Trying to raise a family on fast food wages? Not likely.
The median hourly wage for fast workers employed by corporations like McDonald's, KFC and Taco Bell is $8.94 nationally.
It's an unjustifiable situation – especially when you consider that the industry is taking in $200 billion a year while many of its workers can't even come close to making ends meet on the poverty wages they are paid.
Fast food workers are taking to the streets today to stand up for the work that they do and demand a living wage. Strikes are happening in 60 cities across the country.
8/29 Strikes: Alameda, CA; Atlanta; Aurora, CO; Austin, TX; Ballwin, MO; Belleville, Ill; Berkeley, CA; Bloomington, Ill; Boston; Charlotte; Chicago; Columbia, MO; Dallas; Denver; Detroit; Durham; East St. Louis, Ill; Flint; Fremont, CA; Greensboro; Gretna, LA; Hartford; Hayward, CA; Houston; Indianapolis; Kansas City, MO; Lansing; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Madison, WI; Manchester, CT; Memphis; Milwaukee; Missoula, MT; Newark, CA; New Orleans; New York; Northglenn, CO; North Las Vegas; Oakland; Richmond, CA; Peoria; Phoenix; Pontiac, MI; Raleigh; Richmond, CA; San Diego; San Leandro, CA; San Lorenzo, CA.; Seattle; Springfield, Ill; St. Louis; Tacoma, WA; Tampa; Topeka, KS; Wausau, WI; West Haven, CT; and Wilmington, DE.
Christine Owens, Executive Director of the National Employment Law Project, told Reuters
Boosting wages for America's lowest-paid workers is a crucial step toward reducing economic inequality and rebuilding a strong economy. Perhaps 50 years from now, we'll look back on the fast-food workers' fight as the catalyst we so desperately needed.
Take Action Against Low Pay
Help send the fast food chains a message that they can't ignore. Add your name to the open letter at LowPayIsNotOk.org right now and share it far and wide after you have.
Follow all the action on Twitter with the hashtag #829strike. The Huffington Post is also running a live feed of tweets, photos, videos and news you should check out.
