The McJob...The New Normal.

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Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette

I broke $100K yearly when I did field service with regular OT, but it was my skill set that I was worth $35 an hour... plus company car / pension / etc... My military training + manufacturer training justified my salary.

Should someone off the street make the same salary as me ???


Exactly this mentality, YOU deserve to make good money, no one else does.

You were factory trained? I bet anyone with good mechanical aptitude could be factory trained to calibrate and repair a piece of equipment. What makes you so special and no one else?
 
I don't think he said NOBODY deserves making that type of money. He is saying those who don't have the skills or training shouldn't expect to make that sort of money.

Who is somebody off the street? What does he mean by that? It's pretty clear he's saying someone who doesn't have those skills or experience.

He's not saying people cannot or should not get those skills. It's the guy who is the chief fry cook that expects 100k/year he's likely talking about.

Someone who has a skill that's valued and in demand deserves to make every dime they make. An athlete who can earn $20million/year deserves that money because he has a skill for which teams are willing pay handsomely.

Should I, a middle aged man be able to walk in off the street and make $20 million because I think I deserve it?

Of course not.

How is that any different than someone who worked hard to learn a career that's in demand not feel guilty about making more than the fry cook or kindergarten teacher at your local school?

Believing one earns their salary doesn't mean you don't expect others are valuable. But not everyone has those skills, and therefore not everyone is as valuable to fill that position.

Just as I'm worthless as a pro athlete, there are many who, while are likely great people to have as friends, are not going to be worth $100k as a field engineer.

Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette

I broke $100K yearly when I did field service with regular OT, but it was my skill set that I was worth $35 an hour... plus company car / pension / etc... My military training + manufacturer training justified my salary.

Should someone off the street make the same salary as me ???


Exactly this mentality, YOU deserve to make good money, no one else does.

You were factory trained? I bet anyone with good mechanical aptitude could be factory trained to calibrate and repair a piece of equipment. What makes you so special and no one else?
 
You are welcome to start your own business making widgets and try to pay your employees a "living wage". Good luck.
 
Everyone deserves the opportunity to make a decent living.

Here in the USA, everyone has that opportunity.

What one does with that opportunity is up to them.
 
Originally Posted By: Silverado12
I don't think anybody is saying that warehouse people should make 100K, but 16-18 bucks an hour certainly is reasonable. Ten bucks an hour is an insult, but that's the new normal.


I like your attitude.
Now tell us how many businesses you have started and also tell us how many people you employ.
 
It's always easier to spend other people's money. However, compassion and generosity are measured by how you spending your own money.

This is important when evaluating political leaders. If they lead with how many cubic tax dollars they are spending on their pet project to sway you, don't buy it.

IIRC, even a group advocating for a $15/hour or even $20/hour minimum wage was caught not paying it's staffers at or above $15/hour.

Advocates $15 and even $20/hour, only offers $13/hour for job.

Originally Posted By: Kruse
Originally Posted By: Silverado12
I don't think anybody is saying that warehouse people should make 100K, but 16-18 bucks an hour certainly is reasonable. Ten bucks an hour is an insult, but that's the new normal.


I like your attitude.
Now tell us how many businesses you have started and also tell us how many people you employ.
 
Originally Posted By: javacontour

IIRC, even a group advocating for a $15/hour or even $20/hour minimum wage was caught not paying it's staffers at or above $15/hour.


If your competition is obligated to pay $15/hr then it becomes feasible. And the customers will have $15/hr worth of money to spend. And the plans I've seen ratchet up to $15 over ~5 years so it doesn't bonk businesses upside the head. It's not hypocritical to bust that business for not doing their end of a "what if..." when the guy down the street isn't. They aren't under a moral obligation, they're trying to make a buck. And they have a right to speak up and influence policy, corporations being people too.

The strawman argument of "I can't pay that" disregards the positive outside influences of richer customers and competitors facing the same wages. I can't fault businesses for not considering what goes on outside their walls-- they have enough to worry about inside.
 
Originally Posted By: Nate1979
You are welcome to start your own business making widgets and try to pay your employees a "living wage". Good luck.


If two changes were made in today's business world, paying their employees a decent living wage would not be so difficult for businesses. First, get rid of all the illegals in our workforce...their willingness to work for low wages is driving down wages for everyone else, and secondly, get business owners out of this mindset that every penny of profit their company makes has to go into their pockets...corporate greed is destroying the American middle class, along with the wave of cheap and illegal workers...
 
Originally Posted By: grampi
corporate greed is destroying the American middle class, along with the wave of cheap and illegal workers...


