They are going to do WHATEVER it takes to keep the narrative of "unskilled" labor going

[ck4829]

Maybe the pandemic made people think there's more to life than minimum wage, mind-numbing, soul-crushing, physically taxing work with toxic managers and some customers who act entitled and demand to be treated like royalty.

I don't know...

But whatever the case, people don't want to work for this kind of environment anymore. People are looking for ways out, or at least delay a return to 'normal'.

It's going to get worse, the smears that people are "lazy" are just the beginning. Expect blanket cuts to as many benefits they cab cut, expect red tape, and more.

They don't want employers competing for that "unskilled" labor instead of the other way around, how it "should" be, and we have to flip the script on this.

[Wounded Bear]

1. Repubs have been masters at framing the narrative to their advantage...

they are good at turning a neutral descriptive term into a perjorative.

"Unskilled" really just means a job that doesn't require a lot of education or training. It's not meant to be an insult.

[ck4829]

4. ... but that hasn't stopped it from becoming a very grave, yet equally subtle, insult

The primary goal isn't to question their intelligence, upbringing, or their appearance... but to justify low wages, lack of benefits, the toxicity of the workplace, and outright disrespect the so-called "unskilled" worker faces.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

2. All labor is skilled.

[ck4829]

3. Yes, yet it is.

[gulliver]

5. I'm not sure what unskilled is, but those jobs will be competed for if the money's there.

I think if we get a living wage for every job, then we're going to see competition for those jobs. And that's to the good. I flipped a lot of burgers in my day, and it wasn't for a living wage. But I flipped burgers well. Did it fast, made burgers that were high quality. The condiments were right; the buns were toasted, not burnt, the burgers were done to spec for the restaurant chain.

The fries were fresh (and tossed if they weren't). The store was kept continuously clean. Tables were cleaned up right after the customers left. The floors were mopped. All surfaces behind the counter (and including the counter) were kept clean. The watch words for managers and shift leaders were "time to lean, time to clean." If you weren't serving customers, you were cleaning and prepping food for "rushes."

I don't mind paying a little more for a better made burger, served faster, at higher quality. And that's not the product of "unskilled" people. It takes thought, training, and effort to "flip burgers." It's a good job to build a solid work ethic and job skills, but it takes skill itself. There's no reason it can't pay a living wage. It should.

One reason I want to see a living wage paid for this kind of so-called unskilled work is that it will incentivize people to get better at their jobs at the same time it lifts them out of poverty wages. It's win-win. The customer gets a better product. The worker gets a living for themselves and their families.

Heck, if working in fast food paid, say, $18/hr, I'd start thinking about doing it after retirement just to stay busy and make a little extra money. So seniors (like I'm about to become in the next few years) would benefit too.