"We
continue to believe that we pay fair and competitive wages," stated Don
Thompson, McDonald's CEO, in an annual meeting with shareholders at
corporate headquarters in Oak Brook, Illinois on Thursday.
While
Thompson reported that shareholders received $4.9 billion in returns in
2013, over 2,000 low-wage McDonald's workers protested outside for a $15
minimum wage and the right to unionize, resulting in over 100 arrests.
"We
provide job opportunities and training for those entering the
workforce," Thompson added, bringing up McDonald's Chief Operating
Officer Tim Fenton as an example, who started as a crew member in 1973
and is planning to retire later this year.
The facts tell a
different story. The average annual salary for fast-food workers is
$18,880, putting a family of three below the poverty line. Glassdoor
reports that McDonald's cashiers and "team members" average hourly pay
of around $7.75.
Meanwhile, a 2013 report by the National
Employment Law Project found that nearly 90 percent of fast food
employees, or 3.6 million Americans, hold low wage, non-technical and
non-managerial positions. In the general economy, in which managerial or
professional positions make up about a third of all jobs, low-paying,
entry-level jobs can realistically lead to better paying positions, as
there is more room for upward mobility. However, the skewed ratio of
low-level workers to managers and executives within the fast food
industry means the chances of moving up the ladder for an entry-level
employee are slim.
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