Rallies seek minimum-wage boost

Disruptions brief at targeted fast-food restaurants

Demonstrators rally for higher wages Thursday inside a McDonald’s restaurant in New York. Fastfood workers and labor organizers want the federal government to raise the federal minimum wage of $7.25.
Demonstrators rally for higher wages Thursday inside a McDonald’s restaurant in New York. Fastfood workers and labor organizers want the federal government to raise the federal minimum wage of $7.25.

NEW YORK - Fast-food workers and labor organizers joined in demonstrations in cities across the country Thursday in a push for higher wages.

Organizers say employees planned to forgo work in 100 cities, with rallies set for another 100 cities. But it was not clear what the actual turnout was or how many of the participants were workers. By afternoon, disruptions seemed minimal or temporary at the targeted restaurants.

The actions began about a year ago and are spearheaded by the Service Employees International Union, which has spent millions of dollars to bankroll local worker groups and organize publicity for the demonstrations. At a time when there’s growing national and international attention on economic disparities, advocacy groups and Democrats also are hoping to build public support to raise the federal minimum wage of $7.25. That comes to about $15,000 a year for full-time work.

In New York City, about 100 protesters blew whistles and beat drums while marching into a McDonald’s at around 6:30 a.m.; one startled customer grabbed his food and fled as they flooded the restaurant, while another didn’t look up from eating and reading amid their chants of “We can’t survive on $7.25!”

Community leaders took turns giving speeches for about 15 minutes until police arrived and ordered protesters out of the store. The crowd continued to demonstrate outside for about 45 minutes. A McDonald’s manager declined to be interviewed and asked that the handful of customers not be bothered.

Later in the day, about 50 protesters rallied outside a Wendy’s in Brooklyn, with their presence discouraging customers from entering.

In Washington, D.C., about 100 people protested outside a McDonald’s in the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum. Only a handful of the protesters said they worked at the restaurant and none were scheduled to work Thursday.

At one point, about a dozen protesters entered the store, but security guards prevented them from approaching the service counter or interfering with customers.

In Detroit, about 50 demonstrators turned out for a predawn rally in front of a McDonald’s. A few employees said they weren’t working but a manager and other employees kept the restaurant open.

Julius Waters, a 29-yearold McDonald’s maintenance worker who was among the protesters, said it’s hard making ends meet on his wage of $7.40 an hour.

“I need a better wage for myself, because, right now, I’m relying on aid, and $7.40 is not able to help me maintain taking care of my son. I’m a single parent,” Waters said.

The push for higher pay in fast food faces an uphill battle. The industry competes aggressively on value offerings and companies have warned that they would need to raise prices if wages were increased. Most fast-food locations also are owned and operated by franchisees, which lets companies such as McDonald’s Corp., Burger King Worldwide Inc. and Yum Brands Inc. say that they don’t control worker pay.

Labor advocates have pointed out that companies control many other aspects of restaurant operations through their franchise agreements, including menus, suppliers and equipment.

Fast-food workers historically have been seen as difficult to unionize, given the industry’s high turnover rates. But the Service Employees International Union, which represents more than 2 million workers in health care, janitorial and other industries, has helped put their wages in the spotlight.

McDonald’s said in a statement that it offers employees advancement opportunities,competitive pay and benefits.

In the meantime, the protests are getting some high powered support from the White House. In an economic policy speech Wednesday, President Barack Obama mentioned fast-food and retail workers “who work their tails off and are still living at or barely above poverty” in his call for raising the federal minimum wage.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has promised a vote on the wage increase by the end of the year. But the measure is not expected to gain traction in the House, where Republican leaders oppose it.

Supporters of wage increases have been more successful at the state and local level. California, Connecticut and Rhode Island raised their minimum wages this year. Last month, voters in New Jersey approved an increase in the minimum to $8.25 an hour, up from $7.25 an hour.

Information for this article was contributed by Mike Householder, Johnny Clark and Ted Shaffrey of The Associated Press.

Business, Pages 23 on 12/06/2013

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