Free market develops solution to unskilled fast food workers demanding exorbitant wages

Friday, November 27, 2015 by: J. D. Heyes
Tags: fast food workers, minimum wage, free market

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(NaturalNews) The controversial debate over what low-skilled workers in the fast food industry and others should be earning was never really going to be decided by socialist, Left-wing academics, union chiefs and politicians egging on recent wage-hike protests and movements like "Fight for $15."

It was always going to be decided by the shop owners and restaurateurs who pay the bills. In other words, there was always going to be a free market solution to this "problem," even if shop owners and restaurateurs were eventually forced to pay unreasonably high wages to people who don't have the skill set to earn them.

As I noted in this Sept. 2014 article, the problem with demanding too much money for the job you are doing is that, eventually, business owners who are forced to pay you more than you're worth will either get rid of you or find a way to replace you with a less-expensive alternative.

Enter technology, which will affect fast-food workers in particular – though they, and those who are pushing them to demand more money, appear oblivious to it.

Fast food workers, meet your replacement

As reported by Zero Hedge on Nov. 10:

Today, U.S. fast-food workers will strike across 270 cities in a protest for higher wages and union rights that they hope will catch the attention of candidates in 2016 elections, organizers said.

The walkouts will be followed by protests in 500 cities by low-wage workers in such sectors as fast food and home and child care, a statement by organizers of the Fight for $15 campaign said on Monday.

The protests and strikes are aimed at gaining candidates' support heading into the 2016 election for a minimum wage of $15 an hour and union rights, it said.

The strikes and protests will include workers from McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King , KFC and other restaurants, the statement said.

You can be sympathetic to the cause of those battling low wages, and judging by some polls which indicate that most Americans support raising the minimum wage, many are, though they likely don't support the $15 minimum wage being demanded. But forcing businesses to pay employees more than they can afford or more than the employee is worth causes business owners to make decisions that will improve their bottom line so they don't have to close their doors (and then everybody loses).

One way that is happening is through the development and adoption of new technology. And in the fast-food world of burger-flipping and menu preparation, a major breakthrough has just occurred.

As Zero Hedge noted, that breakthrough is Momentum Machines, a robotics company whose technology "can produce an ever-growing list of common choices like salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, and many other multi-ingredient foods with a gourmet focus," the company website said.

A recent Bank of America report discussed how robotics is going to reshape the world, and that transformation will be led by tech and robotics start-ups like Momentum Machines, which is out to fully automate the process of burger-making and fast-food prep with the goal of replacing human workers.

'It's meant to obviate them'

The company's robotic machine "can shape burgers from ground meat, grill them to order with the specified amount of char, toast buns, add tomatoes, onions, pickles, and finally place it on a conveyor belt," Zero Hedge reported.

The machine occupies 24 square feet and is much smaller and more efficient than many current assembly line fast food processes. And the machine provides "gourmet cooking methods never before used in a fast food restaurant," even placing the completed hamburger into a bag.

And all without any attitude, any back talk, fuss or loose hairs. Plus, the machine never needs or takes a day off, does not require Obamacare-mandated health insurance, will never get sick (though presumably it could break down) or come to work hung-over and useless.

As to its real intent, fast-food workers take heed. The company's co-founder, Alexandros Vardakostas, told the site Xconomy, "Our device isn't meant to make employees more efficient. It's meant to completely obviate them."

Sources:

NaturalNews.com

TheHill.com

MomentumMachines.com

Xconomy.com

ZeroHedge.com