Surviving an Unlivable Wage | Full Documentary

[@cdeshayes1]

The practice of tipping needs to be ended. Employers should be responsible for paying their employees a livable wage. Period.

[@hunterkill97]

Tipping should be optional if the customer wants to.

[@MegaBg1982]

It's ended for me. I don't eat out much but when I do i would never pay extra for a meal. Quality of food and service is poor and isn't worth much anyway.

[@DMWBN3]

MonsterStorm poor food & service doesn’t deserve rewards. I’m out of work & not eaten out in a long while.

[@kstevenson232]

Every time I’m at a restaurant that is always my thoughts how the servers relies on tips I never understood why the customer should compensate for a servers wage made no sense I use to be a server at a diner and would have to share my tips with other servers I was 16 at the time and was just happy to have a job but I think it is outrageous and is long overdue for change

[@m.talley6915]

Yes.

[@LillyLavine]

Why are we taxing people making $2 an hour???

[@pwp8737]

so billionaires won't have to.

[@amandap9332]

Earning that little people generally get whatever they paid in back at the end of the year. With children, you get more back. I get about 50% of my yearly income in my tax return. The rich and so called "capitalists" like to use that to say poor people dont pay their share of taxes. The reality is American taxpayers are in effect paying the wages of large corporations low paid employees wages. Feel free to remind taxpayers of this whenever thay speak out against raising wages for low paid employees or against increasing taxes on the wealthy and large corporations. When they fight those necessary reforms they are essentially agreeing to pay multi billion dollar corporations employees wages on behalf of those corporations and the ultra wealthy.

[@Gladiator4her]

Anyone making that little amount of money does not pay taxes. All of the money taken out of their check is given right back at refund time, plus extra. The government will give them up to an extra $6,000 if they have kids. Check the calculations for tax brackets, math doesn't lie.

[@Kimberly-wt1nu]

Nobody legally works for $2/hr. The employer is legally obligated to make up the difference if tips are less than minimum wage. The laws need to be enforced.

[@TrollinOn22s]

They don't make enough to be taxed. 47% of all Americans don't pay federal taxes.

[@DimaRakesah]

The problem is we still treat low paying jobs as if only teenagers do those jobs and any adults working in them must be lazy or have made bad choices in life. The reality is that low paying work takes up a huge percentage of the available jobs. It's not really a choice, for many Americans it's the only option.

[@JUGGERNAUT____]

You're right those adults taking these kind of low wage jobs are lazy. Trust this... dairy farms are always running man down and they are always needing workers... people are just too lazy.

[@DimaRakesah]

@@JUGGERNAUT____ That is not what I said. Please re-read my comment.

[@JUGGERNAUT____]

@@DimaRakesah I know thats not what you said. Dairy farms are struggling because lazy people want CEO salaries to flip burgers part time.

[@DimaRakesah]

@@JUGGERNAUT____ I dunno why you're making this all about the dairy industry but ok... let's talk dairy. Dairy is a dying industry. Who needs to abuse cows for milk when you can just make plant milks? Boo hoo. Pay your workers better if you want to retain them.

[@JUGGERNAUT____]

@@DimaRakesah bwahahaha. In the dairy industry I get paid $175 a day for 8 hours milking cows. The cows are treated so well that they run willingly to be milked. Since you know nothing about the dairy industry here you go. Cows are treated the best way possible because happy cows produce more milk. They recieve the best care including antibiotics and even elective surgeries if it's deemed to make a cow feel good. Mistreated cows do not produce sufficient amounts of milk to be worth having and if they have to shut down because of mistreatment then good riddance. Sounds like you're not in the United States. Agricultural jobs are considered low class. Not for me. I'm 35 now. I own a home. I own 2 vehicles. I've started businesses all because of how much dairies pay. Because I'm not lazy.

[@WDLawless]

My personal experience is that even with an undergraduate degree in Computer Science, and earning an MBA degree 20 years later, I had to deliver pizzas and other food for over 30 years to survive. Even as a General Manager at a pizzeria, I was making only $30K a year and was disrespected by customer and bosses alike. I am very thankful to be working an IT job, where I work from home, for the last year. Even $15 per hour is not enough to survive in most places.

[@KrinchiD]

I have an MBA and work as an IT analyst. I work at least 60 hours a week due to the constant backlog of work and lack of qualified workers applying for our open positions. It is exhausting. I make good money but have no life. I have been single for 10 years, because I don't have time to date. Which puts me in a fear loop of, "I'm single and have to be able to support myself through old age completely on my own, so I need to work harder, to earn the money, so when I am old I will be okay". It's a horrible feedback loop. I think average people are stuck in these miserable ruts, on both ends. Either making too little to survive, or working too much to live a life. I don't understand what happened between the time where 40 hour/week, single income households could afford a nice middle class life, and now.

[@DrSchor]

@@KrinchiD Relax. It costs a lot more to support a wife and kids than just yourself. You will be fine.

[@canadianjatti]

@@KrinchiD I'm stuck in the same loop

[@TreeofLife_111]

Seriously, working from home is a much better idea.. less gas, worry about insurance, damage, sitting in traffic. Saves so much time AND money! I always say it’s expensive to be a worker… and workers don’t get beefy tax write offs for their vehicles, clothing etc…

[@godemperormeow8591]

@@KrinchiD Get a vasectomy.

[@marys3127]

This is the problem: Many people are still earning the same amount of money that jobs in the 1990’s earned, yet housing, food, cell phones, utilities, insurance, car payments, etc. etc. etc.have quadrupled. Simple answer. Complex to fix it.

[@karengrice2303]

Mary S This is why we see grandparents, parents and children all living together. When they talk about household income, it includes all three generations. It is designed to mislead the public and create the illusion that wages are higher than they are.

[@TheFoxisintheHouse]

:(

[@marys3127]

James Page -James I agree, however it is confusing for this generation of young people as there are more and more college degrees that, although they cost a ton of money, do not pay anything when the kids get out of college. And, many colleges teach these teenagers how to be victims and complain, rather than giving them a good solid education that they can use. I have made more as an entrepreneur than 99% of the public and I never finished college. So it really isn’t about an education anymore. You have to be extremely smart and flexible when it comes to making decisions about what type of line of work you’re going to go into, and many young people just don’t have that wisdom...they need quite a bit of guidance that they aren’t getting. Also, I feel as though there are careers or lines of work that people could’ve had in the decades past that they cannot have now as they do not pay enough to pay the bills. So I feel like this generation’s choices have also been narrowed as well. Not trying to play the victim’s advocate here, however I do think that things are much more complicated for this generation of kids coming out of college than they ever have been before. One thing I do know is you must maintain a positive attitude and work hard, my husband and I call it the “Victim vs. Victor” mentality and you have to stay positive if you’re going to make it nowadays.

[@kaythegardener]

@Bonnie Holman Sure, the average income goes up when 1 person earns $1,000,000 & the other 99 earn $1000 more...!!

[@georgfriedrichhandel4390]

It's actually worse than you think it is. According to one study, real wages in America only increased $1 between 1979-2018. This is not an exaggeration. In 1979, the average weekly wage was $232. Adjusted for inflation, that would come to $839 in 2018. But in 2018, the average weekly wage was $840. Meanwhile, housing has increased by 1.5 times the rate of inflation. A university education has increased by more than 1,000% and as you said, everything else has also increased exponentially. Many people make ends meet only with government assistance or by going into debt.

[@KingHarambe_RIP]

The date of this video is truly devastating. These people were suffering and barely getting by before 2020. I can’t imagine what has happened to them since.

[@eroonwiiu5093]

Everything that they’ve hoped for all along... Stimulus.

[@alericjohansen6775]

@@eroonwiiu5093 Except that stimulus is WAYY too low. I lost both my jobs in 2020, and I was living in a van. I lost the van and started living in the woods, in a tent. And now, im living in a hotel ONLY because the local homeless outreach center is paying for it. Yeah, that's my life, and i have no hope whatsoever of ever getting out of this. Im disabled, my kidneys are dead. and im 31, will die in my 40s, and cant get anymore help than im already getting. The stimulus checks are going to bills. I have over $35,000 worth of medical bills. Thats the US for you

[@alericjohansen6775]

@Luís Andrade Yes, however it's also limited to income. See, if you make above 138% of the federal poverty level, you get kicked off medicaid (unless your state has it's own healthcare system and has a buy in for medicaid). Being disabled only allows you to get it a bit easier, because you have documentation to show you can't work. But disability, and medicaid was NEVER built for young people like me. It was built as a supplement, IN ADDITION to all the other supports you have, ie family, friends, your community, etc. However, MANY MANY disabled people, like me, DON'T have those other supports. And homeless people have VERY few supports. It ends up holding people like me down rather than lift us up. If we were to get rid of the income requirements, that would help a LOT. But, conservatives think that the government shouldn't be helping people, so, they vote against doing ANYTHING that help people. Hence, why I am trapped in a horrible situation, and will never escape.

[@Dave-yw2wc]

Actually American's average income INCREASED with covid. The average income in 2020 was up over 40% due to stimulus and enhanced unemployment.

[@bleucblancrouge]

@@alericjohansen6775 bro your'e story IS devastating , if you Can i have one advice for you, ESCAPE, whatever Money you Make take a plane to the eu, you'll find free healthcare and lots of help. America IS just way too ruthless sometimes.

[@TheGonzedd]

It will no longer be known as "the cost of living." It is now "the cost of surviving!"

[@whitneymohrhauser8753]

You haven't looked at Social Security Insurance and Social Security Disability and the amount to live off.

[@derekrank4572]

bring in universal basic income for the surviving and then work a job for the living costs..we need both

[@27273100]

No lies told at all.

[@a.notherperson1192]

not even that my friend, it gets worse if you got a disability or a developmental disorder

[@derekrank4572]

ever notice how its alot faster and easier to get a job being a volunteer and working for free..than it it is too get a paid full time job these days...

