The president of McDonald's USA is sick of all you plebs wanting to make a livable wage. How DARE you! In an open letter, Joe Erlinger addressed the fast-food law that California lawmakers passed that he said would make it "all but impossible to run small business restaurants." Poor Joe. He only made $7.4 million last year, and you greedy poors want 22 whole dollars per hour.
Business Insider reports:
AB 257, dubbed the FAST Act, signed into law last year, could raise hourly restaurant wages to $22 an hour in the state. The open letter was published after the state approved a referendum backed by fast-food chains that would put the law up for a vote in November 2024. The law was previously set to be enforced on January 1. But until the vote, state officials can't implement the law.
The open letter was titled, "California keeps looking for ways to raise prices, drive away more businesses and destroy growth through bad policy and bad politics," even though a person can't live on $22 an hour in California.
In the letter, Erlanger noted that the company wasn't against increasing the minimum wage. "Let me be clear: we support legislation that leads to meaningful improvements in our communities, including responsible increases to the minimum wage. Our business does well when our employees and our communities do well," he said.
"Whether you're a lawmaker, a business owner or leader, or an everyday voter, one thing is clear: California has become a dramatic case study of putting bad politics over good policy," Erlinger said. According to financial disclosures, Erlinger made about $7.4 million in salary, stock options, and other compensation from McDonald's in 2021, the latest year complete compensation history is available.
Prepare for a strike, Mr. Fancy Pants:
Fast-food workers across California said they plan to strike Thursday and Friday to protest chain support of the referendum to overturn the FAST Act.
"California voters are about to teach them an expensive lesson: no corporation is more powerful than half a million workers joining together to demand a seat at the table," Henry said in response to the referendum. "As California fast-food workers defend this landmark law and assert their voice, SEIU is absolutely committed to standing with them in their fight."
I picture him twirling his mustache while smoking a cigar while he wrote his letter. Oh, and a monocle. I'm sure he was wearing one of those, too, as he penned his letter to complain about the hard-working commoners wanting to eat and pay their bills.
