Flipping burgers and working the cash register is how many Americans make their living. However, this does not mean they make a living wage. On April 15, 2015, in over 200 cities across the United States, workers will walk out in protest over low wages at McDonald’s. The move was announced by the country’s largest labor union, the AFL-CIO, as part of its campaign for fast-food workers to be paid $15 per hour and have the right to form a union.
The campaign website Fight for $15 lists the facts and reasons for their fight against the fast-food giant as follows:
– Half a million Walmart workers just won raises to $10, 456% more employees than are covered by McDonald’s announcement.
– The increase applies only to workers at corporate stores, which means only about 10 percent of the company’s U.S. workers will see a change in their income. About 1.6 million workers worldwide will get a raise of zero dollars.
– Nearly everyone who works at McDonald’s will still get paid less than $10 an hour — not enough to pay the bills. And many will still be making far less. In many places, McDonald’s workers earn the federal minimum of $7.25, which means even those who will see an increase as a result of Wednesday’s publicity stunt will still be stuck trying to support families on $8.25 an hour.
– The announcement came a day after McDonald’s and other fast-food workers announced plans for the biggest-ever strike to hit the fast-food industry, a 200-city walkout on April 15.
– McDonald’s low wages cost taxpayers more than $1 billion a year. This won’t put a dent in that amount.
The labor action, if successful, will be one of the largest demonstrations ever held over workers rights. So if you plan to go to a McDonald’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner, expect a long delay and picket lines. The question is: will you stand with the workers or cross the picket line for that Big Mac?
