Wages in USA

Yuglamron · Guru

Wages in USA

Big Gorilla · Guru

In the U. S. you have both sides of the coin. CEOs earning millions, workers earning a few Dollars an hour. The difference between wages in Australia and the U. S., is the practice of tipping. In Oz, tipping is no big deal. Those that do tip, leave pennies. In the U. S. tips can be $5.00 or $10.00 or more for waiters/waitresses for each table, so while the hourly rate may be low, the take home in tips is considerable...

herbie · Guru

Same thing happened in Mission Beach a few years back re Woolworths opening up,Woolworths won and now the locals don't know how they would survive with out it being there as it gives a lot of locals jobs all year not just in the tourist season like most of the other businesses up there do.

GaryKelly · Guru

Dunno if it's true but I've heard that some people who work in restaurants/cafes/bars in the US work for tips only.

Sheba · Guru

I know that used to be true years ago Gary. Wouldn't surprise me if it's still so. Some places used to just pay a token wage, but the workers still needed to get tips to survive.

At least here the workers have to get a "living" wage. Back in the late 80's, farm workers on Macadamia Farms in Haiwaii were only being paid around $4.50 an hour, and they did not have the Machinary we use here either. Even Harvesting was totally Manual Labour.

Can't remember whether that was AU or US Dollars, but either way it was a disgrace. [ In my opinion.]

It's one of the reasons I keep telling people to go overseas, and see how other people have to live. Until you do, you can't appreciate just how good we have it in this country. [ Off my soapbox now.]

Cheers,

Sheba.

moamajohn · Guru

We have a friend in San Francisco,She works at a Subway as she is now single again,Her rate is $9 pr hr.But ...... she is wrapped because over in the states the most important issue amongst the sensible folk is Health Ins.her employer pays hers. Most casuals get Zip!!

Wombat 280 · Guru

Yuglamron wrote:
In Victoria there is a groundswell of anger when MacDonalds appealed a local council decision not to allow a Maccas in their town. To cut a long story short MacDonalds appealed and won despite massive opposition from the council and locals. The council could not fight on because it would be illegal use of taxpayers money.
The locals took a petition to Global HQ in Chicago USA of nearly 100.000 signatures and presented it to the company.
During this period it has been revealed that the CEO of MacDonalds earned more in one year (2012) than an average employee would earn in 15 CENTURIES at a measly $8.45 US an hour.
Not against Maccas I occasionally eat there, but the financial clout they have and the way they have ridden roughshod over that community despite being rejected by them and the council.
Not nice.

The wages of the US CEO of Macc's may seem excessive but take into account the size of the operation he/she controls . Macc's may not be for everyone but there are thousands of kids who have found a solid work ethic based on "do you want fry's with that" many have gone on into the management stream. An Australian was US CEO for many years starting off as an after school table wiper .

We had a situation here in Port Macquarie when Macc's wanted to build or remodel a r syndroedundant shop with an over supply of parking and traffic lights on the intersection near a school. Well out came the locals with their" not in my backyard stance " , if all their complaints were taken on board then nothing would ever be considered for the site, the locals won the day and then approved the setting up a 6am 6pm day care center despite raising what they believed when Macc's want the site as a considerable traffic problem.

Well over a hundred youth employment opportunities went down the tube.

QueenKombi · Senior Member

Sheba wrote:
At least here the workers have to get a "living" wage. Back in the late 80's, farm workers on Macadamia Farms in Haiwaii were only being paid around $4.50 an hour
It's one of the reasons I keep telling people to go overseas, and see how other people have to live. Until you do, you can't appreciate just how good we have it in this country. [ Off my soapbox now.]
Cheers,
Sheba.

I remember clearly back in 1982 when I took a job in a Victorian factory just to keep a roof over the kid's heads and food on the table. The wage I was getting was $4.20 and hour. Miserable even in those days, but it kept us alive until something else came along, which fortunately it did.

Oxley · Veteran Member

But I don't believe wages are the single reason behind the wish for the locals not to have a McDonald's.

From what I have seen, they tend to be a magnet for hoons and other antisocial behavior, especially late at night, the rubbish from the drive thru's, I've seen the remains of meals thrown from cars in the next town, and some in the community need protecting from themselves, people who have worked there have seen the same families there night after night (until the money runs out), heck I feel sick after one meal there, I don't think I could live on it.

Sheba · Guru

QueenKombi wrote:
Sheba wrote:
At least here the workers have to get a "living" wage. Back in the late 80's, farm workers on Macadamia Farms in Haiwaii were only being paid around $4.50 an hour
It's one of the reasons I keep telling people to go overseas, and see how other people have to live. Until you do, you can't appreciate just how good we have it in this country. [ Off my soapbox now.]
Cheers,
Sheba.

I remember clearly back in 1982 when I took a job in a Victorian factory just to keep a roof over the kid's heads and food on the table. The wage I was getting was $4.20 and hour. Miserable even in those days, but it kept us alive until something else came along, which fortunately it did.
I find it very hard to believe that you were being paid the correct rate in that case Aime. Did you check with your union ?
Cheers,
Sheba.

Jack Mac · Senior Member

I don't really think a Mcdonald's will necessarily foster a takeaway syndrome. Those that are prone to that will find substitutes

I must admit I enjoy McDonald's about once a year, but when I have it, I love it.

As for the hoons: When I was a late teen and couldn't go to pubs etc. (drinking age 21) we would go to the local hamburger joint before we went off to the Gold Coast or similar. We had hotted up cars then,(it was the only way to get an old car above 60mph) and just compared cars with each other etc. Sometimes got a bit rowdy but high spirited not angry. We were probably the hoons then although most innocent. I think most of the so called hoons are similar. I wonder I we look back, how industrious we were about finding a bin.

People: We're starting to sound like or parents. Ha

As for wages, we are fortunate to have an award's based system which guarantees a worker his/her appropriate wage with recourse to industrial court if not paid.

God help us if we ever go down the path of Work Choices again (political comment not intended).

Cheers,

Jack

neilnruth · Guru

Low wages in USA are that way because they factor in tips. But the fact they are now often paying for health insurance is a great boost to their income and means people are able to get treatment when they need it. That would be worth far more than a few extra dollars in their weekly wages.