been happening longer than you realize: dish washers, cars, the cotton gin.

 

[konceptjones]

Fam idk why you so stuck in your way in the facr of facts.

We all get hard work. Working hard is a point of pride, as it should be.

But lets look at facts. In the 1970s, it took one person in a family working hard to live very comfortably and buy a house, put kids through school and all that.

But now, it takes 2 people working much harder to just get by, kids gotta take loans to go to school, and a good percentage still loses their house, and even ones that dont have credit card bills.

In economic terms, inflation is growing faster than wages, which in the long term is unsustainable, which is why were trillions of dollars in debt, and need loans from China to sustain our economy.

In just human terms, the amount of hard required has increased whereas the rewards have decreased.

You cant let every mfer that wants to earn a dollar more raise prices cause it forces us into an economy that only gets by on debt, which is unsustainable. This goes for any investor raising rent, pseg raising electricity, walmart raising the price of apples etc.

Gon head argue these unarguable facts somehow though.

In the 70's, realistically it took two people to live comfortably and buy a house. I don't know where you gettin' that bullshit from but I lived through it. My uncle had to get on food stamps in the late 70's just so he could eat while at U of M AND neither my grandmother or grandfather could help him out; he got his doctorate all on his own.

Lemme throw it out here like this: Last year I only cleared $51k. Combined with my wife's disability, we cleared around $63-$64K. We have 4 kids and though one wasn't living with us we still helped her out often. Rent was the aforementioned $1650/month. Car note on our 2011 Chevy Traverse, high ass electricity 'cause it the desert, high ass water bill 'cause the pool had an auto-refill valve, pool service, gas, Dish, high speed business-class internet, cellphone bills, and food for everyone... We made it comfortably. It's all about managing your money correctly. That's most niggas problem; they're shitty with budgeting their money so they're always behind the 8 ball.

The other problem is niggas expectations. You can't be sittin off making $40-$50K and expect to live like you gettin twice that. Living within your means is a lesson that nobody wants to hear anymore which is precisely why muhfuckas got $50k in credit card debt or some other ridiculous ass amount. If you make $40k, live like you make $40k and not a dime more. Set your expectations accordingly and you can live decently.

Minimum wage should be $10.50/hr-$11/hr; not $15/hr. Economist agree with this wholeheartedly because it restores the buying power to the workers to a level that hasn't been seen since the 60's.

Because I run a business I understand having to raise rates on my customers. Last month I re-signed a client I had for three years but ended our contract back in September after only getting piece work for a while. Back then I was gettin $33.33hr from dude. Now I'm at just over $40/hr for his work and he completely understands why. Shit is more expensive than it was back then. And I'm cutting him a huge break too 'cause all of my newer clients start at $50/hr. As the cost to do business increases, I gotta increase my rate. If real estate is going up, the cost to rent it is naturally going up as well. If the cost of oil and gas goes up, then the cost to transport apples from the orchards goes up and the cost of fertilizer goes up ('cause it's petrol-based). Likewise if the cost of labor goes up by an astronomical amount (i.e. more than doubles), the the cost of everything associated with it goes up. That's just how it works.

 

[LurkerSix]

It's one thing to ask for more, it's another thing to be unrealistic about what you're asking for.

The correct amount that minimum wage should be is $10.50-$11/hr. More than that is completely unrealistic and unsustainable and we see precisely why. I'm all for folks getting more, but within reason.

As for your rent, stand in line. The house I had to leave last year we were paying $1650 a month for it. The market out here is so crazy he's leased it out immediately for $2200. It ain't the system, it's the investors. Right now we're looking at the 2005-2007 run up all over again, where investors come in, buy up shit and run up the prices so rent goes up along with property values. Don't worry, the bubble will burst soon because this rapid growth can't sustain itself, as we saw when the housing market collapsed years ago. Once that happens and they start unloading houses for blue-light special prices, the rent will come down.

