Work to get people out of low-paying jobs

In response Donna Brazile’s “People’s contest” column on Aug 9, she writes about a walkout demanding pay raises for fast food employees from $7.50 an hour to $15 an hour. Where’s the money going to come from? Do you think a struggling single mom will pay $10 for a Happy Meal? How about $7 for a Quarter Pounder? People will stop going to these places and then more layoffs or even closure. Who wins the “People’s contest” on that one?

The money to offset any pay raise has to come from somewhere. It doesn’t magically appear because you want $15 per hour. The First job out of college for many kids pays $15 per hour. How do think they feel working hard for four years and paying $100,000 only to learn people with no skill and no education make the same? Who’s winning the “People’s contest” here? Seems like the ones who put forth the effort are the losers. Um. Kind of going in reverse here.

Fast food jobs are just that and nothing more. They are not intended to be career jobs, so don’t try to make them that. Career jobs are for those who hold a skill, trade or degree. Get those and you’ll be rewarded, otherwise work at McDonald’s for $7.50 hour.

That’s the problem with America today. We should be encouraging these people to better themselves so then can get a better job that pays $15 per hour instead of rewarding them for nothing more than they already do.

Nick Herman

Bartlett