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Applebee’s exec urges using high gas prices to push lower wages, sparks walkout

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Re: Applebee’s exec urges using high gas prices to push lower wages, sparks walkout

#311

Post by astrange »

XorNot wrote: post #195
shafyy wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly. Even the mindset of thinking in "driving" vs. walking or public transport shows a lot.

It is however realistic given the the US's urban layout and population preferences. Also nowhere has succeeded in keeping essential, low paid workers living near where they work - gentrification forces them out.

Tokyo has. Their population continually grows and their rent is flat.

The secret is Japan doesn't let cities run their own zoning, because they'd just use it to ban new people but try to keep the jobs.

Re: Applebee’s exec urges using high gas prices to push lower wages, sparks walkout

#312

Post by alluro2 »

endisneigh wrote: post #3

I wonder what the USA would look like if minimum wage was defined as; two people being able to afford a 1 bedroom apartment within a 1 hour drive without traffic. The static (both in the nominal and inflation adjusted sense) for minimum wage doesn't make sense imo. Minimum wage should be tied to some level of living (not necessarily a great living, but something ) This guy smh

Why is it such a hard question? Half of the world does it this way. If implemented right, it would be a socialist democracy and function mostly as Scandinavian countries do - free market for everything, except the stuff that is affecting basic quality of life for majority of population.

Re: Applebee’s exec urges using high gas prices to push lower wages, sparks walkout

#313

Post by greedo »

ars wrote: post #251
Bermion wrote: post #193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why shouldn't someone working as a fry cook be able to live on his salary? It's not dangerous to have a system where not everyone needs a university degree to earn a living.

Think about that. Let's take your world, the fry cook can live on his salary. Now the person with a University degree can command a much higher wage since his skill is in great demand. He's got more money, so he can afford more expensive stuff, increasing demand, which increases prices, and now your fry cook can no longer live on his salary. Do you want to respond by raising wages again? You're in a never ending loop…

The demand for the university degree didn't increase when the fry cook's salary rose. Increased demand raises salaries, not a worker commanding a higher wage.

Re: Applebee’s exec urges using high gas prices to push lower wages, sparks walkout

#314

Post by n-e-w »

Probably like many here, I read this and just had to vent outrage at the sheer injustice and inhumanity. This comment is for you to rage upvote.

Compassionate capitalism is more needed today than ever. Sure, this is likely just some low-level buffoon at a chain mouthing off in ignorance. But that's why it's dangerous; toxic capitalism has thoughtlessly metastasized to the middle.

Given the severe and extreme states most commodities markets have found themselves in of late, I expect an exacerbating withdrawal of liquidity by most market participants -- even posting margin for normal hedging requirements is beginning to require completely untenable amounts of free cash flow. I fear that severe inflation is very much looming at the door.

Re: Applebee’s exec urges using high gas prices to push lower wages, sparks walkout

#315

Post by bduerst »

nostrademons wrote: post #208
endisneigh wrote: post #3

I wonder what the USA would look like if minimum wage was defined as; two people being able to afford a 1 bedroom apartment within a 1 hour drive without traffic. The static (both in the nominal and inflation adjusted sense) for minimum wage doesn't make sense imo. Minimum wage should be tied to some level of living (not necessarily a great living, but something ) This guy smh

Inflation, probably followed by corruption. Minimum wage would rise to the point where a person could afford a 1BR apartment within a 1 hour drive without traffic. Then the rents of those 1BR apartments would rise to capture that new minimum wage. Then minimum wage would rise to afford the new rent, and so on. Eventually someone's going to say "Hey, I own an apartment block downtown, I'm supposed to rent it out to th…

New construction is unlocked by increased income-linked demand and rents only marginally increase.

Re: Applebee’s exec urges using high gas prices to push lower wages, sparks walkout

#316

Post by hinkley »

nostromo wrote: post #30

Ethics aside, this is bad analysis. Gas prices putting financial stress on Applebee's employees will also put financial stress on Applebee's customers, who may cut spending on things like going to Applebee's.