[@BlueWoods14]

What’s crazy is that fast food jobs and food industry jobs are some of the hardest jobs you can ever work fr

[@brianallison1913]

The worst part is these places pay their employees an unlivable wage while reminding them all through their shift they don't care about them but turn around and demand the employees care about the business.

[@roeaspen7233]

If that’s the jobs that are hiring in your area then you take what you can get.

[@christinathom5528]

@James Page Some people don't have a choice, n wait staff work really hard.

[@nickj12]

Exactly. It’s sad.

[@uberfu]

Yep. They point out that employees are cannon fodder and can be replaced on a whim. If someone doesn't want to work, 10 other people are in line to take the job. And what's more sad is that those people are competing for a $2/hr job ... in 2020. That was a FT wage 40 eyars ago.

[@gsp49]

Employees who do not care about the business should be fired.

[@roseywinter]

Restaurants are the "absolute, lowest-paying employer in the United States" and now restaurant owners wonder why, during a pandemic, they can't get anybody to work for them. Ironic.

[@marciawade9101]

Yep.

[@BenjaminGessel]

Esp. when rent, etc. is so unbelievably high in many urban areas...

[@iemjgf]

I definitely thought that slavery had been abolished. Obviously not. When someone works all week for a wage that cannot cover the cost of living

[@abdulraheem415]

And I heard that Robert Mueller was paid 500$ an hour to investigate Trump! And that investigation didn't yield any results conclusively!

[@iemjgf]

@@abdulraheem415 That sounds like meteorologists in England, £50000 per annum, and they are always wrong.

[@tiffanybramlette6998]

Tips shouldn't be counted as income, it's an extra thank you for giving me good service.

[@cat_lover007]

Exactly!!

[@samanthatynisa]

I agree.

[@djrickyb]

The government made it a law a long time ago that 100% of a tipped employee's tips are suppose to be reported. Credit card tips are automatically reported in the computer system. Cash tips are up to the employee to declare unless a manager counts their tips every night and declares it for them. Very few tips these employees receive are untaxed these days. Especially since 90% or more of customers pay with credit/debit cards now instead of cash.

[@jeannierusso2134]

Agreed . What if they're taxing $2.15. You're really don't have a paycheck at all basically . Then they want to turn around and text a little money that you finally might get to take home???? . That is if you make enough in tips that particular day or evening... by then what am I taking home??? . Myself ,& a few .💵

[@tuttuttut7758]

If a business cant afford to pay people decent wages they have no business in being one. They have no ground to exist

[@Americano3232330]

“I’m paying 5 dollars to wait on you” as someone who was a waiter for a long time I felt that deeply. People don’t deserve good waiters in many cases.

[@MsBlulucky]

But it shouldn't be the customers who are the problem. The law is the problem. How on earth is it legal to put the responsibility of people's livelihood on voluntary tips?!

[@dailyrant4068]

@@MsBlulucky Exactly... Eddie sounds entitled. The real issue is that tips should be outlawed and restaurants need to pay real wages. Even owners with good intention simply cannot because they would be at a disadvantage otherwise. Tips also make it very unfair to the waiters as a whole because it only helps the higher priced restaurants waiters. There are many waiters who make 4-5K a month but also plenty that make like 2K. By forcing a regular wage, you can balance things out a lot easier.

[@perro7183]

I always tip 15-20%. If I can't afford that I shouldn't be eating out

[@nusaibahibraheem8183]

The customers are there to buy food. Not pay your salary in addition to buying food. All your customers deserve good service if the restaurant intend to stay in business. The real issue is this tipping tradition. Employers will never be compelled to actually pay you as long as you get tips. Tips should be optional and not your salary.

[@Cheesypockets]

Waiters shouldn't be putting their wages to their other co-workers. They should be being paid fairly period.

[@gertrudewest4535]

I have this to say to any sized business; if you can’t afford to pay your employees a livable wage, then do the work yourself.

[@essieoh6634]

I totally agree. In fact, if business would do that and post a sign on their door saying they pay all of their employees a living wage (not a minimum), I would frequent those business over any of their competitors that don't pay a living wage. And I would rather pay a living wage to a server and stop having to calculate and pay the tip.

[@jrodt9]

Or they can hire teens do the job. Teens dont require a living wage.

[@Kyarrix]

@@jrodt9 Do you also believe that teens don't require health care? Or that only teenagers work in fast food? You pay everyone a living wage regardless of their age. It is not appropriate for you to decide who needs a living wage based on their age or sex.

[@gsp49]

@@Kyarrix correct, teens don't require health care.

[@Kyarrix]

@Greg p Many teens do need health insurance. In our system it is a requirement because we have not yet joined the rest of the developed world in providing health care for our population as a basic right. Are you aware that there are millions of teens who live on their own and work? Or what happens when the family is uninsured or underinsured, as is the case for more than 30 million people in this country? Further, there are many emancipated teenagers who are the heads of their own households. In a stable well-to-do home with parents or a parent who is working and taking care of their family, it is likely that a teen would not need their own insurance. Unfortunately, this is not what a large plurality of teens have in their lives. For that reason it is wrong to say that a teen should not make a living wage or that a teen does not require health insurance. I'm going to also point out that your argument is reminiscent of exactly the same thing men said of women 30, 40, and 50 years ago. "A woman doesn't need a living wage, she doesn't have to make as much as a man does because she isn't supporting a family." That too was completely wrong and damaging.

[@jdax21]

So, a large percentage of people who work in restaurants serving food to other people are themselves nearly starving.

[@teardrop-in-a-fishbowl]

For me, a non-US citizen, that sounds all so crazy. I tipp waiters in restaurants between €2 and €5, but they earn 4 to 5 times more like waiters in the US.

[@Risky2k9]

That's crazy. I used to work at In-N-Out Burger and everyone new, men n women, had a starting wage at 16 an hour here in California. To see that some states pay at 2 dollars an hour is absolutely harsh n disgusting.

[@Ganggreenbmx]

@@Risky2k9 IN Florida it’s always been like that. They get paid nothing. That’s why I always tip great, you never know what they got that day. I remember picking up ex girlfriends and they would only bring in some nights $20.

[@jesussaquin6266]

@@Ganggreenbmx 16 dls a night?

[@Ganggreenbmx]

@@jesussaquin6266 ya a night. But that’s typical in Florida. There’s seasons when people come to Florida ( winter) and there’s no tourists in the summer.

[@8ofwands300]

Even a college degree isn't a guarantee of a good job anymore....

[@queen.kristal8395]

thats why you need to choose a field that you will know youll find job in

[@jasonwang4487]

@@queen.kristal8395 that isn’t a guarantee anymore either. Unemployed or underemployed programmers, engineers, teachers, scientists etc. exist

[@nicholasthompson7690]

Very true

[@shentino]

That's what happens when you saturate the market with too many degrees by oversubsidizing. It crowds out the competition and raises the bar for everyone.

[@justfit71]

very few college degrees will land you a job. Also, most young adults don't know which degree will land a job after graduation. You may be surprised, even people with a law degree struggle to find their first job after graduation. I saw a documentary about lawyers struggling to find a job a few years ago.

[@stevem4333]

Any business that pays its workers $2.13 per hour should be absolutely ashamed of themselves. And for a federal or state government to look on this and say "I'm supporting my citizens" is unbelievable. Anyone think this is acceptable? State your reasons.

[@MTheChequeGuy]

Unless you live as a worker in the service industry, you’ll never know how hard that life is. Please treat your service workers well... in attitude and in tips.

[@gsp49]

@illawarrior hill heck no! Prices are high enough as it is, why ask owners to pay more when the cost is going to be passed on to you?

[@pauld9561]

I didn't want pickles on my sandwich. No tip for you!

[@gsp49]

@@pauld9561 at these prices, who can afford to tip?

[@gsp49]

@illawarrior hill The workers are not told how much they are paid before they start the job? Instead of harping about fair wages you must remember that some people are not goal oriented and do not understand the value of hard work. Some people are not as good as others and should not be paid as much as the ones who excel in their work.

[@helenooft9664]

In my country a waitress has a minimum salary for 1.653,60 a month for 40 hours a week, beside the tips. So you are not dependent of your tips.

[@garciavirginia36]

Certified nursing assistant & home health aide are underpaid and don’t get the respect or recognition they deserve.

[@GaryVolts]

They should quit and get that better job they have waiting for them.

[@jimhanratty9543]

A lot of nursing aides should unionize. They have a lot of leverage, considering no one wants to do that job.

[@Mariemarie-uw7id]

I am a CNA in my country and next year going for my nursing degree then hopefully make a better living for me and my partner

[@mtimm9023]

I work as a pcw. Think a nurse without paperwork. I make more than enough because the company I work for actually cares about their residents and workers. Majority of companies don't.

[@silversuckafish2138]

Neither do EVS and hospital housekeepers.

[@prepperjonpnw6482]

When I first moved to Utah I went out to eat at Olive Garden. I asked the waitress how much she was paid. She told me she was paid $2.50 USD per hour and tips were supposed to cover the rest. As I looked at the menu I noticed that the prices were exactly the same as the Olive Garden I ate at in Oregon where the waitress was paid $8.00 USD per hour. That means the owner of the Utah restaurant was making a much larger profit because he was saving $5.50 USD per hour times 11 servers and was paying much lower payroll taxes. That is profane in the extreme if you ask me. Oh and the waitress in Utah also has to pay taxes on her tips. Seriously

[@thechemi5083]

2 Choices either these damn restaurants need to change their ways or these people need to find better jobs. I waited tables for a few weeks all it took was 2 tables Not leaving me anything and i was gone. Quit got a different job , was it a better job? not really but i never questioned my income.

[@PIANOPHUNGUY]

Well what does it cost to rent a home in Utah versus Portland Oregon? I think Utah is much cheaper than the liberal coastal areas.

[@biancamarcu8004]

Great point

[@derekrank4572]

isnt capitalism beautiful////

[@JK20239]

That's not how the law works. If you make less than 7.25 an hour the owner has to make up for it. $2.5 plus tips has to equal minimum wage or higher....

