Banking ridiculousness

I noticed two charges on my bank statement yesterday. I go to the bank, where my bank manager knows me really well now. In fact, he knows my whole back story and I don't need to tell him anything or show him proof of ID or any of that nonsense.

They charged me $12 because I didn't maintain a daily minimum of $1,500 in my account or pay $25 in general bank charges or deposit a minimum of $500 a month (apparently, as my pay was sent via wire transfer, it didn't count as a deposit). The other way I would have avoided the $12 fee was to have savings of at least $15,000!

The second charge was $15 to receive the wire transfer. It's incredible that banks charge so much money for basic services. They still charge when you use other banks' cash machines, for instance. Is it not enough that they make money from holding our money; from charging us interest; and from penalising us for making late payments?

In fairness to my bank manager, he did waive my $12 charge, but would he have done the same for someone on minimum wage, struggling on a daily basis? Mine was a blip, he said, so let it slide. Yesterday, fast food workers demonstrated in Union Square against the rate of minimum pay in this country. Supersize our wages!

In a city where a bottle of run-of-the-mill body wash can cost $10, how can someone survive on $11,000 a year? I remember reading about fast food workers being sent home during quiet periods. They are expected to be on call, ready, waiting, to earn minimum wage, as contracted workers without protection.

I count my lucky stars every day that a bank manager will look at me and be happy to waive fees as he knows I'll be good for it. I also thank my 'posh, respectable' English accent. Life is such a lottery.