'We all quit': Burger King sign goes viral as staff walks out

[multigraincracker]

A photo of a sign outside a Lincoln, Neb., Burger King has gone viral.

The sign, which reads “we all quit” and “sorry for the inconvenience,” was put up by disgruntled staff members trying to send a message to upper management.

The workers interviewed for the story stated that they had been working in a kitchen with no air conditioning for weeks, where temperatures sometimes got above 90 degrees.


ttps://www.marketwatch.com/story/we-all-quit-burger-king-sign-goes-viral-as-staff-walk-out-11626193439?cx_testId=22&cx_testVariant=cx_1&cx_artPos=1&mod=home-page-cx#cxrecs_s


I quit a job and walked out one time. Felt really good.

[smirkymonkey]

1. Good for them for standing up for themselves!

I hope the universe opens up another door for them somewhere else. Sometimes when you say no to an intolerable situation, great things can happen. I know from experience.

[spanone]

2. 'working in a kitchen with no air conditioning for weeks'

what did management expect?

[Demovictory9]

3. Kick

[Midnight Writer]

4. If Governor Abbott ran a Burger King, he'd arrest them all.

[Grins]

5. What??? Minimum wage in 97-degree heat...

…was a bridge too far? Say it ain’t so. For America!!

[irisblue]

6. Here is the sign.

Link to tweet

[underpants]

7. Thanks.

[LymphocyteLover]

17. what town is that in?

[Pinback]

24. Lincoln

https://www.klkntv.com/we-all-quit-local-burger-king-sign-goes-viral/

[LymphocyteLover]

38. Thanks

[appalachiablue]

27. Way to go workers! TY

[LifeLongDemocratic]

8. Slave Labor

This is the difference between slavery and the American worker. The American worker can leave anytime they want.

[chia]

9. What kind of health safety conditions could fester in a 90 degree kitchen mass-producing food...

Good for the employees. If their employer doesn't care about them, everyone in the community should know it too.

[malaise]

10. Nice

Congrats workers

[Sympthsical]

11. Can I ask a question, out of genuine curiosity?

What is an acceptable amount of heat in a grill kitchen?

I worked at McD's as a teen for two years. Heat from the grill was a thing. I started as a cook/assembler, moved on to cashier and drive thru (where I had the best of times fucking with people - in a friendly way).

But I remember it was never fun, particularly in the summer. You're anywhere near the grill, it sucked. We had ice water. But we'd also go "find" things in the walk-in freezer often. Sometimes it would take us ages to find that box of patties stacked neatly in clear sight. Where could it be?!

Again, I'm making no judgement.

But if you're in a hot kitchen, with grills and things, what amount of heat is considered average/acceptable?

This article says 90 degrees is too much. I mean, it definitely seemed at least that back when I was doing things. Is this considered too much, too far?

Again, genuinely asking.

[multigraincracker]

13. I worked in a hot auto factory. Got very warm

And about all they could do is keep the air moving. Big floor fans in front of everyone. I only worked on the line for a year. For many years I worked in and out of the offices and the floor. Seem like I froze going into the computer room all day.

[Sympthsical]

42. Right

When I was younger and worked various jobs, that floor fan was an entire thing.

[leftstreet]

14. Probably not acceptable with the technology of air conditioning

If restaurants can cool their serving areas, they can cool their kitchens.

Yes, the electric bill would be higher

[Sympthsical]

16. But grills throw off crazy heat

That's why I'm asking. Even with AC. I mean, the customer eating areas were very cool. But the kitchen? It was always hell.

Is it expected to be a certain temp?

I know people are cheering this, but what was expected? Because, again, the article says 90 degrees. Is that not ok around a grill? I've worked around a grill. That seemed . . . about what you'd expect around a grill.

Is it supposed to be better?

[leftstreet]

21. fast movement and exertion in 90 degrees

feels much, much hotter

Yes, grills get hot. So do stoves and ovens, but a 90 degree home kitchen probably wouldn't be acceptable to most people. They'd turn on their ac.

[Sympthsical]

30. Well, right, in the home

It's summer here. In the 90s regularly. When I cook dinner, I'm around the hot stove, oven, using hot water, etc. I definitely throw on a few fans after. (It's a dry heat here, so this is tenable). If it gets in triple digits, the AC is going on 78. We try to be frugal.

I'm just really trying to understand this story. "The kitchen is 90 degrees." Ok. I worked at McD's for two years. Being around the grill sucked. But did it especially suck in some way? Or did being around a hot grill just suck? Because being around a hot grill in the summer just sucks in general, AC or no. That's kind of the job.

I'm trying to understand this story and why people are cheering it. Was something especially bad here?

[Kingofalldems]

28. You cannot be serious.

[Sympthsical]

31. I worked in this environment for two years

So, yes, I'm being serious.

Did you work around a hot grill for two summers? Or are you just internet commenting?

[Kingofalldems]

32. Actually 3 and then KP in the army.

Fans were provided.

As a Democrat I stand with the workers. Not sure why you don't seem to support them.

