Dozens of Fast Food Workers Arrested for Taking Part in Minimum Wage Protests
Erika Villanueva | | Sep 05, 2014 03:42 AM EDT |
(Photo : Reuters)
Dozens of protesters were arrested all over the United States on Thursday for participating in one of the biggest nationwide protests which were rallying for an increase in fast food workers' minimum wage.
Protests initiated by labor unions in a nationwide campaign for a $15 hourly minimum wage resulted in the arrest of dozens of workers who went on strike in New York, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Miami, Milwaukee, and several other key cities on Thursday.
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The demonstrations, which were orchestrated to occur simultaneously in different areas, hoped to send a message to fast food chain companies such as Burger King, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, and many others for an increase of the minimum salary for more than four million employees.
Currently, laborers in fast food chains receive a minimum of $7.25 per hour which is much too low, according to labor coalitions such as Fast Food Forward and Fight for 15.
In New York, authorities arrested around 25 protesters in Times Square where a McDonald's branch is located just a few hours before the start of the demonstrations.
Meanwhile, dozens of people were taken into custody in Detroit and several more in other cities for refusing to move from their spot in front of fast food establishments.
Even Democratic U.S. Congresswoman Gwen Moore was apprehended for blocking traffic near a Milwaukee branch of McDonald's.
"I take great pride in supporting Milwaukee workers as they risk arrest in pursuit of a brighter tomorrow for their families," her communications director Eric Harris relayed to the Associated Press.
Though their demonstrations have not resulted to an increase in minimum wage since labor unions began requesting for it in 2012, it has gotten enough media coverage for their plight to be known nationwide.
According to Fordham University's Sociology Associate Professor Chris Rhomberg, the protests have garnered so much attention that even U.S. President Barack Obama has taken notice.
However, many of the fast food giants are not budging with McDonald's stating its support for an increase though not confirming with how much it is willing to give.
In a statement, McDonald's cited that, together with their franchisees, they support "fair wages aligned with a competitive marketplace" for their "valued employees."
TagsMcdonalds, burger king, pizza hut, Minimum Wage, protests, wage rallies
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