California bill would create sectoral bargaining for (some) fast food workers

[Winehole23]

California’s State Senate yesterday passed a bill that would create a council to set wages and working conditions for the fast-food industry (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/29/business/economy/california-fast-food-ab-257.html), after furious lobbying from both unions and the industry.

What’s happening: The bill would set up a 10-member council, including representatives for workers and employers. It could set industrywide minimum wages in the state at up to $22 an hour next year, far exceeding the statewide minimum wage of $15.50. The council would have jurisdiction over restaurant chains with at least 100 locations nationwide, including Starbucks and McDonald’s.

“It’s one of the most significant pieces of state employment legislation that’s passed in a long time,” Kate Andrias, a labor law expert at Columbia University, told The Times’s Noam Scheiber. The council moves California closer to sectoral bargaining, in which workers negotiate with employers over pay and working conditions on an industry basis, instead of company by company.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/30/business/dealbook/california-bill-pay-working-conditions-fast-food.html/

[Winehole23]

“We are concerned about other states — the multiplier effect of something like this,” Matthew Haller, the president of the International Franchise Association, told The Times.

[Winehole23]

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[SpursforSix]

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/30/business/dealbook/california-bill-pay-working-conditions-fast-food.html/

Good for the workers I guess. I can't imagine living in California on minimum wage. But I can also see McDonald's cutting back on business hours and/or raising prices. Or using even less "quality" ingredients.

[SpursforSix]

Good for the workers I guess. I can't imagine living in California on minimum wage. But I can also see McDonald's cutting back on business hours and/or raising prices. Or using even less "quality" ingredients.

Not that it really matters. It's all about making sure you don't really taste the meat anyway. Bend over.

[Winehole23]

Good for the workers I guess. I can't imagine living in California on minimum wage. But I can also see McDonald's cutting back on business hours and/or raising prices. Or using even less "quality" ingredients.they manage in the EU, somehow, but sure. I can totally imagine McDonald's taking a big wet shit on their US customers to make up for it.

[SpursforSix]

they manage in the EU, somehow, but sure. I can totally imagine McDonald's taking a big wet shit on their US customers to make up for it.

They've gotten so far away from what a hamburger is. For them, it's just some textured meat with the bun, ketchup, mustard, etc. But damn, if it's not satisfying at certain times. And their breakfasts are solid.
I still can't believe they're in business. Maybe it's just they have so many locations now. Not to mention the gap between a mom and pop burger joint and them. I mean...I know that the food is total trash but chicken nuggets with BBQ sauce is still good enough.

[Spurminator]

Good for the workers I guess. I can't imagine living in California on minimum wage. But I can also see McDonald's cutting back on business hours and/or raising prices. Or using even less "quality" ingredients.

All of those places are going to kiosks anyway.

[boutons_deux]

Every one of these junk food and casual dining chains depends on paying poverty wages

[SpursforSix]

All of those places are going to kiosks anyway.

They'll all me totally mechanized at some point. Maybe one or two workers that can maintain the robotics. Or like you said, just kiosks that crank out whatever.

[Spurminator]

They'll all me totally mechanized at some point. Maybe one or two workers that can maintain the robotics. Or like you said, just kiosks that crank out whatever.

I don't think back-of-house is going away anytime soon, but cashiers will be old news in most fast food places soon.