That's gotta hurt

Once upon a time, a big, bad labor union had a grand idea. Why not reduce the number of low paying jobs (i.e. minimum wage) and put more people on unemployment and, subsequently, more people dependent on government handouts?  Sounds great, doesn't it?!  Just in time for the holidays, too.  I mean, it must be great to be unemployed; not being able to pay the rent, mortgage, or other essential bills (or buy any gifts for kids and loved ones).  Thank you big, bad labor union for making all of this possible!

Of course, I suspect that isn't the result the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) had in mind when it started the push to raise the minimum wage to $15.  Heck, I bet it really goaded labor unions when McDonalds announced that it was replacing a majority of its workforce with self-service kiosks nationwide.  I suspect this is a reason labor unions in Los Angeles County are seeking an exemption of the $15/hr minimum wage hike that it fought for (at the expense of its members).  Bunch of hypocrites, is what they are.

Anyway, following are some retailers who will no longer be employing as many humans as they do now as a result of the raise in the minimum wage:

• Wendy's
• McDonald's
• White Castle
• Carl's Jr
• Panera Bread
• Chili's Bar and Grill

And it's not just fast food that is switching to self-serve kiosks.  There's the airline industry, Redbox, the DMV, and your neighborhood doctor's office.  Yep - if you thought doctor's had terrible bedside manners before, wait until you get to deal with a machine.  It'll be just like webMD but with premiums!

What is sad is that there are so many uneducated people in the world who believe the rhetoric and hype of big, bad labor unions and gotta-get-elected-at-any-cost politicians.  Thing is, it's not the union masters or politicians who are out of work. Nope, it's the fools who believed that they would be saved if they voted for politicians who forced a raise in the minimum wage.  

Anyway, what would be great is if people got educated on things of labor and laws and employment and how a raise in the minimum wage will affect their ability to be employed later on down the line.  I mean, now that you're all unemployed (or may soon be so), might I suggest you go to your local county law library and take a look at some great resources like:

• California Wage and Hour Law and Litigation (CEB)
• Wage and Hour Manual for California Employers (Castle)
• Termination of Employment (TR)
• Federal Employment Litigation (Rutter Group)
• United States Code, Title 29 (Labor)

So, maybe next time someone comes to you offering to sell snake oil, you get educated before buying a case.  Maybe next time you do some research on the/a subject before you find yourself outsourced by a machine.  Just maybe.