Fast Food CEO Blames Low-Wage Workers for Poverty
http://www.thenation.com/article/211081/fast-food-ceo-blames-low-wage-workers-poverty
Being a low-income American comes from being paid a low income.
It seems like a basic point, but its one Andy Puzder needs to review. Puzder is CEO of CKE Restaurants, Inc., which employs more than 20,000 people and worldwide owns, operates, and franchises more than 3,300 fast food restaurants, including Hardees and Carls Jr.
In a recent op-ed, Puzder made the specious claim that the social safety net can lock [people] into poverty.
He argues that these programs have the unintended consequence of discouraging work rather than encouraging independence, self-reliance and pride, and that, because of government assistance, his low-wage employees across the United States are refusing promotions and additional hours for fear of losing public assistance.
What Puzder forgets to point out is that it is poverty wagespoverty wages paid by institutions like Hardees and Carls Jr. to many of their 20,000-plus employees that force families to turn to nutrition and housing assistance, and other government-supplemented work supports, just to get by.