this post was submitted on 04 Jan 2024
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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.
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Not every restaurant survived then, either. If you got rid of franchises, you still wouldn't be getting rid of everyone who wants to run a restaurant. People will still choose one over another and the one people aren't choosing to patronize will go under.
Just because it's independent doesn't mean the owner isn't just as greedy. Remember: every major corporation started off as a small, independent business. No business starts off as a megacorp.
I've lived through the same conditions myself, but I still have the advantage of being able to look at history and see that from 1955 when it started until the 80's, the average McDonald's franchise worker still was paid a living wage for their respective time periods.
The problem isn't the model of business. It's the greed of the people who run the business. The only laws necessary to fix this problem are keeping minimum wage up with inflation and the cost of living. If $16/hour isn't a living wage (such as it is in California), the minimum needs to be higher. If the business can not provide that, they can not afford the cost of doing business and deserve to go out of business.
The wage problem is not caused by the franchise model. It's not even exclusive to franchised businesses; it's practically every single business across all sectors. From retail and customer service, to tech and medical care positions. If they're not compelled to pay you enough to survive, they won't. The libertarian idea that businesses will self-regulate is a delusion that doesn't happen in reality. They must be compelled through law to be safe and fair or they're just going to do whatever they can get away with.