December 3, 2013
By Neal Tepel
New York, NY – One year after the first strike hit the $200 billion fast-food industry and months after workers walked out in 60 cities, workers in 100 cities are expected to walk off their jobs this Thursday December 5th. These strikes are part of a growing fast-food worker movement that started when 200 workers in New York City went on strike last November.
Workers will go on strike in every region of the continental United States and will be joined by supporters rallying in an additional 100 cities, as the fight for $15 an hour and the right to form a union without retaliation continues to grow. Workers are expected to strike at the nation’s major national fast-food restaurants, including McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s and KFC. Clergy, elected officials, and community supporters will join fast-food workers on the strike lines in cities from Oakland to Tampa as concern grows that low wages are hurting families and communities across the country.
Our country’s fastest growing jobs are also the lowest paid, slowing the recovery and hurting our local economy. While the fast-food industry is making record profits, its workers are forced to rely on public assistance – to the tune of 7 billion taxpayer dollars each year – just to afford the basics. That’s why fast-food workers from across the country are joining together to fight for $15 an hour and the right to form a union without interference.
The movement has grown steadily since the first New York City strike on Nov. 29, with strikes and demonstrations spreading across the country. Last week, more than 100 workers and supporters were arrested as thousands of Walmart workers protested at 1500 stores nationwide on Black Friday, calling for Walmart to publicly commit to paying $25,000 a year, providing full-time work and ending illegal retaliation.