[@alecferretti5612]

I’m 23 and have been in the restaurant industry for 7 years. I make VERY good money. With that being said, I live on my own, no kids, and no one to worry about but myself. For me, it’s super easy to get by. But for families, I’m sure it’s not as easy.

[@nicholasthompson7690]

I'm having to leave my home state and move to midwest because of cost of housing/wage not matching up. It's insane.

[@kellyj817]

How much do you make, if you don't mind me asking?

[@willn8664]

I'm guessing you're the owner of the restaurant.

[@Spiritfba]

I was a server at a local family restaurant and when business was slow, instead of sending someone home, they would have us deep cleaning the restaurant. I got paid $2/hr to scrub walls. I didn't even know they were supposed to compensate us up to minimum wage. The owners drove new suvs, sent their children to private school, and lived in a nice country club home. Later on I was fortunate enough to fall into a field where I could start my own business. I'm still working by myself but I refuse to hire someone if I can't pay them at least $12/hr (I live in a low cost of living area where most uneducated workers make $9 or $10 starting out). I am confident that within a year I will be able to hire someone at that wage.

[@luv2charlie]

If they still have a restaurant, you should report them to the government agency that investigates wage violations. It's usually on the minimum wage poster in each state. www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/posters/flsa

[@EmpressMermaid]

Oh yes, I remember those days. When business was slow they'd send the (full pay) kitchen staff home and servers would clean the carpets or some such for $2.13/hr. And I've never known a restaurant to "make up the difference" on low tip days.

[@EmpressMermaid]

@@luv2charlie yep, and then hold your breath while you wait for someone from the state labor office to show up and do something about it. Sorry, it just doesn't work that way. An unenforced law isn't really a law.

[@toyajackson556]

You're awesome!

[@amandasligar9269]

I wish more employers would think like you do.

[@ellissabetta5909]

Employers should be fully responsible for paying their employees a livable wage. If you can't do that, you shouldn't be a company

[@Philippinesbound42]

It’s not the job of a company to pay a liveable wage. It’s a marketplace like anything else

[@ellissabetta5909]

@@Philippinesbound42but it actually is. Otherwise, we call it exploitation. It is so weird to me that people are arguing that dull time working people should starve because companies don't want to pay their workers a living wage for their effort and work.

[@Philippinesbound42]

@@ellissabetta5909 it’s the job of a company to make a profit. So the company survives. Employees are just a cost and companies pay employees based on the skills they bring. These jobs pointed out in the documentary. Anybody can do. And requires little to no skills. So they are paid accordingly. Most servers make 20 bucks an hour or more since America has black mailed the customer to tip a certain percentage. If they moved tipped workers to 15 an hour. I won’t tip anymore.

[@ellissabetta5909]

@@Philippinesbound42 it is always funny to me when people say stuff like that. These jobs have low skills and anyone can do it. They say the same about picking fruit yet they never volunteer. Go pick fruit or be a waitress and see how "low skill" it really is. it is always people who haven't actually done it who thibk they are low skill. There jobs are much more valuable than any brain job; that is why they are the essential workers. In terms of the company, yes, their goal is to make a profit but in any civilised society or responsible company, that should be aftet you can pay your workers. It is only a corrupt capitalism who looks at the people driving those profits as a cost, rather than a resource.

[@ellissabetta5909]

@@Philippinesbound42 A company will 0ay wjat it needs for essential resources. The price of the resource of labor should be a living wage. If they cannot 0ay it, they need to go out of business and make room for a business that can.

[@a3decks764]

As a European I feel that we should do more to help developing countries like these to become a modern society.

[@karmafairy351]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@wisdomz]

Loooool

[@Jack2_]

i mean we can easily fix this but we have so much capitalist propaganda in our minds that simple things like heathcare are politicized and never passed because we would rather spend billions on wasting money when trying to spend on the military and oppressing other country's its embarrassing the usa has the power to be the best nation militarily, economically and domestically. we can be the happiest nation on the planet have free HealthCare no homelessness amazing paying jobs be the best military by far and many many other things like education and prison but we would rather line the pockets of the ultra wealthy and privatize everything because simple tasks such as having shelter eating and drinking must have a profit for the rich its truly embarrassing

[@NS-xh6gq]

@@Jack2_ Beautifully said and this is the truth.

[@NS-xh6gq]

I agree with you, as an American. How can commoners get involved with helping?

[@UbeRNooB24]

With the Great Resignation, we know that corporations aren’t desperate for workers, they just miss their slaves. Thumbs up if you agree.

[@BeyondAverageSkilled]

we got youtube, best source of income. dress up as spider man and play with your kids on camera, easily 50m+ views in a week.

[@TruthSeekers369]

You make stupid comments.

[@henrymorse4288]

Yeah thank you federal reserve and banking system and globalist agenda. This is there fault. Democrats suck don’t y’all get that ?!

[@staceystrukel1917]

@@henrymorse4288do you have any idea some of the horrible legislation passed by Republicans and democrats that have caused this? Only morons think one party is better than the other.

[@henrymorse4288]

@@staceystrukel1917 they are all part of the federal reserve system that Kennedy tried to stop that’s why he got killed. The banks are the problem they own everything.

[@vincenttiene]

Chipotle pays a minimum $15 an hour. They increase their menu prices by a small percentage to make up for the wage increase. This is how it should be done.

[@chaotickreg7024]

Prices didn't go up as much as wages did. This contradicts the popular myth that price increases will outpace wage increases.

[@vincenttiene]

@@chaotickreg7024 Corporations try to pay employees as little as possible. Government is there to make sure corporations are fair and employees are not exploited. The reason we get paid vacations, paid sick leaves, paid overtime because corporations are forced to paid. If they could get their own way, there wouldn't be any benefits. Corporations have been lobbying to keep the minimum wage where it is even as their profits are at all time high. Congress raises its salaries every year while leaving the minimum wage un-touch for years. That tells you something.

[@chaotickreg7024]

@@vincenttiene I'm glad that we already have a lot of protections, but we are slowly losing some of them. It's absurd, this country is losing to the treadmill.

[@vincenttiene]

@@chaotickreg7024 The problem has to do with Wall Street, big corporations and their corporate donors. Regardless of your party affiliation, any policies come out of congress that target these entities is a good thing.

[@dominicbrown8916]

I will gladly pay more if the workers will get paid more. Everyone deserves a living wage.

[@heatherrivera4991]

I waited tables about a decade ago. I can honestly say that tipping should be outlawed. It's simply the restaurant subsidizing the labor cost off onto the consumer. They've got essentially free labor when you factor in "side work" Food service is an incredibly abusive industry. Just ask someone who's worked in it.

[@francinecannon1903]

Speaking of "sidework". That includes cleaning restrooms, sweeping, mopping, cleaning tables and chairs, windows, wiping down walls, filling ice containers, etc.... All for $2.13 per hour from the restaurant.

[@jgg204]

If the restaurant got rid of tipping and baked it into your hourly rate, the customer would still be paying for it through higher menu prices. Your logic doesn't make sense. The tip is to incentivize you to provide good service. If you got paid the same whether you provided good service or bad service...bad service would be provided

[@theglassarrow_]

@@jgg204 Makes more sense to bake it into the price of items, some people don't tip no matter what. they just don't. Also if you provide bad service you get complaints and hours may be cut or you could lose your job. It's not like workers who get paid hourly dont experience these things

[@danielharris5150]

This is a universal problem. Hahaha. In my country, giant companies like Starbucks, KFC, McDonald's pay around $1.50/hour, converted from our currency to USD. The reason why they won't bother paying more is because they know people will be working with them. And a set of McDonald's burger is $4 :D

[@DrSchor]

I worked in food service as a teen, in a summer resort for tips only. By providing good food service, I made more than I could have in wages. We all did. Clearly you are wrong.

[@jeffwang6460]

Even though the pandemic was a rough time for restaurant servers, I think we might be beginning to see a turning point as people realize their self-worth and take being laid off as an out to find more respectable work. Seems like restaurants are starting to feel the pressure after years of neglecting their employees.

[@Rickwmc]

I used to generously tip waiters; now, I can no longer afford to go to restaurants.

[@scrumtrellecent]

ditto...Edit: and fast food...only groceries for me

[@nakosimpson7459]

Coronavirus

[@riverkilledthedoctor2141]

@@hamsandwichindahouse false. when minium wages increase spending increases. if you pay a waiter enough to eat out shell eat out. if you dont she cant. if you pay workers human wages then they can actually spend it in the econmy

[@delmariecrandall9229]

@@riverkilledthedoctor2141 Finally! Some truth!

[@pechoja]

Restaurants should be required to pay minimum wage. MacDonald has to. Why should customers have to pay high price for a potato and small cut of salmon and salad, over $25 bucks, and pay their workers $4 hour. They don't even pay them holiday pay, but he same amount and people do not know their actual wage is not livable. Restaurants owned by wealthy people overall. All should pay minimum wage. Why do they get a pass?

[@reyalexandro]

What's sadder is this was pre covid...

[@Arizona_lilly]

Yep u said it... now worst

[@1hawtMetz]

i "liked" this but I hated it. I hate it still lol ya right Rey! it's alllll kinda fk'd is what im realizing at this moment

[@hurricanemeridian8712]

"They just need to work harder" yeah no You need to pay them a wage that is appropriate

[@BatJeff]

How can I pull myself up, if I can't afford the bootstraps?

[@leonhenry4861]

@kommisar the hard part is getting to places were jobs are plenty and getting your foot in the door.

[@derekrank4572]

2 choices either workers get paid more money OR ,rent and food prices need to be drastically lowered. its either one or the other....the 3rd choice would be universal basic income..

[@JohnnyBot71]

for a wal mart job? or a door man? NOPE!

[@ybergik]

@@derekrank4572 Apparently you don't understand that if you increase wages, the prices of the goods or services provided by those workers also need to be raised to cover the added expenses.. plus taxes. So higher wages at the low end is hurting everybody.

