Typical debate about this protest about fast food wages.

[NJCardFan]

So they work in restaurants because they are stupid. They try to organize because they are stupid. Well gee, Rob, what do they have to do to be as smart as you and NJ? Get a government job?

Stop flapping your gums and go do what I do. Never mind. You'd be fired in a week for sucking an inmates cock.

[DumbAss Tanker]

I have heard that they even tell you what kind of job you are allowed to have.

It's not exactly that bad, but between the ages of about 10 and 14, a series of tests determines whether a kid is going to an academic high school and on to a career in the professions, or to a more vocational-type high school in an entirely different location to enter the trades; university education, depending on academic record, is available at nominal cost to the graduates of the academic high schools. There are some substantial differences in the way the university education works as well.

However, there are also a lot of cultural differences that make comparisons difficult, for instance being wait staff in a sit-down restaurant is traditionally a career job in Germany, not a starter job for kids like it is here, where either an American high school dropout or astrophysics student might just as easily take the minimum wage (Or less) job for a year or two, then move on to something better.

It's not a system that's accommodating to late bloomers, for sure, but on the other hand there is a huge social safety net that keeps failure or nonselection for the academic track from being the life-ruining disaster that Americans imagine when they try to picture the same kind of student sorting applied here.

At least in my own experience, and perhaps ironically, the Germans are somewhat less class-conscious and snooty about looking down on blue collar work and workers than Americans are.

[RobJohnson]

Max officer(10 steps) makes $83,000 which is about $40 an hour. I'm at step 5(should be at step 6) and make $70K..

That is in line with law enforcement in my county. In Las Vegas it is not uncommon to find firefighters, EMTs and law enforcement that make over 200k a year due to years of service and overtime.

We do have a privately run prison operated by CCA. They start at 24.75 an hour and have the opportunity to advance. They follow prevailing wage rules.

We have heavy equipment operators making $39 an hour as they build our new roads and highways. Construction jobs are not as easy to get right now but several of the guys and gals are still working.

Here you go, Nova: http://transparentnevada.com/salarie...ce-department/

[Novaheart]

Wrong, nimrod. "Most employees" might not get a shank stuck in their necks at any given time and with this new health insurance policy coupled with the governor squashing our insurance that allowed us to be paid our regular salary if we were to, you know, get beaten to a pulp by a gang of inmates or stabbed in the neck with the aforementioned shank which is now being treated the same as a secretary slipping on an icy sidewalk, our situation is unique to your run in the mill employee.

A security guard makes $10/hr. Your salary is higher because your job carries certain risks. That doesn't alter the fact that the employee contribution you spoke of is typical for any worker in a large plan (government or corporate).

[Novaheart]

Stop flapping your gums and go do what I do. Never mind. You'd be fired in a week for sucking an inmates cock.

Does your wife know about this?

[Novaheart]

However, there are also a lot of cultural differences that make comparisons difficult, for instance being wait staff in a sit-down restaurant is traditionally a career job in Germany, not a starter job for kids like it is here,

It's a career at better restaurants and union houses in the US. When I worked at Joe's (a union restaurant) in SF, there were waiters there who had supported families, bought a house, put a kid through college on their income. We made very good money, had good pay and benefits, and the prices were the same as nonunion restaurants. The owner lived in a very nice house in an exclusive neighborhood so he wasn't hurting on the deal either.

[txradioguy]

It's a career at better restaurants and union houses in the US. When I worked at Joe's (a union restaurant) in SF, there were waiters there who had supported families, bought a house, put a kid through college on their income. We made very good money, had good pay and benefits, and the prices were the same as nonunion restaurants. The owner lived in a very nice house in an exclusive neighborhood so he wasn't hurting on the deal either.

Cool story bro...

[ReinMan]

...At least in my own experience, and perhaps ironically, the Germans are somewhat less class-conscious and snooty about looking down on blue collar work and workers than Americans are.

There's also the fact that 'blue collar' is different in German companies that it is here...at least in the auto industry.

Much more is expected of a Mercedes-Benz line worker, both here (Vance, AL) and in Germany, than was expected of a typical US auto company assembly operator. I say was, because the bar is being raised.

A two-year degree is quickly becoming the minimum standard to get any kind of assembly line work, because workers are now expected to contribute to the process of problem-solving, error-proofing, and line efficiency.

Also, in Germany, it's entirely likely that a trade or vocational school that students are being funneled to is owned by the company that they will eventually work for...

[Novaheart]

There's also the fact that 'blue collar' is different in German companies that it is here...at least in the auto industry.

Much more is expected of a Mercedes-Benz line worker, both here (Vance, AL) and in Germany, than was expected of a typical US auto company assembly operator. I say was, because the bar is being raised.

A two-year degree is quickly becoming the minimum standard to get any kind of assembly line work, because workers are now expected to contribute to the process of problem-solving, error-proofing, and line efficiency.

Also, in Germany, it's entirely likely that a trade or vocational school that students are being funneled to is owned by the company that they will eventually work for...

My mom had a Mercedes, the maintenance was pretty expensive. I'll stick with an American built Toyota.

[Novaheart]

Cool story bro...

When I started to organize a chain restaurant, the objection which surprised me was this one. Some of my co-workers said that they didn't want to be unionized because "If we're union then we can't be late, or leave early, and the rules are strict." Seriously, their complaint was that if we went union then they would have to be good employees (and earn the additional pay and benefits). That's sad. I've never understood people who would rather make less than do a good job.