Fast food workers of the world have united behind a global wage strike against the multi-billion dollar industry. The protests for a living wage and better working conditions are a truly global event, spanning 150 US cities and 33 countries.
16 May 2014
In Seattle, Socialist Councilmember Kshama Sawant joined fast food workers at a rally in Westlake Park.
Rally moves to chant outside McDonald's #strikefor15pic.twitter.com/tsNP76T8qG
— CM Kshama Sawant (@cmkshama) May 16, 2014
15 May 2014
In Chicago, striking fast food workers were joined by Walmart workers, a company known for discouraging its employees from joining unions or protesting working conditions. In January, the National Labor Relations Board charged the company with breaking US labor law when it attempted to break up Black Friday protests organized by its workers.
In Chicago #walmartstrikers show their love for #FastFoodGlobal@LowPayIsNotOK@trinatoccopic.twitter.com/WSieUPph5G
— Making Change @ WMT (@ChangeWalmart) May 15, 2014
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) joined protesters in the rain in her district.
.@janschakowsky stopped by our #fastfoodglobal#StrikeFor15 and joined our drum line pic.twitter.com/0CAs1yiSfH
— Fight For 15 (@fightfor15) May 15, 2014
Workers from Subway joined the protest in Kansas City, Mo.
"I'm on strike from Subway because I've got three kids and haven't seen a raise in 2 yrs." Desi #FastFoodGlobal#KCKSpic.twitter.com/XgmlMysFa6
— Stand Up KC (@standup_kc) May 15, 2014
In Rockford, Ill., a worker rallied protesters by telling them they are having an affect on McDonald's bottom line.
Rockford worker "@McDonalds has admitted that our strikes are hurting their pockets" #strikefor15#fastfoodglobalpic.twitter.com/fFK4ULrUGT
— Fight For 15 (@fightfor15) May 15, 2014
Fast food workers in Tennessee were joined by union leaders.
UCW-CWA Vice President Thelma Jean Rimmer & other CWA 3865 members at a fast food workers strike. #FastFoodGlobal#p2pic.twitter.com/TcHGXbnMww
— CWA (@CWAUnion) May 15, 2014
Workers in central London protest outside Whitehall
Protest at #McDonalds, Whitehall, Central London as part of #fastfoodglobal#solidarity@FastfoodRightspic.twitter.com/paNldIzD8t
— Alan Kenny (@alankennyswp) May 15, 2014
Fast food workers from Europe, New Zealand and South America talk about why they are joining the global day of action.
Two workers walk out of a McDonald's in down town Oakland, California.
JJ - #OurWalmart speaks in solidarity with #FastFoodGlobal in Downtown Oakland McDonald's 2 workers just walked out pic.twitter.com/JYXmSTAqh1
— Terri Kay (@TKSFIAC) May 15, 2014
Workers protest outside a Burger King in Atlanta, Georgia.
PLEASE RT: BURGER KING ON NS DRIVE SHUT DOWN DUE TO STRIKE IN ATLANTA #FastFoodGlobalpic.twitter.com/lSoujoMqWb
— Raise Up For 15 (@RaiseUpfor15) May 15, 2014
Workers in Phoenix, Ariz. on strike outside a Burger King
Fight for 15 in Phoenix! #FastFoodGlobalpic.twitter.com/ddroN2DuJz
— Beatriz Lopez (@Beatrizluthor) May 15, 2014
Some of the FastFoodGlobal strikers in Boston, USA.
Some of the #Boston#FastFoodGlobal strikers. <3 pic.twitter.com/cP1oN5KOZW
— Amy (@_greenlove_) May 15, 2014
Fast-Food protests are afoot in San Francisco.
LuchamosPorQuince #FastFoodGlobalpic.twitter.com/leQ1eaoRVf
— CPI (@onlineCPI) May 15, 2014
Fast food workers and supporters protest low wages in Los Angeles.
Organizers are calling on people to sign a petition if they are unable to come out and support employees.
