On Saturday, February 13, The Chicago Tribune had an article on McDonald’s new products that will hit stores in the summer. Their new products are Frappuccinos and fruit smoothies. As of right now, they are promoting these products to the people at the Vancouver Winter Olympics. McDonald’s is trying to draw in new customers outside of the traditional breakfast, lunch, and dinner mealtimes. The frappes will cost $2.29, $2.79, and $3.29 for each of the sizes. Those prices are considerably lower than the cost of Frappuccinos at Starbucks. They are also competitions with Jamba Juice on their smoothies.
Karl Marx states that with an increase to production there is a decrease in wages. He argues that capitalists, when following their self-interest, exploit their workers. What I mean by self-interest is gaining profits and beating out their competition. McDonald’s is trying to eat away at Starbucks and Jamba Juice’s profits. The company is doing this at the expense of their workers. They only pay them minimum wage, and now, they are going to have to do more work then before. Karl Marx would state that the company is dividing the labor, making the wage so low.
These workers are not being paid for the value of their work, but their time. As I stated earlier they have to do more work for the same wage. Not only do the workers have to serve their normal products of hamburgers, fries, ice cream, etc; now they have to serve extra drinks. The company is reaping all the benefits, while the workers are not. What Marx would say is to give the workers some of their value back. Marx states that under capitalism, people become estranged from their product, activity, and themselves. If the value is given back to the worker, it can restore their dignity back and become more human.
Karl Marx states that with an increase to production there is a decrease in wages. He argues that capitalists, when following their self-interest, exploit their workers. What I mean by self-interest is gaining profits and beating out their competition. McDonald’s is trying to eat away at Starbucks and Jamba Juice’s profits. The company is doing this at the expense of their workers. They only pay them minimum wage, and now, they are going to have to do more work then before. Karl Marx would state that the company is dividing the labor, making the wage so low.
These workers are not being paid for the value of their work, but their time. As I stated earlier they have to do more work for the same wage. Not only do the workers have to serve their normal products of hamburgers, fries, ice cream, etc; now they have to serve extra drinks. The company is reaping all the benefits, while the workers are not. What Marx would say is to give the workers some of their value back. Marx states that under capitalism, people become estranged from their product, activity, and themselves. If the value is given back to the worker, it can restore their dignity back and become more human.
I feel sad and sorry for these McDonald's workers. They are already exploited in their work at McDonald's. These workers have to handle hundreds, if not thousands of customers a day. I don't think it's easy being a McDonald's employee, even though everyone says it is like one of the worst jobs out there. Working at McDonald's already seems like an insult to many people I know. They have to handle so much work and get paid so little for their hard work. And the McDonald's corporation is the one taking in all the profits and continuing to expand its chain all over the world.
ReplyDeleteThese workers definitely deserve to gain their humanity back. I hope these new additions to the menu will not depreciate their work value paid. But McDonald's being the large corporation it is, I think it will be hard to satisfy Marx's point of view on this issue. Afterall, these corporations are only after one thing: profit.
I really liked this article, mainly because I didnt know about the new products McDonalds is adding to their menu. I think its really interesting how you said they are trying to compete with Starbucks on a whole different level with their frappuccinos, although they have already been competing with Starbucks with their premium coffee. I think with McDonalds having their premium coffee the workers have already been over worked with having to make those drinks, and now with these products being added to the menu they are going to be even more over worked. Marx would say the company is being unjust and greedy thinking nothing more but of the surplus they are going to gain. I truly feel bad for these workers, but good article.
ReplyDeleteI really liks this post, Great Points. Your so right, McDonalds is really screwing their employees heavily. In attempts to over sell StarBucks and Jamba Juice, their WORKERS not them are going to have to work harder so that this can happen. Flipping burgers, frying fries, making drinks, dealing with the customers whom im sure can be less than friendly, and now they have to do more and more. Im sure that if McDonalds figured out more ways to make more money they would pile more on the workers without pause. The more unfortunate aspect is that the workers need a job so all they can do is just work in order to live.
ReplyDeleteI would have to say that on one hand I believe that McDonald's is being unfair in satisfying their own self interest to which Marx would not approve. But on the other hand, McDonalds business itself revolves around division of labor in order to crank out high productivity. In this each individual employee does one assigne job i.e cook burgers, cook fries, make the actual burger and so on. This to me in turn gives McDonalds the opportunity to employee more people to make this specific drink. I believe that Marx would approve of hiring more people even at the current rate pay.
ReplyDeleteGreat article!I agree with what you say. I think that this an outrage. I mean these workers are being exploited enough already. Marx would not agree with what is happening here. You also got to look at it in a different view point. Even though their doing this to their workers you have to look at this in a business perspective. The whole goal here for them is to maximize their profits and compete with other businesses and thats what they are trying to do. I also agree with what Debbie said.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you i believe that the workers should be able to see ore benefits or at least a higher pay then just minimum wage. Because they are the ones that are their night and day cooking burgers and fries and now frappucinos. They are their all day standing up with a smile so that Mcdonalds can make millions. So they should at least be treated with respect and get paid at a higher rate. This will never happen because like I have always said companies just care about their pockets and they do not care about their workers because for them workers are a dime a dozen.
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