[@dion789]

I'm impressed at how organized and controlled that woman is about her income and expenses and making sure she gets through the month. She's so pragmatic. Imagine how well she could be doing if the political system wasn't doing everything it could to keep her down.

[@saeedurrahman2056]

Did you know Adam yamaguchi is of Japanese origin

[@Enidscake]

US needs to get rid of tipping culture, businesses need to pay workers a living wage!

[@davidsavage9543]

I can almost guarantee that in most restaurants, the "living wage" would be less than what a lot of servers make.

[@Folzara]

Yeah absolutely, i cant speak for every country but in mine the average minimum salery is 14,40 dollars an hour as a server but after working for a year or two it usually goes up to around 18-19 dollars an hour.

[@RedHanded1969]

You dont seem to understand US tipping culture at all.. These waiters dont represent majority of waiters in US, many more would prefer 0 wage, as suppose to 0 tip. Tips is a big part of a waiter income. The issue here is not min wage policy for waiters, but lazy waiters who refuse to move to a bigger city.. Who in their right mind wants to wait table in Kokomo? Who in their right mind plan to raise a family base on factory job, when they can earn 3x more on trade jobs, like trucking n welding..

[@genxx2724]

@@RedHanded1969 I met a waiter who worked at a really expensive restaurant in downtown LA. He referred to repeat customers as his “clients.” That night he had clients who were flying in from Japan. He must have made $$$. Treated it like a commissioned sales position.

[@dragonore2009]

Government needs to get out of the economy.

[@jaynordiaz4609]

The fact that we still don't pay a living wage to wait staff in restaurants is ridiculous to me.

[@Splitting6s]

Yea let’s pay them 8$/hr so they can’t make more than that. Sounds lit

[@NeighborhoodBasketCase]

They also often times don't pay the cooks a living wage too. Though that's changing because it's so hard to find a good line cook nowadays they are paying more to get them in.

[@georgeforall]

@@NeighborhoodBasketCase Eliminate tips then.

[@dyadyastepaaa]

It's because a waiter isn't a permanent job- it's a temporary means to get by. Go to college and stop complaining.

[@JoseMendoza-rr4mp]

Plus, I'm sure many of us don't go eat at those places cause we remember we need to tip and we ourselves are barely making it by and having to tip will add more to the price when fast food will be the better option to save

[@teresawicks-kq3bq]

It's so unfair to pay a waitress $2 and $0.13 an hour. I don't care how many tips she gets she should at least make minimum wage

[@kateoloughlin8774]

I was stunned when I heard this. I had to play the video again to see if heard correct. Some bunch of CEOS at the top are living the life off the backs off these Poor people. Kind regards from Ireland. Kate.

[@justmyopinion9883]

Is it legal to pay someone $2.13 an hour? The federal minimum wage in California, where I live, is way more than that. This is so sad.

[@ironwoodnf]

@@justmyopinion9883 waitresses in right-to-work states don't have to be paid the minimum wage because they get tips. It's disgusting but it is sadly that simple...

[@brittanytarto3687]

If their wages plus tips don’t add up to minimum wage then the employer does have to pay the difference.

[@jurnee-y]

Correct BUT if you listened carefully That’s unless the job is a tip job. Tip job are paid less than minimum wage because I guess the employers figure that the worker would make close to or more than the minimum with whatever they get in tips. I learned this lesson when I was coming out of homelessness and took a wheelchair pushing job at the airport. barely made anything in tips

[@azrayelshift]

i think these people are good people who are working hard. they deserve better.

[@NeighborhoodBasketCase]

And then everything got worse when coronavirus attacked

[@thomasfristmd1876]

No jobs.

[@TheTechCguy]

I agree! It was bad enough before the virus. Now, this plus the virus?! Recipe for disaster. Oh, and the riots.

[@angelgjr1999]

America is in bad shape. No idea why trump supporters are yelling keep America great. It never was.

[@GaryVolts]

Wasn't the virus, it was the over reaction to the virus that threw all these folks out of work.

[@lucienlachance390]

When the world needed livable wages the most, they vanished. Hopefully not for 100 years...

[@Rickwmc]

"You better work at two jobs...if you want to sleep indoors." - American writer Barbara Ehrenreich.

[@bellie8009]

Make that 3 jobs

[@blazejennifer2507]

This is the result of fiat monetary system and fractional reserve banking.

[@Amandafromappalachia]

Nickel and Dimed? Great book.

[@Rickwmc]

@@bellie8009 Now-a-days yes.

[@ForeverShadowBanned]

​@Svetla Nikolova There is only so much frugality that can be achieved until you have literally nothing. Most rents here in America near the cities (where all the jobs are) are 3x what you spend in a month, and that's just rent alone. And learn to take the bus? America doesn't have a great public transport system, that's why everyone has a car here. Tiny houses and better infrastructure are solutions to the problem but our government doesn't want solutions, it wants to keep stealing from us and getting away with it.

[@queenapple9012]

hahah....I grew up in food banks only my mom never told us. I always thought it was a store to get food. Now, that I am older I appreciate everything she did for us.

[@larrypahl1012]

Before bush had rayGun shot, the usda fed many

[@verawalking]

She's a great mom!

[@brendanjames2687]

My step gramma used to do anything to keep my stepmom and her brother from knowing they were poor lol. Her and her sister would go to the food bank together and pick out the foods that wouldn’t be weird for my step gramma to take home so that her kids just thought she went grocery shopping

[@breannapiscitelli3941]

Hopefully when this is all over they can work on mental health programs because I know for a fact that living in America the past three years has given me severe anxiety. It’s disgusting that we live in a first world country and 90% of the people I know can’t even put food on the table working two jobs. It’s just disgusting

[@telcobilly]

It's GREED.

[@cassady7169]

You need to meet some better people then. What loser works two jobs and still can’t afford to eat?

[@Beatles0223]

And we have a group of pols who call any benefits we worked for, such as unemployment, welfare. And poor people who will vote for and defend them to the literal death. 🤦🏻‍♀️🙄

[@markingmilestones9881]

“ if we have to pay a wage our industry will collapse.” Imagine any other industry saying that and being believed.

[@analienfromouterspace]

Yep, take care of your employees first, which is most American companies stopped. Also matured companies has no actual growth anymore, so wages, advancements in positions are slow.

[@micahbailey77]

Unfortunately, apps like DoorDash are just as bad as restaurants.

[@dragonstooth4223]

"If I have to live off the McDonald's $1 menu ..." does no one see the terrible problem with that? It's just an endless cycle of the poor being ripped off

[@LukeMcGuireoides]

Yep, finally more people are beginning to see that that's all America is and ever was - a wealthy class sustaining itself by ripping off the poor. I just hope my country will wake up and be more like the actual greatest countries in the world or at least as good as Canada

[@mssha1980]

@@LukeMcGuireoides I hope so too. It’s time we wake up

[@stormb28]

It very expensive being poor. I don’t get how people cannot grasp this concept.

[@Hw-xf6gs]

Poor people choose to be poor, stop making excuses

[@stevenmonsanto5324]

@@Hw-xf6gs yeah starving kids just choose to be starving they should learn how to code, start their own small business, and day trade to become a millionaire in 2 years

[@lauragadille3384]

It sucks living and being poor

[@tapercandles3838]

Yep.. I've known 34 cents after I paid bills, child care, cost of gas/parking, food. When i saw 78 cents extra.. I knew i made progress. It was a moment. Took years. A soda from a machine.. not in my budget. Be strong.. you can do it.

[@lauragadille3384]

@@tapercandles3838 ty

[@nightfangs2910]

Working poor is the worst place you can be in life period

[@EL-kf8nq]

I am so happy I’m not poor. It sounds horrible. I don’t think I would like it.

[@DMWBN3]

I am out of work in England. Get £308pcm (rents paid also) but I have £40 to make up the rent, bills & food. It's gone with in 2 days. I'm left with nothing to last me the money. I have had to steal food, the food banks only got cheap processed crap.

[@joshparker5779]

This is such a good video. I really like Adam Yamaguchi. I think he's one of the best presenters I've ever seen!

[@jacquelineflood3244]

Great Reporting..... well done

[@RoseanneSeason7]

Absolutely.

[@dacypher22]

I started working in a restaurant as a server when I was 16 and I got a tip-based wage of $2.13 an hour. That was almost 25 years ago. The federal minimum wage was $5.15 then. Today, in 2020, the tip wage is still $2.13 per hour.

[@tahkeem_tha_dream3585]

And the cost of living is 3 or 4 times more. 25 years ago you could get a decent 1 bedroom apartment for 500 bucks a month. Now it cost 1,500 to 2,000 a month for a nice 1 bedroom apartment.

[@dacypher22]

@@tahkeem_tha_dream3585 Yep. And that is ridiculous that the tipped wage hasn't changed.

[@anthonylafayette4385]

Join a Union.

[@dacypher22]

@@anthonylafayette4385 Restaurant workers really could use them but unfortunately unionization is extremely difficult in lower-skill jobs. Restaurants know they can find more bodies to fill the positions that will keep the business more or less running. The National Restaurant Association has done quite well at fighting them over the decades.

[@LukeMcGuireoides]

25yrs and the fed min wage has only gone up $2.10. I'm sick of hearing all the arguments against 15 dollars. If you work 40hrs a week you should be able to afford to raise a child, own a home, have a working car, afford healthcare, afford a once a year vacation. Especially if you live in the richest country in the history of the world, the country that claims to be number one

[@scarceboy3430]

The American dream is called a dream for a reason.

[@strwbrywoman]

Cuz you have to be asleep to believe it-George Carlin

[@brandonwombacher2559]

It might have been a true dream at one time, but not anymore

[@david-lt9wj]

It's called the American nightmare now....

[@Philippinesbound42]

You have to work to achieve dreams

[@1953beetle]

Not just America.Try world wide.

[@t900HAWK]

i work as a cook in a restaurant and i can say ive seen waitresses be sent home on slow days because they are literally losing money by being there because of the tax on their wages. also as a manager in the kitchen i always cook the waitresses and waiters a good meal before they leave or when they get in and if anything is about to go bad or wont be used ill send it home with them.

