Minimum Wage Research Paper

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We live in a society where people undervalue many jobs in the workplace market. There is a big stigma that lies upon on employees that work in the fast food industry. People often times do not value the work ethic and dedication employees have to put in in order to keep their job secured. Society does not acknowledge the struggles employees have to go though in order keep their job and of course the business running. People take for granted the sacrifice and dedication people put into their daily jobs. In addition, people struggle to get a job, not to mention immigrants, people of color, and those living in the poor inner cities. Low class workers struggle in the fast food industry due to low work, harassment, and the stigma that is given to…show more content…
Employees working in the fast food industry get payed the minimum wage. No matter what position they hold; manager, cook, cashier, drive thru, etc. wage salaries stay approximately the same. For example, in the inner poor inner cities in Harlem, a manager’s salary does not increase by much in comparison to a regular employee’s salary. Why does this happen? According to article There’s No Shame in My Game, by Katherine Newman explains the reason why these jobs remain at a minimum wage pay. “The downward pressure keeps these kinds of jobs at the bottom of the wage scale” (pg.253). I feel that society has created an image that portrays fast food restaurants, or like Katherine Newman calls “Burger Barn”, as unskilled and routinized jobs. Fast food restaurants often times represent the assembly line structured by routines and unskilled service jobs. Many think that it is easy to work in a fast food restaurant and that everything is a routine. I have never worked in a fast food restaurant, but I know the work they do is complicated. Not to mention the good customer service they need to provide people with in order to not put their job at risk. Working in the fast food industry not only pays just minimum wage, but it also requires a lot of patience when dealing with different customer…show more content…
In Newman’s article we are able to see employee’s personal humiliation experiences while working. Customers humiliate employees by calling them all kinds of names in front of others. In Newman’s article, we are presented with different personal employee humiliation experiences. One of them Roberta Sampson, who once was humiliated by a customer. “Bitch that’s why you work at a burger barn” (pg. 252). Why should a person be humiliated this way? Why put them in that uncomfortable spot in front of other customers and use profanity? Employees not only get humiliated but often times they get harassed as well. Employees get disrespected often times by rude customers. Employees deal with all types of attitudes and personal characteristics. Many times employees are cursed and confronted when they make a mistake in an order. Truth is we’re human beings, we all make mistakes. Sadly, when employees are being cursed at, Newman explains the reason why they rather stay quiet and wont talk back. “To use her mouth is to risk her job” (pg.252). Employees constantly have to be coping with frustration to keep their job and don’t get the manager’s attention. Many customers try to push the employee’s buttons knowing that they can’t say nothing back or else they will be putting their job at risk. While I read this I asked myself, what is the purpose of people making an employee feel humiliated? Newman

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