|
 Organizers said thousands of low-wage workers walked off their
jobs in some 270 cities across the country to take part in the
"Fight for $15" campaign.
A rally by several hundred activists outside a Milwaukee arena where
the televised Republican presidential debate was taking place
briefly became tense when one protester burned an American flag. The
crowd dispersed not long after police moved in to extinguish the
small fire.
Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets in New York, where
they were joined by Mayor Bill DeBlasio, and some 500 marched
through downtown Los Angeles. Events were also held in Detroit,
Philadelphia and Minneapolis.
Leaders said that workers from McDonald’s Corp, Wendys Co,
Restaurant Brands International Inc's Burger King, Yum Brands Inc's
KFC and other restaurants would take part.
But Lisa McComb, a spokeswoman for McDonald's, said that only "a
handful" of its employees took part in protests she called "staged
events," and only three walked off their jobs.
 "To date since these days of action have begun, this is the smallest
actual McDonald's employee participation that we're aware of,"
McComb said. McDonald's is the world's biggest restaurant chain and
a high-profile target of the marches.
In a move apparently timed to show solidarity with the movement,
Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo,
both Democrats, hiked the minimum hourly wage to $15 for city and
state government workers, respectively. The increases will be phased
in over several years.
The protests were aimed in part at gaining political support for a
minimum hourly wage of $15 and union rights as income inequality
looms as an issue in the November 2016 presidential election.
"The money I bring home can barely take care of my rent," said Alvin
Major, a 50-year-old KFC worker who was among about 200 protesters
who blocked traffic in Brooklyn.
Brigette Perez, who makes $11 an hour working at a Del Taco
restaurant in the Los Angeles suburb of Glendale, said she struggles
to support her four children on the paycheck she receives.
"It's really hard for me and for (my kids) to see me just leave out
the door, trying to make ends meet. And then we're on a budget,
because we have to go paycheck to paycheck," she said.
The minimum wage for fast-food workers will rise to $15 by 2018 in
New York City and statewide by 2021. Many U.S. cities and
municipalities have a higher base rate than the federal hourly
minimum of $7.25.
[to top of second column] |
The Fight for $15 campaign began in 2012 and the Service Employees
International Union is a major backer. Last December the group
staged similar protests in some 200 cities.
Among Democratic presidential candidates, front-runner Hillary
Clinton, who backs a federal minimum of $12 an hour, and Martin
O'Malley tweeted support for the protests and strikes.
Another Democratic presidential candidate, Vermont Senator Bernie
Sanders, told about 250 mostly black and Hispanic protesters in
Washington that U.S. workers deserved a living wage.
About 100 protesters at a Chicago McDonald's blocked the
drive-through lanes during rush hour, chanting, "We work! We sweat!
Put 15 on my check!”
Industry lobby groups contend the proposed pay raises would be
unsustainable and cause them to cut jobs.
Michael Mabry, the chief operating officer of Texas-based Mooyah
Burgers, Fries and Shakes, said base pay of $15 would reduce
entry-level jobs. Restaurants also could cut staff and thus drive
away customers, he said.
"There are unintended consequences when you make a blanket statement
of $15 an hour," Mabry said.
(Reporting By Laila Kearney in New York, Ian Simpson and Lacey
Johnson in Washington, Emmett Berg in Oakland, Justin Madden in
Chicago and Phoenix Tso and Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles; Writing by
Ian Simpson and Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Bill Trott, Andrew Hay,
Bernard Orr and Lisa Shumaker)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