[@MrDlt123]

You're a good man, dude.

[@MrDlt123]

@@royharper2003 Agreed.

[@Spidr2000]

@@royharper2003 not everyone can do that simply out of not being able to afford a degree or out of having to prioritize people over an education

[@Allan-xj5ek]

@@Spidr2000 so true

[@Hanyousan1661]

@@royharper2003 Ah. The 'why can't you just?' crowd that I viciously despise dealing with. I work in tech - I'd be RICH if I had a dollar for every 'why can't you just' person coming to our group and running their mouths with 0 understanding of why it 'can't just' be done. We try to explain that the system doesn't work that way, or trying to 'just' do that will cost a ton of money, or cause issues in related systems and they turn their noses up, sneer, and say that it's excuses. They then come back whining about cost, and outages and blah blah blah when they were explicitly told that's would would happen if we 'just'. All this to say: If people 'could just', THEY'D HAVE DONE IT. No one wants to be poor. Its insanely hard work being broke and balancing between what you can't live without (diabetes medicine, hypertension medicine, etc), what you might be able to put off, what you might be able to drop if you're careful (car insurance), and what you're just going to have to give up (decent food). The mental energy you expend keeping all those plates spinning would likely make going back to school on top of it a terrible idea. People need to sleep and unwind, or they wind up with severe mental and physical issues from over work. The suicide rate in the US is among the highest in the developed world for a reason - because people like you condescend to them and say its their fault they don't have thousands of dollars on hand and a ton of free time to get a trade certificate. Or...did you think trade certificates are free??? $7.25/h is not nearly enough to save for the upfront cost of certs for HVAC or welding, much less enough to live on without working so they could go to school. OR...did you think they could keep their job? Pro tip: For most minimum wage folks, their schedules change BY THE WEEK and are not flexible. They'll either be fired, or have to drop out of school because they have to work instead of going to class. Think before you let another 'why can't you just' roll out of your mouth. Maybe see how far $7.25 would go in a modest city - see if you can make it work on paper given the realities of the place you choose. Adjust for children, disabled parents or siblings, etc.

[@ibislife]

Stop the tipping policy. Give the workers a living wage!

[@dangnguyen4392]

While CEO pay themselves a sometimes a 10 figures BONUS- GOLDEN PARACHUTE for bankrupting their own company. LET THAT SINK IN.

[@cosmicllama6910]

That's the new gig, Take Mars candy co; buying up veterinary clinics and running them into the ground. The CEO's can just syphon companies and jump to new ones like fleas.

[@Jetairplane]

@@cosmicllama6910 we need to round them all up, and throw them in a cage with a couple of hungry male lions.

[@balderdashery1]

Average CEO pay is 350 times that of front line workers. In fast food it is probably higher.

[@mattrodgers4878]

balderdashery G And they earn every penny! I’m sure they work 350 times harder than their employees!! My keyboard is dripping with sarcasm.

[@supershroom164]

CEO puts in all the risk, they get to reap the rewards. Don’t be a socialist

[@nicholaslazenka1700]

“The prices keep going up but our wages stay the same” I have heard this and dealt with this a long time, this country is floundering

[@joedirte716]

@@sheilaharrison8547 get a better job then.

[@aceclover758]

@@joedirte716 Not as easy as you think kid, espeically with the job market

[@itistheway6893]

Increasing your wage won’t help you. That just gets passed on to customers in the form of inflation. And all the prices go up.

[@aceclover758]

@@itistheway6893 inflation has happened anyway at a rate faster than wages That whole “past cost to the customer” is BS when said executives are handed bonuses for little to nothin every year They get “increase in wage” when they hardly need it but actual workers do not?

[@billw8476]

that is due to biden's rampant inflation.............fraudulent elections have consequences, and now you are living it! we WERE warned!!

[@nicky6579]

It would be nice and go back and talk to the same people to see how they fared since Covid-19.

[@NicoleM2108]

I was thinking that myself. If they were on the edge then and $400 was all they had...imagine what could have happened since. Though I think the waitresses might have actually fared better since they might have gotten the fed unemployment. The others? Humm, maybe not so well. And all might be looking for new jobs as we speak.

[@lovelyletter7460]

I’d imagine better since the extra $600 for unemployment. Now they get paid to stay at home. Why go back to work at that rate? Too bad they couldn’t throw a couple bones in the direction of all the essential workers who have continued to work each and every day through the pandemic.

[@NicoleM2108]

@@lovelyletter7460 Yes, agreed! Some got the miniscule lame "hazzard pay" and the companies that gave it quickly retreated on it so...

[@art43541]

@@lovelyletter7460 some companies have been paying $400 extra a month to workers. Not much compared to people who got 600 a week..

[@brandonwombacher2559]

Most likely not well

[@samdasilva1914]

The young single Mum made some really good points. I do hope the father of her child is contributing financially towards his child.

[@sambotros1918]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3zSc6ignq-snMU

[@odysseus8809]

Adam Yamaguchi is probably one of the best conversationalist that I've heard in a long time. He is a talented interviewer.

[@MJ-mm1iv]

Yes he is.i enjoyed listening to him

[@theelizardqueen]

Yes! And he's so fine 🤤

[@thesoutherngossip4548]

We forget how blessed we are sometimes, this reminded me. I’m so sorry for those that are living like this. This isn’t living it’s just existing & getting by. It’s not right.

[@Tecolote-xn4eu]

Thanks for giving us all a national perspective. Hope your video reaches many eyes. America needs to wake up and see the everyday struggles if our government is really serious about preventing further homelessness.

[@BIG_DUDE82]

This is what happens when you vote against YOUR best interest. Stop voting for your lawmakers strictly based on political party lines.

[@TyffanyHoward]

Yes!!!

[@bChipps]

Stop spending money on stupid wars so billionaires can make more

[@gomoso22]

Too many of us do....too many.

[@BIG_DUDE82]

@@bChipps I agree but that still goes back to voting. The lawmakers determine how money is spent. What we’re going to have to do is get some of this money out of politics because businesses are running this country, not the people.

[@jilianemorales2074]

They voted for Pelosi, Swalwell, Schiff, Schumer, AOC, Biden, Harris...the list goes on. Americans asked for this.

[@glittersilver7779]

Wages are deplorable....some senators feel that $7.25 should stay where it is makes me sick.

[@ryangriffith5551]

Should be 0

[@Youtubepsyops]

@Corn Pop Why not 100? TO DA MOON BABY!!!

[@gunslingingbird74]

@Corn Pop I live in an area where $45 an hour isn't enough to live without a second job. When rents average $2500 a month for a studio apartment, $15 an hour is less than pocket change.

[@angelgjr1999]

I make 15 an hour currently. I barely break even most weeks and I don’t have kids, 15 ain’t enough at this point either.

[@peacefuldaizy5717]

Minimum wage should have had Cost of Living Adjustments like Social Security.

[@DarcieGlam]

Excellent documentary. I hope the two women in this are doing okay.

[@Sara_London]

Let's not forget the 2 hours we spend doing 'sidework/cleaning jobs' while after being cut off the floor. That's 2 hours extra cleaning for $2.13 an hour not getting new tables there for not getting tips..

[@jeannierusso2134]

Sara London. I'm surprised you do any side work because that's not enough that's chicken scratch and you don't even get that so you might as well be clean for free. When I was working in a restaurant and I will name the restaurant Denny's( don t work here ) . As a hydro technician. I was doing a lot of work I had to do the bathrooms I had to do outside I had to empty all the rubbish plus go in the back and do all the dishes

[@dyadyastepaaa]

It's because a waiter isn't a permanent job- it's a temporary means to get by. Go to college and stop complaining.

[@jeannierusso2134]

@@dyadyastepaaa I don't really think that she's complaining I think that she's expressing her opinions because it's true people don't realize that and I think she's bringing awareness people that never worked in the industry do not understand.. and that everybody can just jump up and go to college everybody has a different upbringing and surroundings and different Lifestyles so that's easy to say oh just go to college and college or college degrees don't mean you're getting a job

[@dyadyastepaaa]

@@jeannierusso2134 sure they do, an engineering degree guarantees a job. I worked as a waiter while paying for college so I know what that’s like. Why would an unskilled worker deserve more than what the market considers fair ?

[@jeannierusso2134]

@@dyadyastepaaa ok. Thank u 4 your comment. I am so happy that things worked out for you.. my ex is a chemical engineer.... he went to college also. Sometimes people get laid off too....😔

[@gregorykelly6274]

It's pitiful USA that allows Americans to starve in such rich milk and honey country.

[@jacquelinejuneau5962]

It's absolutely revolting.

[@jamesgutting7128]

They are pretty fat for starving

[@annalisa14]

James Gutting - they’re starving for good nutrition. Anyone can get fat on French fries, but heart disease and diabetes looms for most, and they know it.

[@angelarose249]

The honey done dried up and the milk is sour.

[@gsp49]

You are mistaken, the U. S. Is trillions in debt. Not rich.

[@Dexy83]

What about trying to live on $7.25...that's not a livable wage, sorry.

[@gunslingingbird74]

In the SF Bay Area, someone making $45 an hour still has to have roommates and is living paycheck to paycheck. $7.25 an hour is unfathomable.

[@henrymccomments]

Gunslinging Bird Agree if you make below 117k in San Francisco you are considered low income

[@jadeolivia2443]

I think because minimum wage jobs are meant for high school kids. You don’t need a college education to make a good living. Construction pays amazing!

[@parkerwild2696]

@@jadeolivia2443 Did you not watch this? Its not a kid job anymore, its the only job.

[@mycatiswaysmarterthanmosto8500]

@James Page wrong. Guess how many yale educated jobless people I know? More than I can count on my fingers and toes.

[@dixie3087]

“Tipped minimum wage” should be illegal. Why has the law allowed companies to make the customers pay their employees? The owners should have to pay minimum wage regardless.

