Are *You* Worth Double Your Salary? Nick Gillespie on Fast-Food Wage Strikes

Last Thursday, writes
Nick Gillespie, protesters in over 100 cities stood outside of
fast-food joints and called for doubling the wages of burger
flippers and fry-vat operators from $7.25 an hour (the current
federal minimum) to at least $15.

Regardless of how much solidarity or sympathy you might feel
about the people who assemble your Triple Steak Stack or
your Cheesy Gordita Crunch, this sort of demand is economic
fantasy at its most delusional and counterproductive. Doubling the
wages of low-skilled workers during a period of prolonged
joblessness is a surefire way not just to swell the ranks of the
reserve army of the unemployed but to increase automation at your
local Taco Bell.

If you’re reading this on the job, take a look around and ask
yourself if your workplace could soak up twice
its labor costs without seriously trimming the number of employees.
While you’re at it, ask yourself if you’re worth
twice your current salary.