I've been to three restaurants lately where they were very short on employees. At the last one, a very nice restaurant, the tables were covered with dirty dishes because they had no one to bus them. I found myself with my foot in a chalupa that was under the table (lol), because someone had dropped it and no one was cleaning floor either after other customers left. I hear some restaurant employees are having to take turns doing the dishes, because they can't hire anyone to do it.
So, what is the reason for this shortage of workers? The supplemental unemployment has stopped. Is it because so many people retired? Are people are still afraid of Covid in the workplace? Is it because over 1 million workers have died and left their jobs open? Are people too lazy to work? Is it the salary of these jobs? In my case, I live a few hundred miles from the Mexico border and wonder if some people should be allowed into the US to take these jobs. I really don't want to find my shoe in a Chalupa again!
That industry is one of the hardest hit. The real problem is the low wages. Those workers have been abused forever. Employers can skip minimum wages because tips are factored in. For the amount of work it takes, it’s way better to go to work for McDonalds or WM or Amazon or just about anything else. This is a labor equity situation.
The local IHOP (Highlands Ranch,CO) had a sign in the doorway saying they were sorry, but they had to cut back on hours they were open. Reason: not enough staff, bc (yes, quote): "Joe Biden gave away so much money that no one wants to work."
First, STFU.
Second, maybe hire at more than $15/hr. to become competitive again?
Last, wages have been stagnant for 20+ years. here's been a recent rise, it's only because of rising demand (and, yes, inflation). If there is a silver lining, it will be a reset on CEO salaries and executive bonuses. But I'm not holding my breath.
They left the industry and there is no one to replace them. The waiters I know made 10x the money as Uber Eats drivers. Many of the bussers and kitchen staff was immigrants that could not get unemployment or a stimulus check. In 2020 servers got sick with Covid with no sick days or health insurance. They worked and had to deal with anti maskers . They’re gone. People realized these service jobs weren’t worth the abuse and low pay.