Thats a great theory except they're other first world countries with a higher min wage than that, that are doing just fine. In fact there are states with a higher min wage than that that havent collapsed too.

In fact people already pointed out if we adjust for inflation and buying power, people were making equivalent of more than $10 an hour in the early fucking 80's.

What amazing to me is people will be outraged over a min wag increase, because they think people who make min wage are below them and their pay is getting too close to their salary. Yet at no point do those same people even consider that they're being under paid too, smh. Also those same people dont see anything wrong with a CEO or executives of a company making millions or tens of millions a year, whether they're making the company better or worse.

 

[konceptjones]

Thats a great theory except they're other first world countries with a higher min wage than that, that are doing just fine. In fact there are states with a higher min wage than that that havent collapsed too.

In fact people already pointed out if we adjust for inflation and buying power, people were making equivalent of more than $10 an hour in the early fucking 80's.

What amazing to me is people will be outraged over a min wag increase, because they think people who make min wage are below them and their pay is getting too close to their salary. Yet at no point do those same people even consider that they're being under paid too, smh. Also those same people dont see anything wrong with a CEO or executives of a company making millions or tens of millions a year, whether they're making the company better or worse.

Um... No.

spin off: better solution for the overall improvement of society - Page 6

I could present the same logic for the alternative who is going to pay for the inflation as a result of raising minimum wage? what costs more:

allhiphop.vanillacommunities.com

... With the exception of several high dollar areas like Seattle, LA, San Fran, NYC, etc, the living wage in the vast majority of the country is around $10-$11/hr which is what economists have repeatedly stated as matching the buying power of the 1968 minimum wage; the period where minimum had the greatest buying power in history. The reason I have repeatedly stated $10-$11/hr in this and several other similar threads is that economists are pretty much unanimous in this and it just makes sense.

I didn't pull that number out of thin air. Economists have repeatedly stated that $10.50-$11/hr would give people on minimum wage the same buying power as it did in 1968, when minimum wage had it's greatest buying power on record. I've written about this since 2013 on the IC... Repeatedly. Y'all just wanna ignore it but since I'm know for this here's a better source:

Congress has never let the federal minimum wage erode for this long

June 16th marks the longest period in history without an increase in the federal minimum wage. The last time Congress passed an increase was in May 2007, when it legislated that the minimum wage be raised to $7.25 per hour on July 24, 2009. Since the minimum wage was first established in 1938...

www.epi.org

"As shown in the graphic, when the minimum wage was last raised to $7.25 in July 2009, it had a purchasing power equivalent to $8.70 in today’s dollars. Over the last 10 years, as the minimum wage has remained at $7.25, its purchasing power has declined by 17 percent. For a full-time, year-round minimum wage worker, this represents a loss of over $3,000 in annual earnings. Moreover, since its historical peak in February 1968, the federal minimum wage has lost 31 percent in purchasing power—meaning that full-time, year-round minimum wage workers today have annual earnings worth $6,800 less than what their counterparts earned five decades ago."

Minimum wage in the 80's was $3.35/hr. From 1981-1990 that's what it was. My first job at Hardee's in '88 paid a little more than that at $3.50/hr but ain't no way in hell I had the same buying power then as someone gettin' $10/hr these days. Fuck no. Sorry.. I worked 40 hrs one week that summer, my lil check after taxes was about $100. FOH trying to say that my $100 in '88 buys the same as $344 you would get after taxes (in Michigan anyways) today at $10/hr.

 

[VulcanRaven]

i rarely eat mcdonalds but this a good move cause theres some nasty mfs working in fast food joints

Sadly this is true, but ita not just McD. I heard some closn on the phone who worked at Applebees talking about how he be spitting in food and blowing buggies in it. I was ready to kill him eventhough he did not work at the one I eat at. Killing job markets is a negative, but shit like that make it hard for the good workers.