[@micahbailey77]

It's called "lobbying". The restaurant industry is big business, which means they can make sure that unfavorable laws don't get passed.

[@justjoe469]

I make 15 hour and live with my elderly mother I have no wife no kids and I still have a hard time making it. Florida Fort Myers.

[@gsp49]

If you can't make it on 15 an hour, something is wrong.

[@TheLamehipster]

@@gsp49 probably lives in ca or ny

[@peacefuldaizy5717]

@@TheLamehipster : I hear this all the time about NY, but I grew up in western NY, and it was very affordable.

[@gsp49]

@emmitte riddle think what you want, money represents a person's time and work, if people chose to squander it, they should remain poor.

[@monicaalva2423]

@@gsp49 There is nothing wrong; 15 an hour is not enough money for two people. Especially in the case of taking care of an elderly person, there are many expenses, including medical bills that you need to factor in. You should not be so quick to judge other people's situation.

[@KobeBean0824-f2o]

I think it gives people a real awakening about how a lot of people live everyday

[@billw8476]

do you mean like our seniors, who have already worked and paid their taxes for 50 years, and are now below the poverty level? they already PAID their dues!!

[@emusaurus]

They make stupid decisions and stay poor.

[@jelenaspeer4817]

Makes me have a new appreciation and respect for restaurant workers

[@stephaniebrooks8044]

Absolutely!! I did it for a month! I have the utmost respect for them. And u should always leave a tip!

[@matthewnelson325]

It seems like more and more things are becoming this way ! : ( www.businessinsider.com/workers-rage-quitting-jobs-in-a-tightening-labor-market-2021-5

[@brianvivickers3712]

Me also, this vidoe is touching.

[@dabillya6845]

@@stephaniebrooks8044 didnt last long huh?

[@gzz8551]

Yep. Tip kindly.

[@healthmarket6224]

Here in Australia the minimum wage is about $15 USD. And everyone complains about how expensive everything is compared to the US. The grass is always greener on the other side...

[@coopsnz1]

Our taxes& duties theft in Australia

[@antoniobrooks1113]

It’s so sad that these 2 women spent the entire video defending themselves for trying to do the best they can to support themselves and their families instead of attacking the system who refuses to gives its workers a livable wage. As a former server myself, I can attest that everything that said is true. I don’t know any server or bartender who has one job and most I know actually have college degrees but can’t find work in their fields. Even places that have strong job markets still pay service industry workers far less than any industry despite it being the fastest growing industry in the country.

[@choosefreedomisback8898]

Being a server is a low skill job. If a crackhead teenager can do it, It probably isn't worth all to much compared to being a tradesman or other profession.

[@antoniobrooks1113]

@@choosefreedomisback8898 please name one time you've been a restaurant that had a "crackhead teenager" as a server or bartender? You know "low skilled jobs" that actually have trade/college courses, that requires you to be at least 21 since you have to serve alcohol, which you can't do as a "crackhead teenager". Also, are you aware before covid-19, that servers and bartenders, who work in a strong enough market, can make over 50k a year? Highly doubt a "crackhead teenager" would be explain the differences between wine regions, steak cuts, proper dining etiquette, using POS systems but nice deflect.

[@DeniseRene407]

@@choosefreedomisback8898 Are you serious? A “crackhead teenager” would not be a successful server. I left a high paying job last year to go to nursing school full time. I decided to try being a server part time while in school. It is hard work and you have to know your sh*t (wine, steak cuts, memorize the menu, manage multiple tables at once and keep everyone happy)! Harder than the job I left making way more money. I quit after a couple of months. I currently work in a chaotic ER while I’m finishing school and even though I want to curse and pull my hair out some nights in the ER, I still do not work as hard as I did as a server. Also, a server at an upscale restaurant can make a lot of money. My husband and I tip a minimum of $50-60 when we eat at a nice steakhouse. Being a server/bartender absolutely requires skill. It is not a job that everyone can be successful at.

[@ladyofthecentury]

​@@DeniseRene407 A server is a no-skilled job & I've done it too. In EVERY job you have to memorize things and that is normal. LMOA!

[@mopes2713]

And the saddest part is that these people are all probably brain washed into voting Republican. So they will never ever try to fight to fix a fundamentally broken system. They are taught that everything is great the way it is, and that America is great the way that it is.

[@skeptical_sorcerer]

So, the cafes and restaurants are making their customers pay their employees' wages?!

[@iamcosma7065]

Nobody is making anybody do anything. Nobody has to eat at these restaurants, nobody has to work at them. Do you think restaurant owners are running around kidnapping customers?

[@vq7864]

@@iamcosma7065This is what our friend here took away from this video. Which is not completely inaccurate. Restaurant owner's are basically relying on their customers to make up the difference in pay in tips. It's understood and pitched to you when you apply for a server job.

[@iamcosma7065]

V Q Right, nobody takes a job waiting tables not understanding this. My point stands that nobody is making anybody do anything. If you don’t want to work for tips, don’t wait tables.

[@vq7864]

@@iamcosma7065 Agreed. People take the job knowingly and we the consumer go in also knowing this is how it is. What I got from the video is there are people who would like this changed. They want to abolish working for tips and give workers at least minimum wage. Now, I guess the question is do we believe that paying someone less than minimum wage is ethical? I was raised to believe in caring about others as I care about myself. If I were an employer my conscience would not allow me to do this. So, maybe the point really should be if someone can't afford to pay at least minimum wage then, they shouldn't open a business. That's just my opinion. You may differ with me on this and that's fine. We can agree to disagree. If you have a business I pray for it's success and that you share your success with your employees. God bless.and care for you in these very difficult times. My grandson just became sick with Covid19 symptoms. He tested negative for the flu. We are waiting for the covid19 test results. Our schools reopened and sadly we knew this was the risk.

[@shirleyowens9936]

Thanks been saying this forever, and it’s always the celebrities promoting tipping, especially during the holiday seasons, Sometimes people only have enough to go out to eat , not pay their employee too.

[@travel4fun003]

I hate to think where these restraunt workers are now after Covid.

[@Lisa-xm3tb]

As a server in the Midwest I can tell you that I make the same amount if not more than I did before Covid. Even at half capacity. But a lot of servers didn't get to come back, they couldn't hire everyone back. HOWEVER, it is much more chaotic now and stressful for everybody especially the managers. They have so much on them right now.

[@ScarletTsubasa]

Depends on where you are. I currently live in GA. It's $2.13 here, but after a few raises I am at a base of $3 an hour. Luckily, my employer isn't crooked like another place I worked and actually makes up the difference if I don't hit minimum wage. Since I also host and bus my own tables I also don't have to do tip out. But, unfortunately, people have become a bit tight on their wallets and don't tip what they did pre pandemic. Many to go orders straight up don't tip at all and will even refuse to wait inside, forcing me to take it to them in their cars. I am the only server still on staff since we are small too, so having to chase people down to give them their food is extra work, especially since I am taking orders from all the call ins and dine ins as well (I am only one person, after all). People have become a whole lot more demanding, and even straight up aggressive. Maybe the pandemic has them stressed, but it's really a downer to get treated like a punching bag. I am glad my regulars make a point to still tip me well, otherwise I would have to supplement my monthly income with my savings instead of just breaking even. I am fortunate to have put back money since before the pandemic I was actually making about $12-15 after taxes (not even counting my hourly wage). If I didn't do that, because of the changes this year, I would be in serious trouble right now

[@jewelofthesouth27]

Unemployed

[@brookehudson9851]

Getting less hours and less pay. I had to pick up a 2nd job at another place to get 40 hours a week. That is still up in the air certain weeks too.

[@JuanRamirez-un1xn]

@@ScarletTsubasa wise move thinking ahead, something most of us (including myself) don't do :-/

[@jeanetteschulthe1andOnly]

Thank you Adam, you did a fabulous job. Thank you for helping those folks. You have helped them more than you know.

[@seawrightstudios]

New mothers in other developed countries get 1 year of paid maternity leave. Not our country.

[@BlanceDevereaux]

Correct. The U.S. is highly undeveloped in the family-work balance. The US is terrified that any sort of "help" means socialism, when in fact, that is nonsense. I will say though, that American taxes are far lower. Hence, the lack of social, health and family/maternity assistance. The family-work balance is good in Europe but taxes in Scandinavia, Ireland and other countries, are huge. You pick your poison, I guess. Either way, we all pay!

[@ironwoodnf]

That is right-to-work laws at there worst ..

[@ironwoodnf]

@chief tp I mean they are trying to start a family I wouldn't hurt. My brother's wife had a year of maternity leave and her employer is doing well.

[@ironwoodnf]

@chief tp plus it reassuring for other female workers to know they won't get abandoned for having a little bit of human nature.

[@jeremiahozales8063]

BlancheDevereaux Actually, ot true. I checked how much I would get taxed if I earn 144,000 Dollar in the US vs. 144,000€ in Germany. Overall, I would pay only 1% more in income tax than in the US. The rate I calculated was 29% something in the US and 30% something in Germany. However, here in Germany you get a lot more for your money. Plus there are various ways to lower your tax rate here.

[@joshuatrinidad5512]

I wonder how much struggle all the people leaving comments about "just pull youselves together . . . gain a skill/education" are living comfortably or had the opportunity to live comfortably while attaining a skill/education. It doesn't make sense to me to have to work 2-3 jobs on top of putting yourself through school. No one should have to live that way. Could you really say "yes I want that for myself and thats how I will do it?" no you wouldn't, but people are quick to tell people struggling to do it that way but wouldn't want it for themselves.

[@choosefreedomisback8898]

Who said you need a fancy skill? It doesnt take a super genius to learn how to become an electrician or a plumber.

[@karenhardie1132]

Community College. We can't find enough plumbers, electricians, welders, AC and furnace repair. You can get scholarships and don't go to school very long. Much cheaper then 4 year schools. Wonderful income in a short time. Working in hotels and restaurants is not going to get you out of poverty.

[@mw6346]

Literally everyone i knew in college worked and struggled.

