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[Pagusas]

So this is interesting to me, 2 restaurants near us (North Dallas), Panera and a taco shop, both had to shut down this week due to not having enough staff to work. The manager is on our community social network talking about how its brutal right now finding any willing staff to come back and they can't get authorization to offer more pay as incentive. Anyone else seeing short staff/closures at fast food/restaurants in their area? I had heard the food industry was having a tough time, but this is the first time I've seen it affect anything. That same manager talked about other locations possibly closing to transfer staff around, and the big new development area near us is delaying its public opening while they deal with staffing issues.

Part of me thought everyone would want to go back to work, especially as Texas has now ended the Covid unemployment increase, but maybe I was wrong on that.

 

[SF Kosmo]

Lotta places with limited hours by me, mostly.

There's going to be a labor shortage until we reopen schools. People can't work full time when their kids have to basically be home schooled. It has nothing to do with unemployment benefits, people want to work but they can't without schools.

 

[Yamisan]

Its like this all over the USA... has been for awhile now.

 

[a multicultural team of v]

I don't think I have seen a restaurant in the past 6 months that did not have a help wanted sign very prominently displayed.

I've gotten job posting emails from Starr Restaurants, which is a high end restaurant group that is well known in the Northeast US. A restaurant soliciting jobs via email is just crazy to me.

 

[ipukespiders]

Are these former workers still getting EI or some other benefit? (Lots here in Canada were/are getting government benefits)

 

[StreetsofBeige]

More like restaurants closing due to lazy fucks trying to ride off covid payments and taxpayers.

In Canada, I think you still get $2000/mth.

Why go back to low end jobs when you can sit home and get paid, and not have to worry about getting up in the morn or spending money on lunch or gas or taking the bus for work?

 

[GeorgPrime]

So this is interesting to me, 2 restaurants near us (North Dallas), Panera and a taco shop, both had to shut down this week due to not having enough staff to work. The manager is on our community social network talking about how its brutal right now finding any willing staff to come back and they can't get authorization to offer more pay as incentive. Anyone else seeing short staff/closures at fast food/restaurants in their area? I had heard the food industry was having a tough time, but this is the first time I've seen it affect anything. That same manager talked about other locations possibly closing to transfer staff around, and the big new development area near us is delaying its public opening while they deal with staffing issues.

Part of me thought everyone would want to go back to work, especially as Texas has now ended the Covid unemployment increase, but maybe I was wrong on that.

Increasing Salary might help

 

[Pagusas]

Increasing Salary might help

It sounds like many of the companies are doing all they can to avoid that, as once you increase salaries its hard to bring them back down. They know it. But if there is a supply and demand issue here, than just maybe thats what we'll see.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Are these former workers still getting EI or some other benefit? (Lots here in Canada were/are getting government benefits)

And the government didnt even verify anyone. Anyone who applied got it. I know people working who applied for the heck of it and got the $2k/mth. You could be a heart surgeon applying and you'd probably get it.

I'm still waiting for Trudeau's claim that they will look into scammers and retroactively get them to pay back.

All I know is during the covid meltdown last spring about 3-4 million jobs were lost, yet the covid CERB tracker said 9 million were approved.

Ok Trudeau and Revenue Canada, you got about 5 million possible scammers to go after. Get on it.

Fuck, I should had applied for it like the other assholes.

 

[Pol Pot]

Unlivable wage jobs with no healthcare, no benefits at all really, that offer hostile enviroments even in the best of times, with historically high turnover rates, zero stability or security, and no one wants them?

I just can't wrap my head around it.

 

[MrMephistoX]

Anecdotally that’s why I’ve heard Uber and Lyft are giving out huge incentives to drive with them now: we are basically seeing in real time what Universal Basic Income can do. Sure you make less money but if you can afford your basic needs and save $ most people will opt to stay home and save on daycare expenses instead of taking multiile shitty minimum wage jobs with horrible bosses and customers only to never see their children.

 

[Nobody_Important]

Unlivable wage jobs with no healthcare, no benefits at all really, that offer hostile enviroments even in the best of times, with historically high turnover rates, zero stability or security, and no one wants them?

I just can't wrap my head around it.

This right here.

 

[BigBooper]

I don't think any locally have closed because of it, but they've definitely shortened hours and capacity because of the shortage. And it has nothing to do with schools here because our schools have been open all year.

 

[The Pleasure]

Texas is 7.25 for min wage. I made like 1500 a month busting my ass when i lived there. That or more on unemployment? Fuck you raise the wage. But they said they can't. There ain't no dignity in busting your ass and not being able to pay bills while stressed the fuck out every day.

 

[Fbh]

Unlivable wage jobs with no healthcare, no benefits at all really, that offer hostile enviroments even in the best of times, with historically high turnover rates, zero stability or security, and no one wants them?