 

[VulcanRaven]

My Walmart has 14 self checkout lanes, only 10 are useable. I can say that w this addition, it has made Walmart lines less longer in terms of wait time.

Here the target self checkout be long and slow so it depends.

 

[VulcanRaven]

Um... No.

spin off: better solution for the overall improvement of society - Page 6

I could present the same logic for the alternative who is going to pay for the inflation as a result of raising minimum wage? what costs more:

allhiphop.vanillacommunities.com

I didn't pull that number out of thin air. Economists have repeatedly stated that $10.50-$11/hr would give people on minimum wage the same buying power as it did in 1968, when minimum wage had it's greatest buying power on record. I've written about this since 2013 on the IC... Repeatedly. Y'all just wanna ignore it but since I'm know for this here's a better source:

Congress has never let the federal minimum wage erode for this long

June 16th marks the longest period in history without an increase in the federal minimum wage. The last time Congress passed an increase was in May 2007, when it legislated that the minimum wage be raised to $7.25 per hour on July 24, 2009. Since the minimum wage was first established in 1938...

www.epi.org

"As shown in the graphic, when the minimum wage was last raised to $7.25 in July 2009, it had a purchasing power equivalent to $8.70 in today’s dollars. Over the last 10 years, as the minimum wage has remained at $7.25, its purchasing power has declined by 17 percent. For a full-time, year-round minimum wage worker, this represents a loss of over $3,000 in annual earnings. Moreover, since its historical peak in February 1968, the federal minimum wage has lost 31 percent in purchasing power—meaning that full-time, year-round minimum wage workers today have annual earnings worth $6,800 less than what their counterparts earned five decades ago."

Minimum wage in the 80's was $3.35/hr. From 1981-1990 that's what it was. My first job at Hardee's in '88 paid a little more than that at $3.50/hr but ain't no way in hell I had the same buying power then as someone gettin' $10/hr these days. Fuck no. Sorry.. I worked 40 hrs one week that summer, my lil check after taxes was about $100. FOH trying to say that my $100 in '88 buys the same as $344 you would get after taxes (in Michigan anyways) today at $10/hr.

The problem is the cost of living keeps increasing so raising minimum wage makes no difference. Rent goes up every year as does other things.

 

[VulcanRaven]

yup.. comes w the tech.

I’m sure they ain’t got robots or kiosks shutting down often. It probably a small issue. As for hacking, they’re billion $ corporations. They can either choose to invest in good cyber security or not. They won’t be impenetrable but they can lessen their chances of that type of crap.

This is why I’m encouraging all my kids to get into some type of engineering. They’re gonna be in demand once the tech takes off and is everywhere. They can work for a company or make their own.

Bro these conpanies don't invest in good security either lol. WaWa got hacked because they had shit security.

 

[konceptjones]

Depending on where you live, you'll see it sooner or later.

The Walmart nearest me has 5 lanes and the rest of the check out area is completely self operated.

Now if you want to know why this is happening, it's not to avoid paying humans. It's because humans spent years bitching about long lines, shitty service, and inconsistent quality. The answer is to get a machine capable of being operated by humans without human error and attitude.

Instead of blaming the employees, blame the public that couldn't be bothered to tolerate the challenges of working in the service sector.

Nah, it's 100% to not pay humans.

Back in the early 00's, (01 or 02) Meijer workers went on strike ('cause they have a union). They demanded better pay and eventually reached an agreement with Meijer. Not long after the strike was over, U-scan machines showed up and people lost their jobs. A few years later and they're showing up in grocery stores and Walmart and each place began cutting staff. These machines are there specifically to cut staffing costs.

 

[konceptjones]

The problem is the cost of living keeps increasing so raising minimum wage makes no difference. Rent goes up every year as does other things.

raising it would make a huge difference for people living on minimum wage. $10.50/hr vs 7.25?? $420/wk gross vs $290/wk gross. That's extra food and a bill every week.

