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JonLP24

(29,322 posts)
80. Bingo
Wed Oct 29, 2014, 01:26 PM
Oct 2014

Many American economists and business groups say the comparison is deeply flawed because of fundamental differences between Denmark and the United States, including Denmark’s high living costs and taxes, a generous social safety net that includes universal health care and a collective bargaining system in which employer associations and unions work together. The fast-food restaurants here are also less profitable than their American counterparts.

“Trying to compare the business and labor practices in Denmark and the U.S. is like comparing apples to autos,” said Steve Caldeira, president of the International Franchise Association, a group based in Washington that promotes franchising and has many fast-food companies as members.

“Denmark is a small country” with a far higher cost of living, Mr. Caldeira said. “Unions dominate, and the employment system revolves around that fact.”

But as Denmark illustrates, companies have managed to adapt in countries that demand a living wage, and economists like Mr. Schmitt see it as a possible model.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/28/business/international/living-wages-served-in-denmark-fast-food-restaurants.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

The reason why the pay isn't like that in the US because they can easily replace an employee -- (I actually know a Jack-the-Box employee who routinely doesn't show up was fired and rehired a few times -- she has been with them awhile and knows managers here or there but she justifies it by saying "they need me" if that was the case, I'd negotiate for higher wages (I don't know if she still works there but often times she isn't there when I visit her roommate) -- at that wage offer.

Certainly radically different factors come into play.

