FOX News host's “six-digit'' wage calculation failure spread online, causing uproar on X

The cost of living and wages in the United States remains a hot topic. I see it mentioned in the news, on social media, and even in conversations with friends. Podcasts are no exception. A few days ago, Fox News host Jesse Watters came under fire online for comments he made on the PBD podcast.

While promoting his new book, Watters talked about the wages of fast food workers. One word in particular It attracted a lot of attention. “If you work at a fast food restaurant and make $20 an hour, is that six figures?” Watters asked, leaving people wondering if he was just terribly tone-deaf or incapable of doing simple math. I thought.

Wages for fast food workers range from $12 to $20 per hour.

Image credit: Fazili Nugroho (not actual photo)

FOX News host Jesse Watters recently came under fire for saying that $20 an hour is the equivalent of “six figures” a year.

Image credit: PBD Podcast

Jesse Watters: “You're good at math, so see if you can do the math in your head. You probably can. If you work at a fast food restaurant and make $20 an hour, you're good to go. Is it 6 digits? Are you making 6 figures? ”

Image credit: PBD Podcast

Patrick Bett David: “No, it's $40,000 a year. ”

Image credit: PBD Podcast

Jesse Watters: “So if your husband or wife is there too, you're making $100,000 as a family. They both work at McDonald's. ”

Image credit: PBD Podcast

“Okay, that's crazy. That's crazy because that job doesn't actually require that much. I mean, the whole labor sector and Happy Meals are bloated.”

Image credit: PBD Podcast

The clip of Watters' gaffe went viral, racking up more than 770,000 views in less than a week.

FOX News' Jesse Watters: “If you work at a fast food restaurant and make $20 an hour…is that six figures?” pic.twitter.com/qe59BWA6je

— The Recount (@therecount) April 11, 2024

Thanks to a new law in 2024, fast food workers will get a minimum hourly wage of $20 in California alone.

Someone in the comments has already done the math for Mr. Watters, so we won't try to correct him. But in the video, Watters claims that $20 an hour is the average pay for fast food workers. In fact, the average salary for fast food workers in the United States is between $12 and $20 per hour. Wages vary depending on what state you are in, what experience you have, and what position you work in.

Fast-food workers have long fought for an industry-wide wage floor. In 2012, fast food workers advocated for a $15 hourly minimum wage in the “Fight for $15” campaign. And it met with some success. Six states and many cities, including San Francisco, New York City, and Seattle, have enacted laws ensuring minimum wages for fast food workers.

Minimum wage laws went into effect in California on April 1st of this year. Since then, the state's minimum wage for fast food workers has been $20 an hour. Ken Jacobs, co-chair of the Labor Center at the University of California, Berkeley, told ABC News that this is a new benchmark. “We got through the struggle with $15, and now $20 is the new target wage.”

By contrast, the minimum wage for all other workers in California is $16 an hour. Experts fear this victory for fast food workers could have a ripple effect. Other employers may have to raise wages as well because they want to retain employees. “Anyone in California making below the new minimum wage in the fast food industry will say, 'I could make more money working at Wendy's or McDonald's or Taco Bell,'” Jacobs explained.

But the law is only good news for some. Non-fast food franchise owners worry they will be overwhelmed and face labor shortages. Alex Johnson, owner of 10 Auntie Anne's Pretzels and Cinnabon restaurants, told AP News how he's already had to lay off some of his office staff. “I try to do the right thing by my employees. I pay them as much as I can. But this law is really hurting our operations,” he said.

Image credit: Visual Karsa (not actual photo)

There are still many stigmas about fast food jobs.

Another comment Watters made that drew criticism was when he implied that fast-food workers make too much money. “The job doesn't really require much,” he said. “That's crazy,” he said of the fact that fast food workers can earn $40,000 a year. “The labor sector is bloated,” Watters said.

Why do we look down on fast food workers so much? Admittedly, this job is not very glamorous. The pay is low, dealing with difficult customers can drive you crazy, and constant standing takes a toll on your legs.

After all, working in a fast food restaurant is a fast-paced environment that requires a lot of physical strain. Customers come and go and lines can form quickly, so employees need to be agile. Indeed warns people looking to start working at fast-food restaurants that they need to make sure they eat and stay hydrated throughout the day, and take breaks to rest and stretch their legs.

Not to mention the entitled and rude customers who always think they know better. Social media is full of examples of fast food workers being disrespected. In 2019, a man was called a “slow person” and a photo of a tired man was posted. popeye worker It was found funny and sparked countless memes.In another video, a person used What happened when an employee fainted in the kitchen.

One McDonald's employee wrote about his experience, explaining that he is sometimes embarrassed to admit that working at a fast food restaurant is his “anchor” job. “Our country is supposed to value hard work, but somehow earning an honest living, even in service work, is being laughed at,” said worker Adriana Gomez Weston.

During the pandemic, fast food restaurant workers were among the essential workers who had to continue working amid the coronavirus outbreak. Millions of people use the service every day because it provides fast, affordable meals. Shouldn't that be at least given some respect?