Chipotle Is Increasing Its Wages To Average $15 An Hour

https://www.forbes.com/sites/aliciakelso/2021/05/10/chipotle-is-increasing-its-wages-to-average-15-an-hour/


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Chipotle to Hike Wages, Debut Referral Bonuses in Attempt to Hire 20,000 Workers – NBC Connecticut

https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/business/money-report/chipotle-to-hike-wages-debut-referral-bonuses-in-attempt-to-hire-20000-workers/2484235/

Average. Starting wage is still $11, which is only $0.75 above California minimum wage. Is this the new "greenwashing?"

QuoteChipotle already pays an average of $13 an hour and Hartung said it would take a 2% to 3% menu price increase to get to $15

That's interesting. So basically, for each dollar per hour, you increase prices 1%. Frankly, I don't think I would notice a 5% increase.

>Referral Bonuses

There have been a number of local restaurants here that have been pushing $500 or even $1000 hiring bonuses usually paid out after 90 or 120 days of employment. And they are offering matching bonuses for whoever refers the new employees. And they are still having trouble getting people to work.

>I don't think I would notice a 5% increase

Definitely wouldn't notice that. If my $10 meal would now cost $10.50 I wouldn't bat an eyelash.

>MT
>SC

Alabama to end $300 federal unemployment benefit boost

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/may/10/alabama-to-end-300-federal-unemployment-benefit-bo/

<+>

Governor says Mississippi opting out of additional federal unemployment benefits

https://www.wapt.com/article/governor-says-mississippi-opting-out-of-additional-federal-unemployment-benefits/36387129

 = Jobless Recovery

"questioned whether workers have the necessary skills to fill the jobs available. Employers may have embraced new technologies such as AI, robotics, and automation faster than the labor market"

Top economist Mohamed El-Erian warns of a jobless recovery - and recommends investors ride the liquidity wave

https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/mohamed-el-erian-warns-jobless-recovery-investors-hold-stocks-liquidity-2021-5-1030413856

FOX News, Utah: Executive Director for the Salt Lake Area Restaurant Association

"I just think some people have either moved on and there's just not enough people entering the industry as new"

"Remarkably, a lot of people think that it's the unemployment. I personally have not heard that being the case"

Utah restaurants can't find people to hire, and here's why
https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/utah-restaurants-cant-find-people-to-hire-and-heres-why

>"I just think some people have either moved on and there's just not enough people entering the industry as new"

I was reading some interviews with local restaurant owners and most of them all hit on that. Many of their long time employees have moved on and others are hesitant to take jobs not knowing if the restaurant will have to cut capacity if there is a surge in COVID cases, if the restaurant will be around long term, etc.

And everybody knows that working retail sucks.

And food service work is the lowest-of-the-low within retail.

Another wrinkle.
- our county had a revenue collapse so offered an early retirement package to people. Lots took it. Public Works is now 17 positions short (this is a county of 18,000 so that's a lot).
- neighbor is a 68 yo waiter who had planned to retire at 70. When the restaurant reopened, he didn't want to go back and retired.

I'm sure there are a lot of people who fit that profile. They felt like they were *almost* ready to retire, but not quite. Then the decided that actually, they were ready.

Lack of day care and/or in-person schooling for the kids is holding some back. 

> profile

I think some people have had a chance to reevaluate their job position while laid off and have decided they don't like where they were at pre-covid and are looking at retraining, education or retirement as ergo points out.

> retail

A lot of the public are acting strange, rude, even violent.  It's like the fear and isolation of the lockdown broke a lot of people that were borderline.  I think some retail/food workers might be holding back until the crazies get filtered out.

^{Mom & Pops gonna hurt.}

Desperate for workers, US restaurants and stores raise pay | The Fresno Bee
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/article251394598.html#storylink=mainstage_card

At least 19 Republican-led states are ending increased unemployment benefits as governors say businesses need workers - CBS News

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/unemployment-benefits-states-end-federal-aid/

"Roughly 70% of the more than 4,000 respondents felt covid-19 would have a negative long-term impact on the industry, while 65% said they felt the industry failed to protect its employees as well as other sectors," according to FAU. "Respondents said employers were too quick to fire or furlough them and that employers cared more about stock value than the workers themselves," it added.

More than one-third said they planned to look for alternative jobs in other industries, while entry-level workers were especially disenchanted and looking to switch careers, the poll showed.

"The results of this poll clearly indicate that employees now are fed up and are looking at moving on to other industries. That's a huge concern,"



Fed up and moving on, hospitality industry survey reveals ugly truth behind job numbers

https://www.univision.com/univision-news/money/fed-up-and-moving-on-hospitality-industry-survey-reveals-truth-behind-job-numbers

QuoteOne couple described working for one of the luxury brand hotels for 31 years, before being terminated on the same day, without warning, via an impersonal email.

Confirmed. My former employer essentially ghosted everyone, even upper management. Almost no communication and that very impersonal. A huge amount of employee loyalty evaporated over the course of Covid. My office mate and my boss both left hospitality entirely. The head of food and beverage moved to a small winery that opened a small restaurant. They all seem way happier. I don't think they could get any of those three back at any salary. Combined, they had roughly 65 years of experience in hospitality management.

That loss of experience really shows up when you have a crisis, but in general there will be a lot more rough edges in hospitality for years to come I think.

Worker pay rises strongly as businesses fight to fill jobs | PBS NewsHour
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/worker-pay-rises-strongly-as-businesses-fight-to-fill-jobs