Think twice about wage argument

By Robert McKee, North Las Vegas

Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2014 | 2 a.m.

I get the impression the writer of “Beware of pricey burger flippers,” (Oct. 9) has never worked in a fast-food environment. If he had, he would know how insensitive his remarks were.

Fast-food work involves a great deal more than “flipping burgers.” It is a hot, high-paced, stressful environment that requires good customer service skills and exposure to injury.

It appears the writer has been duped by the right-wing propaganda that suggests a $15-an-hour minimum wage would increase inflation. The truth is if the minimum wage had kept pace with inflation, it would already be $15 an hour.

The minimum wage does not mean starvation wage. It means minimum livable wage. Historically, when the minimum wage has increased, the economy improved.

Instead of attacking the poor — which seems to be a favorite target of the right — why not mention a certain casino owner who reportedly earned $15 million a day last year? Or better yet, how about the average CEO who earns as much in one day as his average employee earns in a year?

One other note: Economists have estimated raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour for fast-food workers, or anyone else, would increase the price of a Big Mac by about 50 cents. Think about that the next time some GOP supporter spends $100 million in a failed attempt to put a Republican in the White House.