Unhappy meal: American fast food workers strike over minimum wage pay
President Obama has called for the minimum wage to rise to $9 an hour - protesting workers want $15 an hour
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Fast-food employees in the US say they are being underpaid by major chains such as Burger King and McDonald’s, and they are not lovin’ it.
Workers in at least 50 cities went on strike or staged protests today as part of a growing campaign for increased pay in the service industry. The strikes at restaurants such as Wendy’s and Taco Bell – as well as a handful of retail chains – spread as far afield as Seattle in the North-east, Chicago in the Midwest, and Raleigh in the South. In New York, some 300 protesters occupied a branch of McDonald’s close to the Empire State Building.
President Barack Obama and others in Washington have called for an increase in the minimum wage from $7.25 (£4.70) an hour to $9. The workers say that a year of full-time work at the current minimum would net them $15,000, but many work only part-time.
They are demanding the minimum hourly rate be raised to as much as $15. Most of the new jobs added in the US since the recession have been part-time positions – and many of those are in food service and retail.
Workers are also asking to be allowed to bargain for better pay and conditions by forming unions, which the fast-food industry has staunchly resisted in the past.
McDonald’s and Burger King Worldwide said in a statement that most US branches of their chains were independent franchises, and that they were not therefore responsible for setting wage levels.
The companies also claim that raising pay would increase operating costs and thus prices. McDonald’s 2012 profits were in the region of $5.47bn.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments