The Shadow
NEW YORK (AP) — Fast-food protests are under way in cities including New York, Chicago and Detroit, with organizers expecting the biggest national walkouts yet in a demand for higher wages.
Similar protests organized by unions and community groups in cities over the past several months have brought considerable media attention to a staple of the fast-food industry — the so-called “McJobs” that are known for their low pay and limited prospects. But it’s not clear what impact, if any, they will have on business.
In New York, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn joined about 300 to 400 protesters in a march before flooding inside a McDonald’s near the Empire State Building on Thursday morning. Shortly after the demonstration, however, the restaurant seemed to be operating normally and a few customers said they hadn’t heard of the movement. The same was true at a McDonald’s a few blocks away.
The lack of awareness among some illustrates the challenge workers face.
Participating workers, who are asking for $15 an hour, still represent a tiny fraction of the industry. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, which works out to about $15,000 a year for full-time employees.
The movement comes amid calls from the White House, some members of Congress and economists to hike the federal minimum wage. But most proposals seek a far more modest increase than the one workers are asking for, with President Barack Obama wanting to boost it to $9 an hour.
In a wide-ranging interview with the Associate Press, Labor Secretary Thomas Perez said the strikes are another sign of
