Mcdonald's Minimum Wage

Almost everyone in the world knows about the giant food chain, McDonald’s. Many of the employees who work at McDonald’s earn the federal minimum wage, which is $7.25. Many states across the country are now fighting for a higher minimum wage for everyone. Some states, like California have already started to raise the wage, and are currently on track to make a $15 minimum wage the law in California. Many believe that raising the minimum wage will bring thousands of people out of poverty and help low-income families who are above the poverty line. With a potential minimum wage hike, there would be catastrophic results. Minimum wage should not be increased above the federal minimum because unemployment will rise significantly, inflation will hurt
If the federal minimum wage increases to $10.10 per hour, at least half a million jobs will be lost (Saltman A.17). This is about a $3 dollar increase from the current minimum, but looking at California’s future with a $15 minimum wage will prove catastrophic. The eventual road to $15 will cost California an estimated 900,000 jobs (Sherk). California is a pioneer in the fight for a $15 minimum wage, and if half the other states fall in suit with a $15 minimum wage, the unemployment rate will skyrocket up. This will affect the amount of product produced in America as well as leave millions jobless. American jobs are already being replaced by mechanized monsters. Looking at the steel industry, during a 53 year period 400,000 jobs in the industry, which was three-fourths of the total job force (Miller A.3.). This data ranges from 1962 to 2005, which was before the fight for higher wages like $15 dollars came into the debate. Now, large companies and corporations have the cheaper option to replace workers with machines, because machines do not require a wage, and would not mandate $15 an hour. Jobs are also being shipped overseas. About 2-2.4 million American jobs went to China alone in the 2000’s (Miller A.3). China may take a few million jobs from the U.S., but many other Asian countries take jobs away from Americans because of the sheer fact that
Right now, most cities in the U. S. have higher costs of living than what the minimum wage is (Prah). This makes it impossible for anyone living in one of these cities to make ends meet, and even harder for those with children to survive. It is terrible to think about children going to bed cold and hungry because their parents only make minimum wage. Some cities have made small steps to help with this wage gap. 120 cities have made what they call “living wages” for businesses that work for city contracts. The wages range from $9-$16, but at least helps some (Prah). While this may seem needed, the numbers say thatp a higher minimum wage is not needed. Research done in 2013 found that 135 million Americans worked, and of those 135 million, only 3.8 million earned the minimum wage (N.a A.8). This is not even three percent of the employed, and because of less than three percent inflation of good would occur, along with unemployment and business relocation and