The fight for a living wage is nothing new among minimum wage and other low paying customer service jobs like those within the fast food industry, but recent events are taking an old fight into a new millennium. Fast food industry workers are staging protests more frequently and in more cities than every before.
The momentum is growing rapidly as workers demand the right to unionize and to earn a $15 hourly wage.
Tensions mounted as more than 100 protesters were arrested after a sit in at a McDonald’s in May and other similar tactics are being put to the test. Local sit ins and other displays of civil disobedience are not immensely effective but have been gaining more attention from workers, guests, employers, and the media.
With each new protest the crowds seem to get a little bigger and a little more restless.
Workers have a valid concern that wages are extremely low relative to the overall profit margin increase that grows each year within the fast food industry. Managers and industry leaders cite potential reasons to keep wages low and both parties are able to support their positions.
For now there is no end in sight but local fast food restaurants are scrambling to appease employees and ensure that their voices are heard. Disgruntled employees are very bad for business and if the guests are not coming through the door then no one gets paid.