Fast food workers from McDonald’s, Taco Bell and other chain restaurants took to the streets in over 270 cities around the country Tuesday, demanding companies pay them at least $15 an hour.
The protesters also had a message for presidential candidates: Support the cause, or else.
The fast food protests were planned by organizers from the Service Employees International Union in cities nationwide, part of an ongoing campaign called “Fight for $15.” Other pro-union workers joined some protests, organizers said.
The campaign began about three years ago and is organized and funded by SEIU, which represents low-wage workers.
This time workers are pledging not to vote for presidential candidates who do not support the campaign. Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders both raced to show their support through tweets on Tuesday, and Sanders showed up at a protest outside the Senate in Washington.
McDonald’s worker Adriana Alvarez said she plans to vote for the first time next year, but only for a candidate who wants to raise wages to $15 an hour
Economists have long debated the impact of raising the minimum wage, with most free market economists arguing that minimum wage growth would hurt the job creation.
A jump to $15 an hour would be more than double the federal minimum of $7.25 — a much higher increase than what economists have studied. It would also be far above the minimum wage’s previous peak of just under $11, adjusted for inflation, in 1968.
McDonald’s Corp., based in Oak Brook, Illinois, said in a statement Tuesday that wages at U.S. restaurants it owns increased $1 over the local minimum wage in July, affecting about 90,000 employees.
Rival Burger King, which is owned by Canada-based Restaurant Brands International Inc., said its franchisees that own the restaurants make wage decisions, not the corporate company.
Yum Brands Inc., the Louisville, Kentucky-based company behind Taco Bell and KFC, said its employees are paid above minimum wage at its 2,000 company-owned stores.
Some at the rally were not fast food workers. Liz Henry, 38, who works in environmental services at a New York hospital, makes more than $15 per hour but supports the effort for other workers.
“Even what I’m making right now is not even enough,” she says.
The Associated Press contributed to this article
I think these people are nuts
Let them “demand” all they want to. The day I’m willing to pay for fast food will come to an end in a hurry.
I guess that they haven’t figured out yet that if they get $15/hr, half of them will then be fired.
They all will be fired. All the unemployed college grads will take their jobs at $15. Who is going to pay $15
to a lazy, undependable dumb ass who does a terrible job and you have to follow them around to make sure they’re working.
Since when do fast food workers get more than our Military? It was suppose to be a p/t job for kids to work and we have others wanting it as f/t permanent jobs.. Well look and see what MC is doing to replace all of them.. Order and Pay machines.. So they are doing there selves out of a job.. Stupid is as stupid does..
Maybe you need to join the Military Service and get your pay that way.. Tired of all this BS. I see who it is that is doing all the demanding.. and they have no right to demand anything.. and why does the media keep talking about it?? Try throwing water on the flames.
Sounds great, a 100 percent increase! Only problem however, is that those idealists will LOSE their jobs instead. Simple math: 100 percent of zero, is zero. Sorry
This is a great left-wing conspiracy to eliminate fast food joints.
If the minimum wage is raised to $15 an hour they win. Many will lose their jobs and then collect unemployment.
They can’t make change. They can’t get an order correct. I say tell them they get $20 an hour and pay them $8, most would not figure it out anyways.
I wonder what the price of a McDonalds burger will be when the minimum wage goes to $15. Are people willing to pay double todays price or will fast food resteraunts close their doors due to lost sales. Entry level pay must start somewhere and usually increases with experience and dedication that is recognized thru evaluations and promotions. This encourages people to strive for success. What will be the true cost of this increase as it escalates thru products and services? Higher unemployment, lost wages, lower profits, business closings ? Remember how $4 gas crippled our economy!
OK AND I AM GOING TO PAY 12.00 FOR A HAMBURGER……DONT THINK SO
Every time the minimum wage has gone up it has been heralded for helping workers get their heads above water. What is often missed is that living expenses increase and the minimum wage workers are right back where they started from. The only difference is any money they have saved has less buying power.
My first job was at minimum wage. My next job started at minimum wage, but it rose as I became more valuable to the employer. Over time I have moved well past minimum wage jobs and entry level jobs. Perhaps some of the people who are unhappy working for minimum wage in an entry-level job at a fast food restaurant should improve their skills and seek to move past entry-level jobs.
By the way, doubling the minimum wage would have a major effect on fast food restaurants. It will cause the restaurant to have to raise its prices. Higher prices are likely to translate into less business which will lead to fewer employees needed.