I just can't wrap my head around it.

Free Iphone though lol

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Unlivable wage jobs with no healthcare, no benefits at all really, that offer hostile enviroments even in the best of times, with historically high turnover rates, zero stability or security, and no one wants them?

I just can't wrap my head around it.

Depends on a persons outlook in life.

Put in work ethnic to make money and build up a resume best you can.

Or hope the gov and other people going to work paying taxes covers someone sitting at home doing nothing because they think they are too good for a job.

And these people wonder why they are in the situation they are in.

I worked shitty jobs during school (minimum wage around $5 in the 90s in Ontario) because I wanted to get out and make some cash and do something. There's only so much sitting around you can do on weekends or in the summer. I could had just sat home knowing my parents didnt care and would cover me. My parents are old school too. School first, jobs second. Yet I still wanted to make some cash on my own during school. And with that, I bought my own clothes and video games and cafeteria food.

Life tip for losers: Don't be a deadbeat. Get off your ass and work.

 

[Pagusas]

Texas is 7.25 for min wage. I made like 1500 a month busting my ass when i lived there. That or more on unemployment? Fuck you raise the wage. But they said they can't. There ain't no dignity in busting your ass and not being able to pay bills while stressed the fuck out every day.

We’ll Texas has ended COVID unemployment benefits, so I can’t imagine regular benifits are much without that extra boost.

 

[AzullAbaddon]

Lets see what happens when evictions start getting filed again in a few weeks.

 

[teezzy]

This right here.

Yknow, people say this, but I was a high school dropout who busted my balls at various smaller restaurants, eventually worked my way up to manager at one, then a manager at a retail store, paid my way through community college, and eventually got myself into better and better gigs to the point where I was able to make a living wage where I am now. Still looking to improve

People expect entry level jobs to support above entry level lifestyles. It doesn't exactly equate to me

Should a Wal-Mart greeter really make enough to feed a family of three while paying a mortgage? I'm not so sure

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Should a Wal-Mart greeter really make enough to feed a family of three while paying a mortgage? I'm not so sure

Definitely not.

But modern day loserville expects every business to pay a high enoughwage so they can raise not a single person, but enough to even cover a family.

"Well, a dad in 1965 could support a family of 4 working as an office clerk, so why cant we in 2021?"

Different times, different expectations and different skill sets where companies want to pay the big money in some areas, but can wing it for low end jobs anyone can do.

Pretty entitled expectations in my book from low skilled people. Now if doctors and engineers were making $11/hr, then ya. For what they are doing and schooling they got to do, it seems pretty out of whack to pay professional careers the same as a coffee server.

 

[Pol Pot]

The "I did it and it was awful" mindset that concludes with anything other than "we should make that situation better for those that come after us", is fucking disgusting.

 

[Pagusas]

Yknow, people say this, but I was a high school dropout who busted my balls at various smaller restaurants, eventually worked my way up to manager at one, then a manager at a retail store, paid my way through community college, and eventually got myself into better and better gigs to the point where I was able to make a living wage where I am now. Still looking to improve

People expect entry level jobs to support above entry level lifestyles. It doesn't exactly equate to me

Should a Wal-Mart greeter really make enough to feed a family of three while paying a mortgage? I'm not so sure

I agree with this completely, when the hell did people start expecting fast food burger flipper to be a career? If that’s where you stop improving in life and stop striving for more, if your ultimate contribution to society is flipping burgers, than yeah $7.25 an hour sounds about right. You might as well make lawn mowing or babysitting your primary career job at that point.

 

[Pol Pot]

I agree with this completely, when the hell did people start expecting fast food burger flipper to be a career? If that’s where you stop improving in life and stop striving for more, if your ultimate contribution to society is flipping burgers, than yeah $7.25 an hour sounds about right. You might as well make lawn mowing or babysitting your primary career job at that point.

When unionized manufacturing jobs left and were replaced in many places by the service industry. That's when.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

I agree with this completely, when the hell did people start expecting fast food burger flipper to be a career? If that’s where you stop improving in life and stop striving for more, if your ultimate contribution to society is flipping burgers, than yeah $7.25 an hour sounds about right. You might as well make lawn mowing or babysitting your primary career job at that point.

Funny thing is babysitting would pay more. Most parents will give someone at least $10/hr cash. And the babysitter probably has free reign to grab food from the fridge.

And for landscaping jobs, no doubt someone needing some yard work or snow shovelling will pay someone at least $10/hr. Probably give them $20/hr. Do it as a side gig till you build up enough clients to do it full time. People knock on my door all the time for labourous shit (summer is coming so I'll get a knock every couple weeks about driveway repaving). These guys aren't making $7/hr. Or be a mover. They get at least $20/hr. Is it tough shit? Ya. But it pays $20/hr and the home owner will probably tip you too. When I hired movers, I gave each dude $100 cash and bought them lunch.