 

[Race Jones]

Koncept wants niggas to struggle because he did

anywho, i hope ppl continue to fight for higher wages.

 

[R.I.P KOBE]

We don’t get $15hr over here where I’m from
I know people who work in fast food places they barely get paid $11hr

 

[Soul_Rattler]

Nah, it's 100% to not pay humans.

Back in the early 00's, (01 or 02) Meijer workers went on strike ('cause they have a union). They demanded better pay and eventually reached an agreement with Meijer. Not long after the strike was over, U-scan machines showed up and people lost their jobs. A few years later and they're showing up in grocery stores and Walmart and each place began cutting staff. These machines are there specifically to cut staffing costs.

C'mon bro you really think retail would turn down innovations like self check out if they could keep wage costs down?

It. Would. Happen. Regardless.

I'm not even saying payroll doesn't play a factor at all. But it's not as big of a factor as you're making it seem.

 

[SKPJR]

Shits inevitable. I'm a train dispatcher on a class 1 railroad. The railroad pays very well and train dispatchers are the highest paid hourly employees on all railroads. We are highly paid because our jobs are very important. With all that being said Norfolk Southern released a computer program a few years ago that is supposed to help the dispatchers but the ultimate goal is to replace the dispatcher. They may not be able to replace all the dispatchers but it will allow them to merge territories and replace some.

NS supposedly spent $10M on the software. Between the pay and the benefits $10M is a drop in the bucket when compared to paying multiple train dispatchers for 30 years and retirement benefits. From highly trained and educated unionized train dispatchers to uneducated and low paid ununionized coal miners it's all the same. Corporations have no problem replacing you with a machine. When is the last time you went to a full service gas station?

 

[VulcanRaven]

raising it would make a huge difference for people living on minimum wage. $10.50/hr vs 7.25?? $420/wk gross vs $290/wk gross. That's extra food and a bill every week.

Until they raise the cost of living again. Minimum wage is $10 in MD, but everything went up. My haircut used to be 15. Now its $25. Rent went from $950 to over $1,000. Food prices are ridiculous and BGE went up too.

 

[konceptjones]

Koncept wants niggas to struggle because he did

anywho, i hope ppl continue to fight for higher wages.

Jesus... I get where @DOS_patos is coming from... I'm saying raise minimum wage to match the point where it had its greatest historical buying power but somehow intergalactically retarded ass niggas like you read it as "niggas gotta be broke 'cause I was broke". You do know what "raise" means, right??? it means they would get higher wages, the same shit you're saying. Like, what the fuck kinda backwards ass school system did you come out of to read what I wrote but comprehend it so wrong???

I said people would be able to buy more food and pay an extra bill in doing it. Your Beavis and Butthead-level intellect interpreted that as "niggas gotta be broke 'cause I was broke"

But I said it so it's a problem.

 

[Elzo69Renaissance]

 

[TonyDubbz]

Sadly this is true, but ita not just McD. I heard some closn on the phone who worked at Applebees talking about how he be spitting in food and blowing buggies in it. I was ready to kill him eventhough he did not work at the one I eat at. Killing job markets is a negative, but shit like that make it hard for the good workers.

yea man, for a while I had just given up completely on fast food but its so convenient. Now If I have it i usually get it from somewhere close by at places where I actually know the folks working

you can trust nobody these days, shit crazy

 

[Race Jones]

Jesus... I get where @DOS_patos is coming from... I'm saying raise minimum wage to match the point where it had its greatest historical buying power but somehow intergalactically retarded ass niggas like you read it as "niggas gotta be broke 'cause I was broke". You do know what "raise" means, right??? it means they would get higher wages, the same shit you're saying. Like, what the fuck kinda backwards ass school system did you come out of to read what I wrote but comprehend it so wrong???

I said people would be able to buy more food and pay an extra bill in doing it. Your Beavis and Butthead-level intellect interpreted that as "niggas gotta be broke 'cause I was broke"

But I said it so it's a problem.