Should Fast Food Workers Earn $15 an Hour? Readers Weigh In

The story which generated the most comments this week on Ballwin-Ellisville Patch by a large margin was Tuesday's story about the national wave of fast food employee protests the latest of which came to the Wendy's on Manchester Road in Ballwin.

Employee Cinammon Tigner told Patch she loves her job there, but described it as "modern-day slavery." Other fast food workers walked off the job in East St. Louis and joined a coal mining protest in Creve Coeur as part of a push for an increased hourly wage and the right to organize.

While one reader supported the workers efforts to get a "fair working wage," the majority of the readers thus far have suggested that those workers shouldn't expect to build a career off of fast food wages and that if wages were raised, there would be other consequences.

"...raising this wage would eliminate jobs. Instead of one person to run the fryolater and one to operate the grill, they will have one person do both jobs. Those that have the jobs will be terribly overworked and more kids, who would like to have an entry level job where they can learn the responsibility that goes with having a job, will not be able to get one," wrote Anne Gassel. "Intending to support a family on these kinds of jobs is like trying to pull a semi trailer with a chevy volt," she said.

"Don't enjoy your job or pay, can't get a promotion then change jobs. I was so glad to have my first job and get paid that "low" wage. Then I promoted myself into a career field that pays a lot better," said Jason Oglesby. 

Tell us what you think. Add your comments to the debate.