I would love to pitch in a few thoughts.

Currently I work at a pizza chain that is expanding rapidly. They plan to open three near stores per year, and they just opened their twelfth. They have even started broadcasting TV commercials. I am a delivery driver.

Upon being hired, I was told I would be getting minimum wage (7.76 in this state), 1.25 per delivery, and, of course, tips. However, for the first two weeks of training we were delivering free pizzas for marketing purposes to bars, hotels, and other businesses. Hence, no tips. Also, they refused to pay me per delivery, because "it's the training period." I told my manager quite pointedly, "You realize you are paying me sub-poverty wages, right?" He said he was just doing his job and it was out of his control. I knew it was bullshit.

They held a Yelp party. I wanted to picket it. I knew that with that sort of publicity, I could at least get them to give in to a simple request: I want a living wage. If not, there would be some very negative Yelp reviews (how embarrassing to have a worker outside picketing), which for a new store would be detrimental. I chose the morally utilitarian route for my immediate coworkers and chose note to protest. In the meantime, I already had to sell some of my items to pay for gas. I can't imagine what I'll have to do to make rent. My student loans? There's no way I can start paying those. I wonder if my co-workers are in the same situation.

I just graduated college in June. I have no savings, but I have dreams, ideas, and a degree in Linguistics. I am well educated, bilingual in Spanish, I know a few other languages, and have a good grasp of history. No one will give me a fucking chance.

If this keeps happening, if (more or less) specialized people like myself can't thrive here, there will be a flight of young Americans and intellectuals. I know I'm not alone.