Thousands queue for McJobs in US

Huge queues outside restaurants across America after fast food chain offers 50,000 posts The positions on offer may be derided as McJobs but that did not stop thousands of people across the US queuing outside branches of McDonald’s in the hope of landing one of 50,000 posts being offered by the fast food chain. With the country still recovering from recession and unemployment running at close to 9% applicants flocked . The hiring event has been interpreted by industry experts an attempt by the company to improve the image of working there and to highlight its contribution to the US economy, as McDonald’s branches would usually hire staff for the summer at this time of year anyway. The fast food chain says more than $41.5m (£25.4m) will be invested in training the company’s new workforce and the addition of 50,000 potential workers translates into $54m more in payroll taxes contributed to the economy. The company has fought unsuccessfully to have the term McJob removed from the Oxford English dictionary, where it is defined as “an unstimulating, low-paid job with few prospects”. Jan Fields, president of McDonald’s USA said the event was “an opportunity to invite more people across the country to join our team, and learn that a McJob is one with career growth and endless possibilities”. Fields began her career with McDonald’s in an entry level restaurant position. As about 90% of branches are franchises, the company does not control wages but it claims most of its jobs pay more than the minimum wage, which is $7.25 an hour and managers make between $32,000 and $50,000 a year. The fast food chain held its first one-day hiring blitz in Texas three years ago and its success prompted the company to roll it out nationwide. On Tuesday, it was offering both full and part-time positions in close to 14,000 US restaurants. Hundreds of people flocked to branches in Michigan, the Detroit News reported . With the unemployment rate in Michigan at 10.3% – above the national average – the Detroit News said older, unemployed job-hunters were competing with teenagers for the 2,200 jobs across the state. While jobs at McDonalds and other fast food chains were once seen as the preserve of teenagers entering the job market, or students working part-time while still at school, the US recession has contributed to an increase in the average age of a fast food worker to 29.5, up from 22 in 2000. Jimmie Anderson, 50, told the Houston Chronicle : “I need a job to help make ends meet.” At a branch in Cleveland, Ohio, the event was marred by a brawl between jobseekers in the car park, which left three people injured. Two women fought with each other inside a car causing it to jolt into reverse, ploughing into bystanders . McDonald’s Food & drink industry US unemployment and employment data Global recession Global economy United States Haroon Siddique guardian.co.uk

Posted by on April 20, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.