If the Fast Food industry ups their prices to fifteen there will be only two employees the owner and the guy that fix’s the machines so for those who flunked out of High School ” you won’t have to worry about how much you will make because you won’t have a job anyway McDonalds in the east has already replaced greedy people with Kiosks so take heart that is what you can expect . Oh by the way have you seen what the 15 has done in Seattle restaurants closing and people fired or cut back on hrs. to the point that they make about the same as they did before the raise Good Luck with that No wonder most of you barely made it out of High School you sure never past Economics 101
Will the $15 per hour at 40 hours a week get them into the income tax paying bracket? That is probably what is back of the push by the government to promote this.
Oliver Twist is alive and well in the twisted economic view of those with low skills.
If a minimum is required for those who have no skills, it seems that skilled workers would be motivated to demand higher wages.
Many people are unemployed because the have a whine list of things that are required of the employer, before they will engage into the workforce; no skills, an entitlement attitude, and low communication skills, in exchange for those that want a guarantee for mediocrity.
You are not “hired,” will be the phrase that many most will hear; not you are hired, and later, “You’re fired.”
If Santa Claus announced a 5% cutback on presents, for Christmas, the whiners would immediately characterize him as a dirty old manic man, in out of date bright clothes, who is perverted, since he insists that little children sit on his lap, rather than sit in a chair next to him. Sadddddd
Beginning teachers get paid $15 an hour. Do these people who flip burgers and take fast food orders really think their job is just as important and had just as much responsibility as a teacher’s job? All this will do is cause inflation as then the teachers will all want more, etc. If people want higher paying jobs, then they need to get a job that takes more education to do and carries more responsibility with it.
I drove a school bus for $14 an hour, which was twice the minimum wage. If the minimum wage for unskilled workers rose to $15, I would expect my wage to rise to twice that level, or $30 an hour. Taxpayers would see their property taxes skyrocket, and fast-food restaurants would either go out of business or go fully automated, with the only staff being the guy who cleans the bathrooms and the guy who fixes the robots.
many of the fast food business groups are city by city testing the automatic or robotic food serving stations. 2 employees per location.Say goodby to more jobs,welcome to tommorows world and socialism.
Some will get $15…the rest will get FIRED!
This message is to Rick. Your poor use of the english language is a real indication of your intelligence. The phrase is “most would not figure it out anyway” NOT “anyways”. Did you pass english in grade school?
It’s a hell a mess many more will be looking for work ?!
It’s a hell a mess many more will be looking for work ?!
Could it be that the seiu funded by Sorros is deliberately stirring the minimum wage group up to cause more unrest in the country so that O can come and fix it by declaring martial law since he has already given himself the authority to do so in an executive order?? The dems like former adviser Rohm Emanuel said never waste a good crisis!! Out of every crisis comes some political hack proposing some new law to further take away more freedoms from us. Strange happenings, follow the trail of the money. Somebody is bankrolling all this nationwide $15/ hour minimum stuff. If an employee can become that valuable to a business they can be paid more, not double for just showing up for a job!! An old goats musings over a lifetime of working and living.
Most jobs in fast food are intended as entry level, as in a first job, then gain other employment. Seems these clowns fall into one of two camps:
1. don’t want to put effort into finding a better job, I’d rather some government entity forces my boss to pay me more. Problem is that there are 3 factors in business; Costs, sales, profits. Without profits, the other 2 go away. So, if boss wants to stay in business, he either has to control costs or up prices. Higher prices = less customers. Lowering costs = higher profits. Care to guess what will happen if ages are forced up? Has anyone notices what happened a/ Obozo Care? Drove lots of jobs down from full time to part time to not have to incur that high cost of employer paid insurance.
2. Can’t qualify for another job for any number of reasons. These just think they deserve more for no extra effort.
Things that make you go hmmmmm
These people will work only so many hours
Because they would have to give up welfare
Benefits. T
hey certainly dont want to do that.
It is for certain,,that more Problems will Arise for the Business Owners , as Well as for Their Employees. The Employees `(.. most of them Already Don`t work but Part time…And For The Good reason..) The Employer does not Have to Supply their employees Health Benefits…And Too, If they Do work too many Hours..they will NOT be entitled to Any form of ‘welfare’..And Right NOW, The Welfare PLus The Part time Wages..Are Better Than >>>Full Time Employment with Health Insurance ! SO..Most Will Turn down full time employment for That reason Alone. Now.. A Two dollar an hour Raise in minimum wage .. would Be an Adequate Amount For a Part time Wage . The Way the Economy IS..I Can`t say I Would Opt for A Larger Salary Than This. YES, Too much to Lose for So little to gain ! If “Welfare’ Had never Been A part of This Equation..I Am Sure I would Be Viewing Things In a Far different Light. And For SURE ! Costs for The Food served Would Be More..In view of Pay Raises To be Considered.