Flipping burgers deserves good pay
Michelle Chance
The unfortunate misconception that, employees of fast food chains are undeserving of proper wages and benefits appropriate to the labor and hours that they work, is absurd and disgusting.
It baffles me that some people immediately begin to degrade these poverty-wage fry cooks and cashiers who, in August, decided to strike across the country.
These fast-food employees no longer accepted poor working conditions, non-existent benefits, and erratic work schedules.
Instead, they stood up for themselves and demanded an adequate pay raise as well as the right for unionization. Within the past decade, bad press took quite a bit out of the fast food industry.
Books like Fast Food Nation and documentaries like Supersize Me exposed unsanitary food handling, shady corporations, and the unhealthy stuff-it-in-my-face-now American food culture.
However, since McDonalds now offers pre-sliced apple slices in plastic wrap and two percent milk as “healthy options” over fried food and soda, society seemed eager to forgive and forget all of fast food’s fatty ways.
The general public quickly, or not so quickly depending on how often they frequent the local Burger King, jumped on the bandwagon when they felt that they were being victimized by Biggie sized sodas and burgers.
Yet, fast food workers, employed under multi-billion dollar corporations, receive criticism for defending their rights and dignity as hard working, respectable, human beings.
Who are we to judge which occupations deserve lower or higher pay?
Of course, professions which require years of education and study will, without a doubt, offer competitive salaries and benefits.
However, the hard working employees of the fast food industry should not have their time and labor abused, simply because they work in an industry that receives little respect.
These workers must often gain assistance from the government and seek out additional employment to cover bills, rent, and food costs.
But, why? Well, because too often, this type of employment is looked down upon by society as it is often only seen as a means to employ and train teenagers and ex-cons.
The fast food industry, as well as every American citizen, needs to take another look at this situation.
Employees are exercising their rights to expose what they believe to be injustices suffered upon them by mega rich corporations.
The U.S. used to be a country that rooted for the underdog – A nation with the mentality where we the people stick together in times of revolution and unbalanced power.
The outdated and immature stigma that comes with working for a fast food company should not overshadow the important and necessary movement that is currently underway.
Why shouldn’t a burger flipper earn $15 per hour? Isn’t that the American dream?
