Detroit Fast Food Workers Join Strike Wave

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.labornotes.org/2013/05/detroit-fast-food-workers-join-strike-wave

May 10, 2013 / Jane Slaughter




“Tell the whole world, this is union territory!” chanted the crowd outside a Detroit Popeye's, as fast-food strikes spread to a fourth city today. Photo: Jane Slaughter.

“Want to know what all the fuss is?
“We are standing up for justice!”

At a busy intersection dotted with fast food brands, 80 fast food workers and supporters chanted outside a Detroit Popeye’s this morning, one of several restaurants the group of enthusiastic young workers will hit as they strike today.

Some brought solemn toddlers. Some wore uniform caps from Mickey D’s. “No chicken, no fries, we want wages supersize!” they yelled.

“We work too hard to be paid minimum wage,” said Popeye’s worker Wontika Reed, 23. Like all the other fast-food workers on the line, she makes $7.40 to cook, clean, and cashier. She estimated that 13 Popeye’s workers were on strike and admitted to being a leader.

FULL story at link.

[Warpy]

1. Popeye's is the best fried chicken chain

and I remember them fondly from when I lived in DC.

Paying their workers a living wage, twice what they do now, wouldn't add that much to the cost of a chicken dinner and the stuff is so good that people would be willing to pay it.

Management needs to catch a clue. If they can't pay the help a day's wage for a day's work, then the work isn't worth doing
and no one will be left to do it.

[limpyhobbler]

2. Fast Food Strikes Hitting Fifth City: Milwaukee

Josh Eidelson on May 15, 2013

Hundreds of Milwaukee workers plan to walk off the job starting at 6 Central Time this morning, launching the nation’s fifth fast food workers’ strike in six weeks. Today’s work stoppage follows strikes in St. Louis and Detroit last week, and in New York and Chicago last month. In each case, workers are demanding a raise to $15 per hour, and the right to form a union without intimidation.
...

The campaign expects today’s strikes to involve workers from fast food chains including McDonald’s, Burger King and Taco Bell. Like Chicago’s, the Milwaukee strike involves retail as well as fast food: workers from companies including TJ Maxx, Dollar Tree and Footaction plan to strike. Both industries are increasingly prevalent in—and representative of—the US economy, and both are overwhelmingly non-union.
...

Update (9:50 am EST Wednesday): In a follow-up message Wednesday morning, the campaign told The Nation that a slew of Unfair Labor Practice charges were filed with the National Labor Relations Board yesterday alleging violations of labor law by management.

Update (1 pm EST Wednesday): According to the campaign, close to 200 workers are expected to strike by the end of today. Strikers and supporters will converge for a rally at 5 pm Central Time this evening.

from: http://www.thenation.com/blog/174335/fast-food-strikes-will-spread-fifth-city-today-milwaukee