People have gathered outside a McDonald's in Los Angeles, California demanding higher wages for fast-food workers.
Pittsburgh, PA fast food workers standing up for $15 and a union #FastFoodGlobalpic.twitter.com/sAYPCRA8Y2 via @jessdrkn
— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) May 15, 2014
The #FastFoodGlobal STRIKE has gone global! Show your support and RT this. pic.twitter.com/m0PXCjpWKx
— Occupy Wall Street (@OccupyWallStNYC) May 15, 2014
If the CEO can make millions, his employees shouldn't live below the poverty line #FastFoodGlobal#FastFoodStrike
— Teamsters Local 769 (@TLU769) May 15, 2014
Workers striking for higher wages in Boston
Workers in Saint Louis take a page out of the OWS playbook and occupy their McDonald's.
Workers occupying the inside of W Florissant @McDonalds#FastFoodGlobal#showme15pic.twitter.com/UY8Lqg0u1h via @Show_me15#FastFoodStrike
— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) May 15, 2014
@32BJ_SEIU leading chants with #FastFoodGlobal strikers at @McDonalds in Wilmington, DE. #netDEpic.twitter.com/VuLrCSqS3l
— Delaware ADA (@DelawareADA) May 15, 2014
Fast food workers strike for higher wages http://t.co/S8Zv02oXEh#FastFoodGlobal#FastFoodStrikepic.twitter.com/4LIMbqamKg
— 10 News (@WTSP10News) May 15, 2014
All over twitter, people are writing that “no one deserves $15 dollars an hour a day to work fast food”, “if you want to strike, someone else will be happy to take your job”, or “entry level jobs aren’t meant to be a career.”
In a 2012 report, the National Employment Law Project discussed how the “why don’t you just quit” mantra doesn’t hack it in today’s economy.
Following the 2007-2008 global financial crisis, “the lower-wage occupations that grew the most during the recovery include retail salespersons, food preparation workers, laborers and freight workers, waiters and waitresses, personal and home care aides, and office clerks and customer representatives.”
Since the first quarter of 2001, employment has grown by 8.7 percent in lower-wage occupations and by 6.6 percent in higher-wage occupations.
By contrast, employment in mid-wage occupations has fallen by 7.3.
“In short, America’s good jobs deficit continues.”
Pittsburgh, PA fast food workers standing up for $15 and a union #FastFoodGlobalpic.twitter.com/sAYPCRA8Y2 via @jessdrkn
— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) May 15, 2014
Freelance journalist is live tweeting out of Oakland, where the increased police presence is most likely reflective of past Occupy Oakland demonstrations, which were marred by violence.
Arriving at Jack in the Box where cops are stationed at doors #FastFoodGlobal#Oaklandpic.twitter.com/l2X13aPrrj
— Julia Wong (@juliacarriew) May 15, 2014
Workers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin aren't going to let a little bit of weather rain on their protest!
Ain't scared of no rain, let it pour. We're out here cause we're worth more! #FastFoodGlobal#wistrikepic.twitter.com/nu43w7CVvV
— Raise Up Milwaukee (@RaiseUpMKE) May 15, 2014
Dancing for a higher wage!
There are 13 police vehicles in the parking lot across from the McDonald's #FastFoodGlobal#Oaklandpic.twitter.com/UFnBkPYWdl
— Julia Wong (@juliacarriew) May 15, 2014
“The average fast food worker isn’t a teenager. It’s me: a hard-working mom who just wants an honest shot at providing her family with a middle-class life,” Arisleyda Tapia, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic who has worked at McDonalds for more than 7 years without a raise, wrote for the New York Daily News.
“But that’s impossible, so long as large, profitable corporations like McDonald’s and Wendy’s are allowed to pay people like me so little.
That's why today, I'm joining my colleagues in 150 American cities and 30 countries and going on strike.”