[Sympthsical]

33. That's what I'm asking

This article is incredibly short on details. Did they ask for big fans to be brought in and management denied them?

The article doesn't say. It just says, "90 degrees or higher." Which, isn't unusual for a hot grill job.

If they asked for fans, and management said, "No, eff you," I'd get this article.

Also, @@ about not being with workers. Union now. Union forever. So, @@ to you.

[Major Nikon]

19. I worked in quite a few kitchens when I was in high school

I quit one job because the heat in the kitchen was unbearable. Some are worse than others and some are still worse depending on how close you are to ovens and grills.

The other piece of this is I'm assuming the employees are working for either minimum wage or close to it, which by comparison is effectively much less than people made at these jobs 30-40 years ago. It's not as if these people are well compensated for what they are having to endure.

[Sympthsical]

20. I'm not questioning that

Fast food workers are underpaid, period.

But people seem outraged about the temperatures.

And my initial reaction to that is, what temperature did you think it was back there? Feels a little classist. "Grills are hot?!" I mean, yeah. It sucked. It's why I went to college. I didn't want to do that all my life. And I feel awful for those who still do and want them paid a lot better.

But this, "It's 90 degrees in a hot kitchen?!" That outrage seems like people who never had to work in those lower jobs.

I'm not sure I'm articulating well what I'm digging at.

[Major Nikon]

22. I think it's hard to judge unless you've been there

I pull down the windows in my car when it's 90 sometimes and it feels fine, but naturally there's lots of airflow and the humidity generally isn't bad around here. 90+ with zero airflow for extended periods of time will feel far worse. Humidity also plays a big role. The human body cools itself through sweat which becomes far more efficient with airflow and low humidity. It's certainly not all about temperature.

[LanternWaste]

34. If sincere, try OSHAs website. The info is there.

If not sincere, continue rationalizing whatever you need to.

[Sympthsical]

39. No, sincere

But hey you. You're an ever.

[sarisataka]

35. I have been wondering that as well

I worked kitchen jobs through high school and college. I also managed a McDonald's for a few years. All of the kitchens were very hot.

The McDonald's was a large, high volume restaurant. In a Minnesota Winter we could we could easily run the grill area to 100ﾟ. Meanwhile less than 15' away was a drive-through worker wearing a parka and gloves because it is so cold at the window. In the summer we would often peg the thermometer at 120 during lunch rush.

[Sympthsical]

40. So I'm not being insane?

I just don't get this article much. 90 degrees in a hot grill area . . . that seems . . . normal?

And all these people, "How are people working in a kitchen with a lot of heat?" Uh. You know how your food is made, yes? Wait, no? Did you literally not know that your food is cooked somewhere? The . . . fuh?

This outrage feels super classist.

I mean, it's a funny story.

But that's what every fast food kitchen is like, in my teenaged experience. I don't get what people are flipping about.

[hunter]

12. I've quit several jobs in a similar fashion.

Mostly when I was young, single, and willing to live rough.

For example, once upon a time, I worked for a student housing slum lord who'd only rent his best apartment buildings to women on the theory they caused less damage than males. Which was probably true. He could also rent women-only apartments at a small premium.

One Friday afternoon the water heater in one of those women only buildings burst and he sent me out to shut it off and to knock on doors to tell tenants their hot water wouldn't be back on until Monday late afternoon.

I immediately asked him like "Why Monday?" thinking he would buy a new water heater within an hour and I would install it.

No, he apparently had some connections who could get him a new water heater for free, with free installation, but not on weekends.

Fortunately I landed better work a few weeks later.

[LudwigPastorius]

15. I've walked off a job twice in my life.

Once for unsafe conditions, and once for a blatant breach of my employment contract.

I’ve found that, in the midst of a labor dispute, using your feet tends to really get management’s attention.

[Ray Bruns]

18. The workers interviewed for the story stated that they had been working

in a kitchen with no air conditioning.

These kids these days. Luxury.

You were lucky to have a HOUSE! We used to live in one
room, all hundred and twenty-six of us, no furniture. Half the
floor was missing; we were all huddled together in one corner for
fear of FALLING!

[Pinback]

26. You had a ROOM?!

We had to live on the PORCH!

[phylny]

37. You had a PORCH?

We fashioned a shelter out of twigs and dirt.

[Pinback]

41. You had TWIGS?!

We had to burn the twigs just to try to get warm!

[sop]

23. The staff took Truman's words seriously: "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen."

[KentuckyWoman]

36. Best in thread.

[Auggie]

25. BK is mostly owned by hedge fund 3G Capital ...

and this franchise could be part of dozens -- even hundreds -- owned by a LLC. Employees and customers are just numbers to them.

[mac2766]

29. More! We need to see so much more of this!

People need to stick up to the wealthy bullies.

I made $3.35 when I was 16. That would have been 1980-81. Adjusting for inflation (see link below), that would be $11.05 in todays dollars. One other thing to consider... I was treated pretty reasonably by my bosses.

https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/1980?amount=3.35