^^This. Another thing I'd like it see is to end ALL welfare (and only give financial "assistance",NOT a whole paycheck) to those who can "not" work due to medical reasons,which have to be proven by a physician,not for those who "won't" work. Everyone is wired differently. Not everyone is wired to be a brain surgeon or chemical engineer. Our country needs blue collar workers,food employees,warehouse/factory workers,etc. I have complete and total respect for anyone who works hard,whether it be the salesman at Dillard's,the cashier at McDonalds,the doctor saving a life,etc. If all jobs payed a livable wage,I feel that'd make people want to work and have pride in themselves versus handing them a huge check for chillin' at the house all day while WE work to support them.

I knew people way back in jr high school who had to go out and hold a part time job to help support their families. Some people simply have to do what they have to do. They'll never have the opportunity to enjoy a spoiled "university life". All they know through generations is good old hard work. And looking back I have the greatest admiration and respect for them.
 
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette

I broke $100K yearly when I did field service with regular OT, but it was my skill set that I was worth $35 an hour... plus company car / pension / etc... My military training + manufacturer training justified my salary.

Should someone off the street make the same salary as me ???


Exactly this mentality, YOU deserve to make good money, no one else does.

You were factory trained? I bet anyone with good mechanical aptitude could be factory trained to calibrate and repair a piece of equipment. What makes you so special and no one else?


That's not what he meant and you know it...quit being facetious...
 
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
^^This. Another thing I'd like it see is to end ALL welfare (and only give financial "assistance",NOT a whole paycheck)


This. I work in a grocery store and see way too many folks on EBT. Not only are meats, produce, canned goods milk etc. covered, but also pop, chips, chewing gum and even ice. There is another program called WIC (not to be confused with WIX.
smile.gif
) that is for moms (expecting/ already has kids). One customer literally referred to her stuff as free [censored] and how did didn't care about what she was getting. I had an issue with that.

Not to sound like a bigot, but 7/10, folks who are on welfare are trash. They have several undisciplined kids running around and are continuing to breed like cats. IMO, the issue is that there are too many incentives for several kids, single moms etc.

They are the select few who are educated and polite. A lot of which are single middle aged moms with a few kids. I have no issue with them getting assistance. The kids obey their parent(s) too. I like seeing this better.
 
Dishdude,

Bottom line if people are not happy with their salary, get the skills necessary to make a better living. I know a woman go back to school and became a nurse at 44 years old, before becoming a nurse she worked various dead end retail jobs. It's not what you think you should be getting paid, it's what your employer feels what you have to offer in your skills and training.

As for me, I volunteered to do specialized training on this cardiac life support equipment that allowed me to make that salary. Not really that difficult equipment to work on.... but in the back of my mind the patient on a balloon pump/perfusion bypass had one foot in the grave, the other foot balancing on a banana peel. Zero mistakes can be made when repairing this equipment, that's why few wanted to touch it because they were uncomfortable without proper training. If I told my boss I was very busy he would approve OT no questions asked. At $52.50 an hour working OT I'd still be saving them money because if the manufacturer needed to be called out its minimum $3000 to do the PM on heart / lung perfusion equipment. During a 6-7 open heart surgery this has to function flawlessly, you do not want to have problems. I've seen some cardiac patients on a ballon pump for 2 weeks, very high risk equipment.

Again, higher skill set justified higher pay. This is true for any industry.
 
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette

Again, higher skill set justified higher pay. This is true for any industry.


I don't disagree, and I get where you're coming from. However multiple posts in multiple threads have left the impression that you feel many people who are earning a decent wage don't deserve it.

In your case, there was no special degree or previous specialized experience that couldn't be taught through a factory training course, so what higher skill set did you bring to the table that someone else with good mechanical aptitude and an attention to detail couldn't?
 
20+ years of working with various medical equipment is something you can't learn by reading a book. I have an associates degree in electronics from the Air Force plus various manufacturer training over the years.

I think any person who can work on cars can do this job, its just with medical equipment you don't get a second chance when something goes seriously wrong. When a car mechanic overlooks something , the customer will bring their car back the next day and problem resolved.
 
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
When a car mechanic overlooks something , the customer will bring their car back the next day and problem resolved.


Not necessarily true.

hotwheels
 
Next time we see someone in front of us use an EBT card at the grocery store,we should politely look at at them and say "You're welcome".
 
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Next time we see someone in front of us use an EBT card at the grocery store,we should politely look at at them and say "You're welcome".


Especially if they are able to spend an additional $50+ on tobacco and alcohol..
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Originally Posted By: Silverado12
A warehouse was considered a decent career at one time.


^^This. Warehouse and factory jobs used to pay BIG $$ and had great benefits,etc.


Then we all realised people need to be educated further then high school, quit coasting/taking easy courses and got paid accordingly.....
 
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