#FastFoodGlobal in support of fast-food workers in San Diego and all around the world. pic.twitter.com/qyNGSOSdRr
— Raise Up San Diego (@RaiseUpSanDiego) May 15, 2014
Several works in Charleston, South Carolina went on strike Thursday as part of the global day of action, local NBC 5 reports.
The strike began at 6 a.m. local time in front of a Burger King on Dorchester Road, as approximately two dozen fast food workers stood alongside the busy road with signs in hand. The workers are asking for their wages to be increased to $15 an hour, as well as the right to form a union without the fear of retaliation.
Another strike is set to begin at 11 a.m. near a McDonald’s in North Charleston.
Charleston fast food workers strike, demand higher wages. http://t.co/Ml4MqqTcW5#chsnewspic.twitter.com/LwWGyosYYh
— Live5News (@Live5News) May 15, 2014
“I think it should be a lot more than minimum wage; you can’t live off of that,” Adriana Alvarez told RT in New York. “It’s hard. I’m a single mom, it’s hard to provide for my son, it’s hard to put food on the table sometimes.”
For more, watch Marina Portnaya's full report below.
Workers and members of the National Union of Seafarers of India in Mumbai are also protesting against McDonald’s as part of the #FastFoodGlobal day of action. The union members have gone forward with their rally despite being threatened with arrest after their protest permit was revoked.
#mumbai#FastFoodGlobalpic.twitter.com/ExOS1nlT42
— artika ashdhir (@cribbing_tree) May 15, 2014
Fast food workers in Chicago protesting for higher wages, right to form a union #FastFoodStrikepic.twitter.com/zRyMvddgca via @progressIL
— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) May 15, 2014
Jessica Davis, 25, a single mother of two who earns $8.98 an hour as a crew trainer at a Chicago McDonald's restaurant, told Reuters she needs more to make ends meet.
"I'm tired of making so much money for this company and they can't give me a decent wage and decent hours," said Davis, who has four years on the job but relies on family and public assistance. "I don't think we should have to live this way."
Yup. #FastFoodGlobal in Bloomfield. pic.twitter.com/CdannguBfH
— Ben Zucker (@ben_zucker) May 15, 2014
Fast food workers went on strike and staged a protest near a Tokyo McDonalds and a Sukiya fast food chain, as part of a global day of action.
@RaiseUpMKE#FastFoodStrike is on in Milwaukee. @WiscJobsNow@fightfor15pic.twitter.com/XTz2JAUXsE
— OverpassLightBrigade (@OLBLightBrigade) May 15, 2014
RT's Robert Bridge breaks down what's driving the global day of protest.
Pittsburgh, PA fast food workers standing up for $15 and a union #FastFoodGlobalpic.twitter.com/sAYPCRA8Y2 via @jessdrkn
— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) May 15, 2014
Hong Kong is one of many cities worldwide to join the global action. With a limited agricultural sector, most food products in the country are imported. Consumers in the city-state spend a great deal of their monthly food budget eating out, making fast-food outlets a particularly prevalent employer.
HongKong joins the #FastFoodGlobal protests demanding @McDonalds respect workers and pay workers what they deserve pic.twitter.com/oNkgDOxK4w
— LivingWage (@CHIEGU_HK) May 15, 2014
It's early, but justice doesn't sleep! Meet us @ 5:30 AM in Dorchester for the first #FastFoodGlobal action in Boston http://t.co/xcbtiHHcRU
— $15 and a Union (@15andaUnion) May 15, 2014
The protest, which will take place in six continents, was announced Wednesday at a press conference outside a McDonald's restaurant in Midtown Manhattan by Fast Food Forward, which represents US fast-food workers.
The group set the date for May 15 to reflect their demand for $15 per hour pay. Workers from dozens of other countries at other popular fast food venues, including Burger King and KFC outlets are also taking part in the strike.
Breaking: #FastFoodGlobal kicks off in Aukland, New Zealand with @uniteunion. Can you hear us @McDonalds? pic.twitter.com/rx5yNsSQ09
— Low Pay Is Not OK (@LowPayIsNotOK) May 15, 2014