On Thursday fast food workers’ protests in the United States expanded to 190 states as the movement to raise the minimum wage in the US to $15 per hour marked its two-year anniversary.
The British Broadcasting Corporation says that from Boston to Chicago fast food workers as well as union organizers marched outside of different McDonalds franchises. In cities such as Seattle and San Francisco, the movement for raising the minimum wage was seen as a success. The president of the United States Barack Obama said that he supports the efforts of fast food workers.
The so-called ‘Fight for 15’ movement has been driven by fast food workers for the past two years and they organized about eight protests as well as walk-outs but the Thursday’s efforts were marked as their biggest till date.
Airport employees, home-health aids, fast food workers along with others have argued that the present $7.25 per hour wage, which is the federal minimum, is not so much in which workers could survive.
Service Employees International Union is backing up the campaign by providing financial support as well as organizational help to the effort. The union has been exerting pressure on Burger King, McDonalds and other fast food restaurants to raise the minimum wages. They had also been working with local politicians to have wage-raising measures during election season.
McDonalds said that protesters don’t represent opinion of entire employees and that the decision on wages is on the individual franchise owners.
The company said that about 90 percent of their restaurants work independently that are owned as well as operated by franchisees. Hundreds of workers gathered around McDonalds in downtown Manhattan and chanted slogans. They also walked in step with a marching band.
They also went into a franchise before they led a march towards the City Hall of New York City.
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