Fast food workers score a big win against McDonald’s

[ksen]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...od-workers-score-a-big-win-against-mcdonalds/

Here at Wonkblog, we've talked a bit about how the franchise model makes it difficult for workers to organize, keeping wages low by giving franchisees such low margins that increasing them is nearly impossible. A few weeks ago, we previewed the National Labor Relations Board proceedings that might define franchisors as "joint employers" liable for violations of labor law, preventing big companies like McDonalds from hiding behind the "small businesses" they say actually call the shots.

Today, the NLRB's general counsel made his decision: McDonald's, at least, controls its franchisees to such an extent that it qualifies as a joint employer. Out of 181 cases that have been filed against McDonald's nationwide, the general counsel found that 43 had merit and 68 were baseless, with 64 still pending investigation. Regional offices will now adjudicate complaints, with McDonalds not as a blameless side character, but squarely accused.

good

 

[Under the Rose]

While on the surface, this looks like a win, big companies are very likely to respond by changing enough small details in their franchise model to challenge the decision and keep the matter tied up for some time yet. A lot of other businesses that work on the franchise model are going to wade into the fray as well so I expect that this is only the beginning of a much larger battle. It is a battle that has been a long time in coming but the corporations are not going to yield any of their profit margin without a protracted effort.

If they lose, they will retaliate by closing shop. That is what they always do with their 'dog in the manger' politics. People need to quit eating junk food and take their business and jobs elsewhere, maybe start a healthy fast food franchise. The time is right for fresh fast foods, not (outdated) chicken in a box from China.

http://www.moneynews.com/Companies/McDonalds-Food-Scare-Asia/2014/07/25/id/584849/

 

[dismal]

It seems like it would be easier to get another job with your mad $15 per hour skills than to spend part of your minimum wage salary to bring a complex legal action against your employer that has a highly uncertain chance of "success".

Note for the sake of harmony with thread title I am adopting the fiction that "fast food workers" are behind this legal action.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

While on the surface, this looks like a win, big companies are very likely to respond by changing enough small details in their franchise model to challenge the decision and keep the matter tied up for some time yet. A lot of other businesses that work on the franchise model are going to wade into the fray as well so I expect that this is only the beginning of a much larger battle. It is a battle that has been a long time in coming but the corporations are not going to yield any of their profit margin without a protracted effort.

If they lose, they will retaliate by closing shop. That is what they always do with their 'dog in the manger' politics. People need to quit eating junk food and take their business and jobs elsewhere, maybe start a healthy fast food franchise. The time is right for fresh fast foods, not (outdated) chicken in a box from China.

http://www.moneynews.com/Companies/McDonalds-Food-Scare-Asia/2014/07/25/id/584849/

Companies don't retaliate by closing shop. Companies close shop when the government makes it uneconomic to remain in business. It's almost certainly a sign that government got too heavy-handed.

 

[GenesisNemesis]

I'm looking forward to automation. No one should have to work these kinds of jobs anyway.

 

[Underseer]

It seems like it would be easier to get another job with your mad $15 per hour skills than to spend part of your minimum wage salary to bring a complex legal action against your employer that has a highly uncertain chance of "success".

Note for the sake of harmony with thread title I am adopting the fiction that "fast food workers" are behind this legal action.

Of course it's not really "fast food workers" behind this action. It's actually a vast communist conspiracy* led by the tweed-wearing college professors who secretly control our country. We must oppose this legal action in order to save our nation from this sinister conspiracy*! The tree of liberty must be watered, brothers and sisters! Freedom isn't free! [/conservolibertarian]

* I formally apologize for using the word "conspiracy" instead of the more politically correct "agenda" when discussing a matter of great importance to patriotic Real Americans^TM.