I bet most people pissed at working McJobs never even thought of jobs like that.

 

[ArtemisClydeFrog]

The "I did it and it was awful" mindset that concludes with anything other than "we should make that situation better for those that come after us", is fucking disgusting.

It's one of the most toxic things about humans and leads to a lot of death/suffering/abuse/etc.

 

[RiccochetJ]

Here in Colorado a lot of formerly laid off restaurant workers moved to the exploding marijuana industry. Cooks can make over $20 an hour in a nice air conditioned environment and have their headphones on, while former waitstaff are becoming budtenders with better pay and, well, the customers tend to be fairly mellow.

Also construction is booming here as well and they're hiring like crazy for that too.

In response I'm seeing a decent number of chain restaurants around here now offering increased salaries, benefits, as well as offering to pay for your GED and Associates. So I don't know if it's necessarily that people are deciding to stay home and taking a government handout, but more that competition for workers at those vocations/skill levels is in a good spot around here. If restaurants can't afford to compete, then they should fail.

 

[RoboFu]

They can still make more or the same doing nothing at home with covid releif programs.

 

[Pejo]

Unfortunately since the pandemic basically killed profits for restaurants across the board, I doubt they can offer enough pay to make this worth it to the vast majority of people that would have worked the jobs previously. I think we'll see a major shift in how restaurants operate over the next 5 years. I see a lot of the small business restaurants going under permanently from stuff like this.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

They can still make more or the same doing nothing at home with covid releif programs.

And thats the wrong thing to do.

Traditional unemployment perks are when you are out of a job. But in return you're supposed to put in effort to get a job. Payments stop if you show you're sitting on your ass.

Yet with covid payouts, it seems like a free for all getting free money and not needing to do anything but watch TV.

 

[Vicetrailia]

Well if corporate won’t let local raise wages then oh well. Covid brought unique challenges to businesses. Maybe they’ll be lucky enough to hold out for another 6 months hoping people might be desperate enough to take these jobs again.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Unfortunately since the pandemic basically killed profits for restaurants across the board, I doubt they can offer enough pay to make this worth it to the vast majority of people that would have worked the jobs previously. I think we'll see a major shift in how restaurants operate over the next 5 years. I see a lot of the small business restaurants going under permanently from stuff like this.

Totally. Not just restaurants but any small business.

All I know in my area I havent seen one big chain close up yet. In fact, they were allowed to stay open the whole time even if they served non-essential shit like Taco Bell. They raked in the cash and arent going anywhere.

Yet in my area you walk around strip malls and the only time yo see a store still dark and closed up are independents. I guess they didn't have the cash or enough people to re-open like Burger King on the other side of the mall.

 

[BigBooper]

If restaurants can't afford to compete, then they should fail.

No business can afford to compete with the government.

 

[Vicetrailia]

Totally. Not just restaurants but any small business.

All I know in my area I havent seen one big chain close up yet. In fact, they were allowed to stay open the whole time even if they served non-essential shit like Taco Bell. They raked in the cash and arent going anywhere.

Yet in my area you walk around strip malls and the only time yo see a store still dark and closed up are independents. I guess they didn't have the cash or enough people to re-open like Burger King on the other side of the mall.

Some great restaurants across this state were killed. I miss them but there will be more to replace them eventually (or they can move to a food truck).

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Unlivable wage jobs with no healthcare, no benefits at all really, that offer hostile enviroments even in the best of times, with historically high turnover rates, zero stability or security, and no one wants them?

I just can't wrap my head around it.

They typically are not meant to be careers, but a way for people to get a bit of income while doing other things. Stepping stones, basically.

Do you think all jobs must provide each worker with a living wage? That would set the wage floor unreasonably high, wipe out all sorts of services in society, and eliminate the idea of a starter job.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

They typically are not meant to be careers, but a way for people to get a bit of income while doing other things. Stepping stones, basically.

Do you think all jobs must provide each worker with a living wage? That would set the wage floor unreasonably high, wipe out all sorts of services in society, and eliminate the idea of a starter job.

Exactly.

Who knew being a paperboy or a guy with an armful of leaflets putting them on people's windshields is supposed to pay $40k/yr.

I'll tell you who thinks they should get paid double or triple.

The paperboy and windshield guy.

 

[RiccochetJ]

No business can afford to compete with the government.

How you managed to lock onto that particular part of my post without the context of the rest of what I said is actually impressive.

 

[TransTrender]

In addition to restaurants:
The state and counties are unable to hire park staff to check boats for invasive species and run the marinas. So now while more people than ever are trying to get on the water there are less boat ramps, parking, and inspection staff. It's crazy.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

When unionized manufacturing jobs left and were replaced in many places by the service industry. That's when.