[@joshuatrinidad5512]

@mneisbaar exactly what I’m saying why did you have to go all through that? To know your life is only worthy of you struggle? I’m saying that it shouldn’t be the norm and I’m sorry you had to go through that and wish other people have to go through it too just to feel worthy of being alive.

[@joshuatrinidad5512]

Sorry for the typos

[@jordanvasilev3556]

This looks more depressing than Bulgaria, and we are poor by default.

[@007nadineL]

Bulgarians at least eat fresh food and are very family oriented... all poor together

[@wy7128]

how does it compare though?

[@mincraftisawsome1234]

This only looks depressing because these people are complacent in their lives and don’t look to change anything in their life. I mean seriously if you believe making 500$ a week is proper job to move across the country you’re just a fool I mean she moved from basically Germany to Greece to make just above minimum wage to put this into perspective.

[@questionmark3219]

@@mincraftisawsome1234 Don't take Germany as an example for good wages...There is a big difference of what people expect and how the reality looks like.

[@atropa6053]

@@mincraftisawsome1234 dont mistake too tired to deal with anything for complacent

[@Llovelylady1]

And people wonder why I’ve been saying for the last couple of months that I don’t give a damn if the whole industry fails. If it takes the whole industry failing in order for people to make a living wage then let it all burn 🔥 down to the ground. I can eat at home.

[@vasil3089]

Its not donating plasma, its SELLING plasma! When are we gonna start calling it what it is ffs?

[@andygill6051]

I sold my plasma got pretty good coin on it but i miss my good old Sony 60 inch :'(

[@angelikalaser7778]

Getting $20 is donating. Companies that sell plasma be it to hospitals or hospitals to patients charge up to $1000 for one donation of yours. Imagine selling your grandmas wedding band that is worth $1000 for $20. Did you sell it? No you got scammed

[@vasil3089]

@@angelikalaser7778 You're still selling it and getting ripped off but that's on you. Gotta get that heroin money somehow!

[@angelikalaser7778]

@@vasil3089 speak for yourself

[@forloop7713]

@@angelikalaser7778 this is false due to market efficiency a plasma donor would get almost 1000$ for plasma that costs 1000$

[@pgaven9396]

What's truly shocking is to see yet another generation rediscover a shocking reality we are still living in....and yet again reporting an unchanging situation.

[@SDALLE99]

Tough. Nobody cares

[@cosmicllama6910]

Who hurt you?

[@TheRm65]

I say that a living wage is a basic human right. Some people disagree, but I see that those who disagree are living comfortably and not hand-to-mouth.

[@nicholasthompson7690]

What's your solution?

[@emusaurus]

I disagree. And yes I am living comfortably, though not by accident. You need only look in their shopping trolleys to see where they’re going wrong. Soft drinks x 3. Humongous bag of individually wrapped potato chip packets. Disposable diapers. And the fat one who “has trouble affording food” has no trouble affording tattoos, getting her hair coloured or affording makeup. These are all luxury items. In my opinion, the worst things you could blow money on. These people are poor, alright - poor with money.

[@tinytownsoftware3837]

Living wage where? Nobody will pay you a living wage if you want to live in Manhattan if you have no skills to offer.

[@vixxcottage]

Di Di what a loaded comment. Life is all about choices. Some people make wise choices others don't. We are told when we apply for the job the pay. We either accept or refuse. I looked around as a child in extreme poverty and vowed I would not live like that as an adult. I made choices that afforded me a successful career. Not everyone can do that I understand but we need to educate our young people so they have choices. I am retired now but there are so many areas we are failing our young people. I understand where these people are coming from.

[@tinytownsoftware3837]

Imagine this. You have no skills. You walk into some business and demand to be hired and demand they pay you a living wage. Does that sound normal to you?

[@DreTooDope]

This is the real America! All u people thinking about migrating to this country this is how u will live. This is reality PLEASE take this video seriously

[@lexicat6177]

Americans became disposable employees, high turnover, no benefits, low paying, little future jobs replaced higher living wage jobs decades ago.

[@Yandel21ableify]

What ever happened to the American Dream.

[@wturner777]

Globalization. Many blue collar jobs are disappearing and are being shifted overseas to save money. Either adapt or die. Learn a new skill that is difficult to automate or replace if you want to make it in this world.

[@wturner777]

@@Yandel21ableify It still exists, it's just that it becomes more difficult to achieve. Difficult, but possible.

[@isunlloaoll]

@@wturner777 Then is it still the american dream if it's so difficult to achieve? Working hard is not enough now. Now you need a lot of wit and a bit of luck on top of it all.

[@TheTruthHurts6666]

Even worse gigs and part time jobs are increasing with no benefits. Organizations get so cheap and only hire a bunch of part timers so they won't have to pay. Disgraceful

[@DxModel219]

I really like this reporter. He is very well spoken and sharp.

[@MJ-mm1iv]

I agree and was going to comment the same thing.i liked how he spoke to these people

[@manny6020]

He seemed genuinely concerned

[@delmariecrandall9229]

Ditto from Canada

[@JonathanOsborn9444]

Really I was thinking the complete opposite

[@NoNameNumberTwo]

And good looking. 😊

[@pierre-rose7783]

Watch how fast restaurants and retailers will pay their people 15 - 18 dollars an hour if people could afford not to work there.

[@ZodiacEntertainment2]

We're seeing this happen right now funnily enough, lol.

[@Markdfadf]

Right? What is your point? Wages are determined by supply and demand. By definition if people had higher paying options than the restaurant industry they would take those jobs and the only way restaurants could attract people would be paying more. But people don't have those options because they don't have the skills so working at a restaurant is their best opportunity.

[@ZodiacEntertainment2]

@@Markdfadf After I graduated from college I was stuck working as a barista for a few months until I lucked out and got a better job because I knew somebody who could put in a word for me. Many of the people I worked with still work there making coffee and almost all of them have college degrees. These are hard working people who bought into the system to better themselves and got nothing for their effort except for debt and regret. It really isn't as straight forward as you think. Your quality of life is determined by luck.

[@Markdfadf]

@@ZodiacEntertainment2 A college degree doesn't mean anything, particularly if it is a humanities degree. Luck plays zero role in a person's long run quality of life. It might play a roll in the magnitude of success but every single person who plans, puts in the effort and perseveres will have a nice life in the United States. The sense of entitlement is disgusting. It has never been easier to make millions with little starting capital and no connections. But people like you whine about having to struggle for a few years to attain skills to make yourself useful. I have yet to meet a person who put fifteen years of focused effort toward a profession or niche who didn't have a good life.

[@ZodiacEntertainment2]

@@Markdfadf Ok boomer, sounds like you need to start meeting more people because I've met plenty. Go work at a retail job and you'll see the broken dreams in the eyes of people much older than me, and maybe even older than you.

[@janniapalmer5975]

“End the stigma of oh you chose that job, but that’s all that we can get” so heartbreaking, the aspects of work and pay are no different than in America and a third world country.

[@MrHwilRRR]

Agreed. Everyone who is not at a certain threshold gets swept underneath the rug.

[@breannapiscitelli3941]

Nobody wants to work these jobs but this is what is available. Honestly I wouldn’t mind being a server or working in retail is it paid more. It’s just not worth the mental tax. People are really cruel especially during the pandemic. But I agree completely it shouldn’t be a shame to work a job like this. But society has shamed us so much that they can’t even pay these people a living wage. It’s one of the most lawfully evil things I’ve ever seen in my entire life I feel like

[@mickhead77]

We are witnessing the collapse of yet another complex society.

[@antonSugar]

Its like watching Rome fall but with Wi-Fi

[@SDALLE99]

No you’re not. Just bc these cry babies are too stupid to break out of their own little poverty bubble doesn’t society is gonna collapse. Nobody cares.

[@chrisbruggers8076]

@@antonSugar This revolution will be televised... and streamed, and vlogged, and instagrammed, and tweeted, and snap chatted, and tick tocked, and....

[@thomasfristmd1876]

@@SDALLE99 Everyone cares because this is the problem in America now. We need to have the next President raise the minimum wage to $14 an hour.

[@SDALLE99]

@@thomasfristmd1876. Go online and read thru a brief lesson on economics 101 then realizes how stupid raising minimum wage is. I have no intention of paying more for the same stuff. If they can't live on min wage now, it's not my problem.

[@w1ck3dz0d1ac]

There's a problem when plate handling makes you less than pan handling.

[@derekrank4572]

its also a problem when low level criminals can make more money in 1 week than a working person gets in a month..situations are bad in every way.

[@derekrank4572]

@StonkSlayd or they can start a youtube channel or be an influencer and make alot more than low wage normal job after while...its pretty crazy ...times are changing like never seen before

[@derekrank4572]

@dachicagoan if they are good looking they could make $200 an hour escorting..i know its not the right thing to do though .

[@SB-io7rw]

I'm seeing more tents and cars hidden in the wooded area where I walk my dogs. Used to be like once in awhile. Now just about everyday. Today I came across a family camping back there. They had all thier stuff in suit cases and bags. It looked like they had to leave thier home. Sad times.

[@christchaik8317]

To those who are already worried that the restaurant meals get pricier: this is already UNHEARD of in almost any country out there. Been to both developed and developing countries and this is just mind-blowing because I never even heard of a tip-only wage. I'm sure the shareholders can lose a few bucks without immediately rushing to raise prices of food.

[@phillipwombacher9635]

im so glad im a travel nurse the best decicion I ever made was going to nursing school now im making $1,500 a week after taxes with my housing paid for and my travel expenses but nursing school is NOT Easy

[@unkiestbob]

But you did it.

[@annabelenko1611]

I make the on Uber eats

[@angelgjr1999]

Nurses deserve more than that. I make almost that much ona job that required zero experience.

[@nstl440]

Yes, ANY education gives a much better wage

[@hottuna2006]

Making a better life is not easy. Hard work (usually) gets good results. Congrats!

[@bgiv2010]

We need to advocate for ourselves. Congresspeople can vote to give themselves a raise. It's time we did the same.