No. They are civilized. immoderate Oct 2014 #1
^^^THIS^^^ valerief Oct 2014 #4
Point and match. hifiguy Oct 2014 #15
Nah, 'cause people might make actual money shenmue Oct 2014 #2
Funny thing with conservatives or corporatist types Populist_Prole Oct 2014 #29
Nice! Having only 5.5 million in the country is yeoman6987 Oct 2014 #3
How so? Fewer customers? immoderate Oct 2014 #5
There are 16 McDonalds per million Danes, and 45 McDonalds per million Americans Recursion Oct 2014 #57
We have to strike a balance somewhere, I suppose. nomorenomore08 Oct 2014 #64
How is it then, that states with higher minimum wages have lower unemployment? immoderate Oct 2014 #66
Because those states are generally run by Democrats Recursion Oct 2014 #67
You're correct in evaluating it from a case-by-case basis JonLP24 Oct 2014 #82
That's what the head of the International Franchising Association said, but that does not make it pampango Oct 2014 #6
Excellent points but finishes with the flawed Big Mac example JonLP24 Oct 2014 #85
What does that have to do with anything? Kingofalldems Oct 2014 #13
It's the standard excuse for not paying people or taking public transportation seriously. tenderfoot Oct 2014 #28
So it's a republican talking point? Kingofalldems Oct 2014 #30
Perhaps not exclusively to Republicans tenderfoot Oct 2014 #56
So well put. immoderate Oct 2014 #71
And it's happening R.Quinn Oct 2014 #7
because they are all unionized, and that is even more interesting. bettyellen Oct 2014 #8
Denmark does have a minimum wage of $20/hr in practice. SunSeeker Oct 2014 #10
That is not at all the same R.Quinn Oct 2014 #11
What other industries in Denmark pay less than $20/hr? SunSeeker Oct 2014 #12
Your source says "average", R.Quinn Oct 2014 #14
And all I'm saying is universal CBAs act as minimum wage laws in practice. SunSeeker Oct 2014 #17
Yes. R.Quinn Oct 2014 #19
That is quite possibly the dumbest thing I've ever read on DU. JaneyVee Oct 2014 #20
Thanks for your reply. R.Quinn Oct 2014 #21
First, who sets the wage value of labor? Lets start there. JaneyVee Oct 2014 #22
Alrighty. R.Quinn Oct 2014 #23
The market isn't a living breathing entity... JaneyVee Oct 2014 #31
I don't think your first question makes sense. R.Quinn Oct 2014 #33
I can't even believe I'm having this debate. JaneyVee Oct 2014 #34
I answered your question R.Quinn Oct 2014 #35
We're talking minimum wage, not 6 figures. JaneyVee Oct 2014 #46
People in a First World country should not be paid starvation wages. Period. nomorenomore08 Oct 2014 #38
Honestly, I can appreciate your sentiment. R.Quinn Oct 2014 #45
Doctors in hospitals are wage earners, they don't... JaneyVee Oct 2014 #47
It's not about six figures, specifically. R.Quinn Oct 2014 #48
My brain can't even comprehend that nonsense. JaneyVee Oct 2014 #51
The fact you failed to mention R.Quinn Oct 2014 #87
The point is that *no one* should work 40 hours a week and not be able to feed themselves. nomorenomore08 Oct 2014 #54
Education and job training are never going to be the answer Recursion Oct 2014 #58
There is some truth to the supply and demand model, but it's far more complicated than most nomorenomore08 Oct 2014 #60
I don't think anybody seriously doubts the price signal Recursion Oct 2014 #61
Yep. If there were no truly no need for a minimum wage, then our wages would look more like Denmark. nomorenomore08 Oct 2014 #62
All I know is that the libertarian "free market" ideal leads almost inevitably to massive inequality nomorenomore08 Oct 2014 #49
Good grief. Where do I begin? SunSeeker Oct 2014 #65
I get that you're pessimistic. R.Quinn Oct 2014 #78
I am not being "pessimistic. " It's reality, unlike your level playing field fairy tale. SunSeeker Oct 2014 #88
Don't pretend you know me. R.Quinn Oct 2014 #90
Libertarians are Republicans who want to smoke pot. SunSeeker Oct 2014 #91
enjoy your stay PowerToThePeople Oct 2014 #73
If you're going to tell me that all discussions between employer and employee to be.... daleanime Oct 2014 #81
i'm sure their society will completely collapse any moment now........ Takket Oct 2014 #9
So highly paid workers equals hifiguy Oct 2014 #16
Every single job should pay a living wage. topological Oct 2014 #18
Including the sno-cone stand the teenager works at over the summer? (nt) Recursion Oct 2014 #59
I pay my 16-year-old babysitter $15/hour. SunSeeker Oct 2014 #70
I used to pay babysitters $10./hour back in the 1990's in MO and NE mnhtnbb Oct 2014 #72
"If they are making snow cones the same as a 40-year-old does, Lonusca Oct 2014 #77
I believe in equal pay for equal work. SunSeeker Oct 2014 #86
Any full-time position, yes. topological Oct 2014 #79
It would, if things had kept in sync with inflation... Helen Borg Oct 2014 #24
Pity the poor shareholders. moondust Oct 2014 #25
I'll always remember this rich Swede getting interviewed... SunSeeker Oct 2014 #69
It could happen here if all workers get unionized. Cleita Oct 2014 #26
I heard this story on the radio. It was explained that the Danish fast food workers had a union and Louisiana1976 Oct 2014 #27
Well UglyGreed Oct 2014 #32
I wonder if Denmark PasadenaTrudy Oct 2014 #36
I would check it UglyGreed Oct 2014 #83
If one of my parents PasadenaTrudy Oct 2014 #84
A coke in a fast food place there will COLGATE4 Oct 2014 #37
This message was self-deleted by its author scarystuffyo Oct 2014 #40
I googled for a price list in a McDonalds for Demark scarystuffyo Oct 2014 #41
Paid them myself in Copenhagen airport COLGATE4 Oct 2014 #42
thanks scarystuffyo Oct 2014 #43
You're always going to pay absurd prices at an airport Recursion Oct 2014 #55
A Big Mac in the US averages $4.80, in Denmark it averages sir pball Oct 2014 #50
The only that would ever happen is everybody would have to walk out scarystuffyo Oct 2014 #39
That's what 3-4% unemployment and a solid education system will do for you. FBaggins Oct 2014 #44
Denmark's unemployment is higher than ours. It's at 6.7% (nt) Recursion Oct 2014 #53
Lucky for those unemployed that they have a better safety net than we do. stillwaiting Oct 2014 #75
I like this idea…. midnight Oct 2014 #52
I don't know about $20 for flipping burgers jamzrockz Oct 2014 #63
Any increase of that magnitude would be implemented gradually. SunSeeker Oct 2014 #68
I think it's important to look at how expensive it is to live in Denmark. stillwaiting Oct 2014 #76
What terrible results do you fear if full-time workers didn't live in poverty? bhikkhu Oct 2014 #89
Any job that can't pay a living wage isn't worth doing. hunter Oct 2014 #74
Bingo JonLP24 Oct 2014 #80
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Fast food jobs in Denmark...»Reply #80