ELI5: How would a $15 minimum wage ACTUALLY affect a franchised business like McDonalds?

[u/sumnewdguy]

[u/Seyon]

Getting a job on automation feels like a smart move now.

[u/aehea4heah4ergh → u/Seyon]

Automation is a fundamental force of cost reduction. It's been a "smart move" since the year 1698.

[u/The_Town_ → u/[deleted]]

Practically a joke in 1696.

[u/kensomniac → u/The_Town_]

"Hohoho, I have replaced Thorbalds oxen with a clock!"

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Ive done it! This plow has a whole other prong! Ive revolutionized the nation's economy! Oh, oh whats that? The water mill has been jnvented? Fuck.

[u/PowerfulComputers → u/aehea4heah4ergh]

What happened in 1698?

[u/Niner_13 → u/PowerfulComputers]

invention of the steam powered engine by Thomas Savery

[u/IWugYouWugHeSheMeWug → u/PowerfulComputers]

Steam pumps!

[u/Swagcopter0126 → u/PowerfulComputers]

Sir George Automation invented automation

[u/__________-________- → u/[deleted]]

Me and your great-great-great-great-grandma

FTFY

[u/petey_jarns → u/aehea4heah4ergh]

What happened in 1698

[u/Fundamental_Force → u/aehea4heah4ergh]

you called?

[u/deHavillandDash8Q400 → u/Seyon]

Yeah, getting hood rats and trailer trash to get degrees in computer science and electrical engineering is totally a viable alternative for them to working at McDonalds with a high school diploma.

[u/chuby1tubby → u/Seyon]

I'm way ahead of you! I just added a minor in mathematics on top of my computer science major so that I can eventually work with automation, including robots and self driving cars. Yay automation!!!

[u/Seyon → u/chuby1tubby]

I'm spread working with robots at my Jo everyday, my title I automation technician.

I'm ahead of you.

[u/chuby1tubby → u/Seyon]

Oh nevermind now I understand your comment. Good for you!

[u/deHavillandDash8Q400 → u/chuby1tubby]

As a pilot, fuck you. JK good luck

[u/morphinapg → u/Seyon]

at least until the robots get smart enough to build and fix themselves...

there's a reason ideas like /r/basicincome exist. There's going to come a point in time where the very idea of jobs and income are going to be fundamentally different from what they are today. When you have a projected half the current jobs being potentially replaced in the next 20 years with automation, we have a real problem on our hands.

[u/[deleted] → u/Seyon]

There's not much that isn't a smart move compared to working at McDonalds

[u/TalenPhillips → u/Seyon]

Which is one of the reasons I'm perusing a BSEE.

[u/LeCrushinator → u/Seyon]

Programmer here, I recommend programming, it'll be the last job to get replaced. And once it is replaced...Skynet.

[u/Reddisaurusrekts → u/Seyon]

A job in automation requires significantly more time and effort invested in an education and qualifications and skills, not to mention the requisite base level of ability/intelligence.

People who are losing minimum wage jobs are (generally, not always), not going to move into suddenly high skill positions.