[@stephaniebrooks8044]

Absolutely!!

[@whatsnext2359]

Like $15 an hour isn't more than enough to throw a slice of meat between two buns, yet customers like you still want McDonald's to keep their $1 burgers right? This job isn't supposed to be a career, it's a stepping stone till you get a trade or education under your belt & get a real job. Stop demanding unrealistic wages that keep prices rising, cause you'll be chasing your tail fighting inflation your entire life, until you figure out that this is a temporary gig. Educate yourself about basic economics, and I guarantee that you'll stop demanding higher minimum wage.

[@bgiv2010]

@@whatsnext2359 I've learned advanced economics which is why I'm back to demanding higher minimum wage and a maximum wage, to boot!

[@whatsnext2359]

@@bgiv2010 where did you study advanced economics? Can you please provide a thorough breakdown of how higher wages effects or does not effect market prices & cost of living? Do you not believe that higher wages do infact increase the price of goods, which causes a domino effect that increases higher cost of living?

[@bgiv2010]

@@whatsnext2359 can you do any of that? Better yet, if you can promise me prices won't go up before wages, then I'll drop it.

[@stefs3460]

That's extremely ironic that 1 out 3 food servers have food insecurity. And when you factor in food waste the same places they work for are often throwing food away. We had a Subway restaurant inside of the Walmart I used to work at. They would throw out several big bags of full bread loaves every night. They made fresh bread in the morning and they wouldn't use them but why not arrange to have them picked up by food back at closing? It was only 1 day old bread.

[@Cecilia13241]

I worked at a Starbucks and we did the same, throwing away tons of food that expired that day (expired according to the label, but not really). We weren't allowed to take any of it home because I think the company feared possible lawsuits if anyone got sick from 'expired' food. I actually suggested donating the food to food banks and my manager said no.

[@KS-tp9hz]

In France, those restaurants or groceries stores are not allowed to throw away food, it's illegal and it's written in the law. They have to give them to the charities or food banks and in exchange they receive a tax deduction for the year.

[@stefs3460]

@@KS-tp9hz That's great! Oh I wish that would be done here! There's a tax break but it's not enough to be an incentive and it's definitely not a law to do so. Also in US there are tax breaks when you throw stuff out. In many states they pay farmers to NOT harvest a certain amount of food so that the prices don't drop too low. Food rots in the feild. Not the farmers fault, it's the law and they work to make a living if they don't play along their family will suffer. They LOVE throwing stuff in the garbage here in US! They feel if they give it away then you won't buy it in future. With everything, food, brand new clothes, shoes.... They often don't even do deep discounts near the sell by date either. The Walmart by me, if you buy meat on the LAST day it's allowed to be sold, it's only 20% discount.

[@KS-tp9hz]

@@stefs3460 here with the sell by date, I guess 3 days before the day, the products are removed from the grocery stores and they give them to the food banks. However if the product is still in the shelves, you have 50% discount on it. This law against the food waste came into force beginning of 2016 but before that the grocery stores threw away a lot food in the bins and even put bleach on it 🙄. In France we have an app called "too good too go" where the grocery stores and restaurants can sell their food with a sell by date very cheap. For the restaurants after their night shift , around 10pm, they sell their food with 70% discount. For the grocery stores, let say instead of paying 15€ the food basket (you don't choose what you want, they give you the product that are almost out of date) you only pay 5€. Believe me I know a lot people and mostly students that use this app, and during this COVID 19, the lockdowns, unemployment ... a lot people relied on that app 🤗

[@andretsang7337]

The issue is liability. They don't want to get sued if somebody gets sick eating their food. There's no gain from giving it away, but there is a potential for loss, so that's why they don't do it. We ought to be giving companies tax exemptions for donating unused food, as well as shielding them from liability

[@jswan312]

I don’t understand why people continue to have children they can’t afford to support.

[@monabiehl6213]

This comment makes me angry. A child should not be denied life. Every child is meant to be. People should be paid enough to have children if they desire them.

[@DoYourPeaceNow]

I hope that businesses wake up and realize how important and deserving a livable wage is to thier employees.

[@MaxwellSmartA86]

Most of those businesses have been closed by the government. Very sad state of affairs today.

[@aiahzohar5636]

Businesses HAVE woken up. They don't care about you or me or anyone else besides their friends and family. We're expendable. WE have to wake up.

[@choosefreedomisback8898]

I hope you wake up and realize how important small businesses are to there owners.

[@royharper2003]

@@MaxwellSmartA86 you're about 12 months too late

[@alericjohansen6775]

The very same businesses that fight to keep wages low, and have done so since the very beggining....yeah, they sure will change their tune anyday now.... /s

[@Val_kyriee]

Wow. At some point, we as non americans, have all looked up to the US as a great beacon of hope and a better life. After watching this, i cannot believe that it is actually legal to not pay people a wage and expect them to survive on tips. Even in my country, waiters etc have a salary on top of which they get tips. Unbelievable that this country that portrays itself as this protector of democracy and human rights and lectures other countries and so on, allows this to happen. Just wow.

[@alexds8452]

In many ways, & all no thanks to GOP conservative republicans, US sadly resembles a 3rd world country: rich, but no social safety! & The people who figure it out, tend to become expats elsewhere.

[@penyarol83]

Yeah. We’re not at all like we believe or advertise ourselves as. Lots of narcissism & disconnect from reality.

[@kenflict9931]

Mhm one of the many reasons I’m thinking of moving out of here

[@jalicea1650]

America is a gilded nation. It has been a long time. You should see how broken we are as a nation by traveling to the American heartland. Ironically enough many people who are mostly exploited don't vote or vote for candidates who are conservative and make these wages even lower.

[@fabiolatgg]

Its a Hollywood lie.

[@christopherwalsh3101]

I work at a “warehouse”, they donate tons of food, just for ordering too much inventory. It made me realize it’s the grocery stores that’s robbing us.

[@shasmi93]

Don’t worry I steal from those every week to make ends meet.

[@johnmcnamara8741]

Warehouses are the worst, it's nothing but back pain.

[@tenshi.kurama]

U can find good food thrown out at grocery stores. Should be forced to donate it

[@jamilamccarty6961]

I like what George Carlin said once said "The American Dream you have to be asleep to believe it"

[@ladyYeniel]

As an European it's hard to comprehend how this is legal

[@KrunchyTheClown78]

Thats america for you, here we are all drowning in debt (I have $6000 of debt, most of which is medical debt) and I only make $20,000 a year. A doctor got my brother addicted to painkillers, and now he spends money on painkillers that he really shouldn't need. Wages are way too low, and everything is way too expensive. In america, people HAVE to live together to pool incomes. Live alone, and chances are, you'll end up homeless. I'm 33 and still live at home with my mom, and others.

[@netabaughman3079]

@@KrunchyTheClown78 yes, in ski towns, housing is super sketchy. I must move so that people that can afford a Squaw Valley ski pass can move in. People are showing up wanting jobs standing in the cold and they think they will find housing.

[@Dre2Dee2]

because dummies keep taking bad jobs that arent worth doing sucker born every minute

[@japonesa5186]

This needs to be featured on prime time TV now more than ever! Especially to call attention to the industry and cities where restaurants are the lifeline for work and for money like NYC

[@nenettep5796]

Wow. I worked as a delivery driver for Jimmy Johns making $15hr. On average I made $25-30/hr after adding in my tips. I just can't imagine how they survive on that. My heart goes out to themm.

[@likejohnnyandjune2024]

I live in Rapid City South Dakota, a relatively medium sized town, and 5-7 years ago you could get a 3 bedroom apt for $900/$1000. Now a 3 bed apt is $1600/1700. That's insane for our area. And wages have not changed at all.

[@nevermind-he8ni]

I'm in the Boston area and a 3BR is about $5k a month.

[@likejohnnyandjune2024]

@@nevermind-he8ni it makes literally no sense

[@nevermind-he8ni]

@@likejohnnyandjune2024 No it does not. Thanks for noticing. Studios here are over $2k per month.

[@mi-da2920]

San Jose, California here. I still remembered being able to get a 1 bedroom for $1800 in 2019, thinking that was a whole lot of money. Now you can't even find a studio under $2000 anymore.

[@catherinn.951]

This whole system is criminal.

[@aiahzohar5636]

Should be. But the corporate class has made it legal. Check out what they're trying to do now with Covid-19 liabilities...

[@choosefreedomisback8898]

How is it criminal? if you earn tips and are a good server, you will make more than a terrible one. It's just natural selection.

[@fouadibrahim9508]

@@choosefreedomisback8898 you're not human.

[@aiahzohar5636]

@Taqeem Hilton I don't know about traditional marriage, and some single people have the resources to be good parents. I'd vote, instead, for a rigorous qualification exam--the sort people have to pass to adopt. To become a parent, you should have to prove you can provide the child a high "minimum" standard of life.

[@jazzyone1986]

I worked as a waitress in both Louisiana and California during the time I was studying. The labor laws were ridiculous in Louisiana I got paid 2.13 per hour and worked 70-80 hours a week. It was a rough time my checks were barely anything and I completely relied on tips. On the bright side it did push me to make sure I got my degree and get a career.

[@Bertuzz84]

That is insane, the ones who allow a minimum wage like that to continue to exist are nothing but common criminals. Where i live, a wage like that and that many hours worked would land the restaurant owner in jail.

[@chrysb9550]

What kind of career?🤔 Because only upper middle class get a" career" and dont need to work as a waitress dont you think....🙄🤔

[@shoryacione5175]

@@chrysb9550 she did that before getting her degree obviously

[@bonniegaither3994]

That’s just wrong!! No one in the supposed richest country in the world should HAVE TO work 70-80 hrs just to try to survive. THAT’S NOT A FREE COUNTRY!!

[@Michelle-pn9xt]

What do you do now?

[@thatgirlPAIGE94]

So messed up! My parents raised my and my brother to always tip a good, kind server but, it’s sad that most servers DEPEND on tips. They should be making a decent hourly wage 😔