Age: 20
Occupation: buyout firm
Last Seen: Atlanta, GA (surprise!)
Bee-otched For: slavery (no surprise)
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In 1943, Russian author Ayn Rand released a book called "The Fountainhead".
In the book, its protagonist refuses to compromise and help out what he calls "second handers". His name was Howard Roark.
Several years ago, a group of investors started Roark Capital and now, they own a ton of companies: Anytime Fitness, Batteries Plus Bulbs, Meineke, Massage Envy, Orangetheory Fitness and ServiceMaster. However, the company's best-known assets are their restaurants.
Roark owns several companies that own some well-known brands. Through their CKE division, they own Carl's Jr., Hardee's and Green Burrito and Red Burrito. Their Focus Brands own mall staple Auntie Anne's, Carvel, Cinnabon, Jamba, McAlister's Deli, Moe's Southwest Grill and Schlotzky's Deli. Through Inspire Brands, Roark owns Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic, Jimmy John's, Rusty Taco, Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins.
Roark is also an investor in The Cheesecake Factory and Wisconsin-based Culver's, which that family still owns a majority stake in that chain.
Recently, Roark's Inspire Brands division released a statement to their employees and franchisees bragging that they helped to remove the edict in President Biden's Rescue Plan that would have raised the minimum wage to $15 per hour. The company also proclaimed about their work to eliminate union representation.
One of Roark's companies, Dunkin's now-former CEO Nigel Travis proclaimed that a $15 per hour wage would be preposterous, though his wages were $4,000 per hour in 2015.
According to a government report, many of Roark's restaurants' employees are among the highest percentage of food stamp earners in America. However, Roark and their restaurants made $26 billion last year.
It's no secret that the fast food industry is one of the most-essential in the world, though their workers generally get paid so low that they live on food stamps. Many fast food restaurants have closed either temporarily or even permanently because of staffing issues caused by low wages. Here in my neck of Grand Rapids, my local Steak 'n Shake has been closed for over a year due to problems with staffing and franchising. Too many times I've been to my local Burger Kings, employees have been rude to me or they don't get my order right. Another local chain, Checkers, has had their location at 28th and East Paris closed for months, claiming that they will be "opening soon". It goes on and on.
The point is, is that in other countries like Australia, the minimum wage is a living wage. A McDonald's there pays way more than a Mickey D's here. People who get paid well and are treated well will give you a quality product, time after time. Obviously, you don't hear the mainstream media talking about this because many of Roark's subsidiaries are BIG TV advertisers.
Twenty-five years ago, there was a popular radio morning show host at WKLT in Traverse City named Tim Murphy. During his show, he talked about the poor service he got at Arby's. He bitched about them being rude and serving him cold food. After his show ended, he was called to the general manager's office. He was fired. Why? Because at the same time, Arby's bought a package of air time on the station... For a mere $200. Murph was the #2 radio host in northern Michigan and this is the thanks he got.
Sadly, the only way to give fast food chains that pay their employees shit wages is to boycott them altogether. If you go somewhere and they treat you like shit, let people know so they can avoid them, too. If you own a business and you treat your employees like shit, people will know, plain and simple. If your company rakes in BILLIONS per year and you can't pay your employees, I hope you close.
"Second handers" are the life blood of the economy, not the wealthy.
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