Financial stress on the customers means also likely means smaller tips. With fewer customers, that also means fewer tips, and fewer hours. So the employees are fucked even if Applebees doesn't say, "Hey if you twist this knife handle a funny noise comes out. Here, you try it."

Re: Applebee’s exec urges using high gas prices to push lower wages, sparks walkout

#317

Post by stickfigure »

a4isms wrote: post #277
rileyphone wrote: post #212

Title is wrong, wasn’t a corporate executive but instead “Wayne Pankratz, executive director of operations for Applebee’s franchisee Apple Central LLC”, from franchisee that has 47 locations, out of 1787 total. In conclusion, this was corporate sabotage by Chili’s.

When you run a business, you choose a location. If the landlord does something that causes a noxious smell, it's on you to fix it. We don't say, "Well, that's the landlord's fault." Your business, your leasing arrangements. When you run a business, you choose employees. If an employee does something noxious, it's on you to fix it. We don't say, "Well, that's the employee's fault." Your business, your employee hiring,…

This is a stretch. The corporate office may or may not have the contractual ability to intervene; they can't just cancel franchisees because they feel like it.

More importantly, it's up to journalists and even randos on HN to avoid trying to confuse the relationships involved. If some McD's manager said something stupid and offensive, we can't indict the whole chain. Individual humans have agency.

Re: Applebee’s exec urges using high gas prices to push lower wages, sparks walkout

#318

Post by hikingsimulator »

n-e-w wrote: post #314

Probably like many here, I read this and just had to vent outrage at the sheer injustice and inhumanity. This comment is for you to rage upvote. Compassionate capitalism is more needed today than ever. Sure, this is likely just some low-level buffoon at a chain mouthing off in ignorance. But that's why it's dangerous; toxic capitalism has thoughtlessly metastasized to the middle. Given the severe and extreme states m…

Compassionate capitalism has never existed, and never will. It's not what's either in or outside the tin.

It doesn't matter how much people talk about CSR or stakeholders, it's still about profit, often on the back of the most downtrodden.

Re: Applebee’s exec urges using high gas prices to push lower wages, sparks walkout

#319

Post by astrange »

gruez wrote: post #292
astrange wrote: post #261

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Minimum wage has other effects. It eliminates extremely unproductive jobs, which I'm sorry if you don't like the freedom reduction, but it's a form of industrial policy that's useful when you're competing with other economies. Also protects workers from accidentally ending up in such a job, which is bad for them even if UBI would let them quit it easier. And of course, economists don't find it has the negative effect…

>Minimum wage has other effects. It eliminates extremely unproductive jobs what are these "extremely unproductive jobs" you speak of? Is the job of a burger flipper really so bad that we should eliminate it from the economy? Is it so bad, that if someone's skills only allows him to do that job, that it's better for him to stay at home and twiddle his thumbs than to show up to work?

That's for sure a productive job and it hasn't been eliminated here. Sunnyvale's minimum wage is $17/hr and McDonalds/Wendys/In-n-Out pay slightly above that (I read the posters in the drivethrough.) I've never seen a fast food restaurant in the area close, though of course family run strip mall places have as they often do.

I was thinking of things like servants, typists, textile workers.

Re: Applebee’s exec urges using high gas prices to push lower wages, sparks walkout

#320

Post by function_seven »

InitialLastName wrote: post #165
eatonphil wrote: post #26

I don't think it's an Applebee's exec it's an Applebee's franchise exec. Unless I'm misunderstanding.

Actions of the franchisees reflect on the brand (that's the point of franchise agreements). In case I want to avoid giving this guy money (as is my right as a consumer under capitalism), how can I easily confirm which franchises his company owns? I can't, you say? Well, next time I want to eat mediocre food in a bland corporate environment, I'll have to go to Chili's instead.

Exactly. It's totally reasonable to attribute to the larger brand the shitty actions of their franchisees. That's the downside to licensing out your brand and image to separate businesses. Their actions taint the same brand.

You can't be "Applebees" when you're doing good, then become "Apple Central" when you're getting shady.

It's also why many businesses refuse to sell franchises in the first place. Doing so reduces your quality control.

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