Work Reform

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A place to discuss positive changes that can make work more equitable, and to vent about current practices. We are NOT against work; we just want the fruits of our labor to be recognized better.

Our Philosophies:

All workers must be paid a living wage for their labor.
Income inequality is the main cause of lower living standards.
Workers must join together and fight back for what is rightfully theirs.
We must not be divided and conquered. Workers gain the most when they focus on unifying issues.

Our Goals

Higher wages for underpaid workers.
Better worker representation, including but not limited to unions.
Better and fewer working hours.
Stimulating a massive wave of worker organizing in the United States and beyond.
Organizing and supporting political causes and campaigns that put workers first.

founded 1 year ago

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I'm a California restaurant operator preparing for the $20-an-hour fast-food wage by trimming hours, eliminating employee vacation, and raising menu prices (www.businessinsider.com)

submitted 10 months ago by return2ozma to c/workreform

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[–] Mango 95 points 10 months ago (1 children)

If your business can't afford employees lives, your business sucks. Figure your shit out.

[–] Mystic_Vampire 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

your business sucks

This is the exact problem and hardly anyone is talking about it. These sorts of restaurants had real simple recipes and food back when they started. You didn't need the same kind of supply chain then that you need now, and when you throw the franchise services fees and royalties, what you end up with is exactly this.

Contrasting this, there's this hamburger wagon near where I live. It's literally a wagon, serving slider style burgers and the dude refuses to give you anything but pickles, onion, salt, and pepper. He's got a few drinks, some chip options, and that's it. He has zero condiments or other toppings and serves nothing else. And you know what? He makes a fucking killing. Rain or shine, this wagon has a line of 10-15 people come lunch time and has plenty more come throughout the day. Only hires two people to work it.

I'm sure he's raised them before, but he hasn't raised his prices once since I've been going there. 1.50 for a single or 3.00 for a double. Even crazier is the fact that it's been there for over 100 years. Never turned it into a storefront, never tried to make it a franchise, never added to the menu really. Just always did what it did best, and its still insanely popular.

Food for thought I guess.

[–] Mango 3 points 10 months ago

Right?? It doesn't take much capital for a single person to produce much more than they consume. If a business can't figure out how to make one person worth their own salt AND profit, they're just shit rent-seekers. If I can put a tool in your hand that makes you worth 5 people without that tool but I can't profit, I'm a leech.