Last year, CEOs of fast food chains in the United States earned on average $24 million. It´s an obscene amount of money, and yet when the people who do all the hard work in those chain restaurants demand $15 per hour for their troubles, they get arrested. Fast-food workers took to the streets in 150 cities across the country last Thursday, and more than 400 workers and their supporters were arrested for blocking streets during rush hour.
The “Fight for 15” movement has really gathered momentum in the last week or so. And it´s well past time. The tragic case of Maria Fernandez recently highlighted how tough life is for people working minimum wage jobs. She was juggling three, just to make ends meet. Maria died from gas canister fumes while napping in a parking lot; a usual thing for her to do between shifts because of chronic exhaustion.
This report by RT points out some pretty despicable facts: that the strongest job growth during the economic crisis has been in minimum wage work, and that on a minimum wage of just $7.25, even people working a forty hour week will still only earn $15,000 a year. This salary is simply impossible to live on, meaning many fast food workers need to take a second or even third job just to survive. Many also need food stamps.
This is an absolute disgrace, and an embarrassment for the USA. What´s even more shameful is the fact they were handcuffed for exercising their right to peaceful protest.
Fast food workers of America, good luck with your struggle- maybe the rest of us should boycott these corporations until they are given the living wage they need and deserve!
Credits:
Photo: Steve Rhodes/Flickr)
Video: RT America
