I spent the day walking the picket line with fast food workers that went on strike today in my town alongside my BA. At least two of them (from KFC) were fired on the spot for walking out.
While $15/hour might seem like too much, McDonald's could double their wages and the price of a Big Mac would only go up (comparatively) by 68 cents. (Source:
Errors in McDonald's Wage Analysis) As a tax payer, I'm sick and tired of subsidizing the mega profits of companies like Walmart and McDonald's by paying for health benefits (Medcaid coverage) and food stamps for families that deserve better than sub-minimum wage from companies that can afford it. And as a union member, it's my responsibility to support workers that are trying to stand up for themselves by demanding respect on the job.
88% of fast food workers are over the age of 20 and one third have families. These aren't part-time gigs for high school kids to get extra spending money any more. Welcome to the McJob economy.