Now this is a point where we can agree. That gutting of our manufacturing industries is such a damn crime. Not in the legal sense of course, but in terms of being an act of sabotage against one's own country.

 

[Pagusas]

When unionized manufacturing jobs left and were replaced in many places by the service industry. That's when.

I dont know about you, but a service job is worlds better than most manufacturing jobs.

It's one of the most toxic things about humans and leads to a lot of death/suffering/abuse/etc.

Isnt that why we were ok letting those manufacturing jobs go to third world countries? So our kids wouldn't have to work them?


This is a complex issue for sure, but no matter what we do most people are going to have to start their careers at lv1, with lv1 skills and lv1 pay. You can't jump to lv.20, no matter how special you think you are (unless you are inheriting wealth or a child prodigy, both of which are rare enough to not count)

 

[Pol Pot]

When unionized manufacturing jobs left and were replaced in many places by the service industry. That's when.

They typically are not meant to be careers, but a way for people to get a bit of income while doing other things. Stepping stones, basically.

Do you think all jobs must provide each worker with a living wage? That would set the wage floor unreasonably high, wipe out all sorts of services in society, and eliminate the idea of a starter job.

Yes, I do. The idea of a "starter job" is ridiculous. If the "service" we wipe out is, as some seem to think, "just flipping burgers", then maybe there's a YouTube channel they can watch to learn how to cook?

Right now, if the average adult working at a Restaurant or other low paying service industry job were to have an accident, or a medical emergency, there's a high likelihood that it would wipe them out.

There's nothing right about that.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Isnt that why we were ok letting those manufacturing jobs go to third world countries? So our kids wouldn't have to work them?

Not totally. It's cherry picking mentality.

If the manufacturing job is highly paid, has good benefits and is safe, then protect it.

If it's a crappy manufacturing job with low pay, unsafe or boring as hell, that factory can go. Let someone in Pakistan make it. Not good enough for us, they can have it.

That's why when you hear about union blue collar jobs, it's always cars workers, boeing mechanics, and products that are pricier and more prestigious to make.

I've never heard of blue collar workers fight to keep jobs locally for shit like making coffee mugs, Rubbermaid 20-pack kitchen containers, toothbrushes and junky kind of stuff.

 

[BigBooper]

How you managed to lock onto that particular part of my post without the context of the rest of what I said is actually impressive.

The context is that government drove their jobs into the ground and now they have better jobs?

 

[*Nightwing]

The restaurant industry as a whole is the last bastion of small business in the USA.

Corporate America killed small business decades ago.

This is just a symptom of the death convulsions from the restaurant industry becoming the restaurant industry in demolition man.

How can small business compete now that workers know their value and are not willing to be part of their own fiscal oppression?

Doesn’t help that the market has always been over saturated with places 3 per corner subsidized by wages not increasing on par with inflation keeping a dying industry chugging along until the pandemic.

Taco Bell will win the restaurant wars

 

[The Pleasure]

Taco Bell will win the restaurant wars

There goes my toilet.

 

[RiccochetJ]

The context is that government drove their jobs into the ground and now they have better jobs?

Nope. Government took a light touch compared to somewhere like New York. Restaurants were opened back up for dine in fairly quickly and they were never forced to be closed for pickup. They were already having staffing issues before Covid. This just exacerbated it because people in general weren't going out.

 

[SpiceRacz]

"Now Hiring" signs at pretty much all restaurants around me. Arizona is basically back to normal now though and I expect that to end soon.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

The restaurant industry as a whole is the last bastion of small business in the USA.

Corporate America killed small business decades ago.

This is just a symptom of the death convulsions from the restaurant industry becoming the restaurant industry in demolition man.

How can small business compete now that workers know their value and are not willing to be part of their own fiscal oppression?

Doesn’t help that the market has always been over saturated with places 3 per corner subsidized by wages not increasing on par with inflation keeping a dying industry chugging along until the pandemic.

Taco Bell will win the restaurant wars

Good points.

but another thing that kills small business.

the typical consumer wanting dirt cheap products. And that comes from dollar stores and giant places like Walmart and McDonald’s….. and Taco Bell!

everyone knows higher quality meals or products in general arent from Wally or Dollarama. But people love getting as much crap they can for $20.

it’s a funny thing because the image of corporations is evil, low quality and dumpy.

yet which places sell the most stuff with the most customers? Somehow the exact same companies people will claim in public are the shitty ones.

go figure

 

[Raven117]

There is, of course, issues with wealth disparity in this country. Absolutely no question.

That said, making sure the burger flipper can support a family of four on that one salary is simply not the right way to fix it.

 

[Pol Pot]

What about two "burger flippers"?

 

[Azzurri]

These low paying jobs are not meant to be career jobs, they're stepping stones to something better in life.

If you've been working at a minimum wage job for years and years, that isn't the systems fault, but more of a you problem.