Fast food workers strike: ‘I can’t afford my shoes or rent’

[p]MSNBC ^ | July 29, 2013 | Ned Resnikoff

[kevcol]

“We’re building a movement of fast food workers in a way that has never really existed in the fast food industry,” said Jonathan Westin, an organizer for New York Communities for Change, who noted that this week is the first time the strikes have been coordinated across cities.
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The Congressional Progressive Caucus launched a campaign called “Raise Up America” which has taken efforts to associate itself with the fast food workers. Several members of the caucus, including its co-chair, Democratic Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota, were present at Monday’s actions in New York.
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Similarly, Brooklyn-based McDonald’s employee Kareem Starks said he has little to lose by going out on strike.

“I don’t make much,” Starks said. “I get treated like crap. At he end of the day, should I stand up or take this? Should I stand up or live like this? … I can’t afford my shoes or afford my rent. Is that how you’re supposed to be living?”

[Java4Jay]

A ‘must read’ in the article’s comment section

[Vince Ferrer]

Fine with me, but their space for negotiation is a very narrow band, between “I would rather eat at a fast food place rather than bring my lunch from home” and “I would rather automate my restaurant rather than hire these workers at that price.”

[2ndDivisionVet]

Meanwhile, here in Texas, we can’t fill all our openings, rent and real estate are a fraction of those there and almost no one works for minimum wage. Please don’t take that as an invitation, motley striking burger jockeys of the East Coast.

[Venturer]

Co-Chair Keith Ellison the Muslim POS, that alone should tell you what a dumb idea this is.

[A CA Guy]

You should be paid what you are worth and it could be many are paid more than they are worth due to the minimum wage.

If they are worth more they could get a job elsewhere.

From the market!

[Nifster]

Go ahead and demand $15.00 per hour. You will soon find that you are out of the only job you were ever qualified to do. dolts.......

[lurk]

Yeah, let’s give them higher pay and benefits, then, “Hey, why is my Filet O Fish combo $15?”

[central_va]

The VC made shoes out of tires.

[Squawk 8888]

Labour demand in Alberta hit the point a couple of years back where restaurants were paying signing bonuses to busboys.

[ChildOfThe60s]

They should be grateful they’re not being paid what they’re worth.

ROTFLMAO

The truth is like an enema in the brain for these people.

[LostInBayport]

Nice mass-produced signs. Kind of undercuts the "spontaneous grass roots" fiction, though.



Those "I am a man" signs are a bit disturbing. Might be mistaken for an ED support group instead of a protest.

[central_va]

I call BS. I can get a pair of running shoes at Walmart for $10, usually last 2-3 months.

With the proper application of duct tape - 4 months.

[rey]

Wow. Detroititis all over again.

I can predict what will happen when a McD meal costs as much as a meal at a good restaurant. Give them their $15 and watch the whole industry disappear

[dragnet2]

Fast food jobs are for teenagers

So you have no problem with sending your teenage daughter to work with 40 year old male illegal aliens?

[tflabo]

Mickey D’s-—— MacDetroit’s. Oh yeh and if you refuse to eat at fast food places then you are a racist. We get it!

[wiggen]

and there are jobs for all those people? college and h.s.?
you must mean all the factory jobs we sent to China,Mexico, Thailand and a host of other nations.
This is perfect for us. People wanting good jobs but instead we get lost in the pay issue as though someone working for motor vehicles is any smarter.
The comments here are a reason we can’t win national elections.

[central_va]

Mexicans actually think these jobs are careers. That is the danger of illegal immigration, the Mexican Mafia locking up the first wrung...

[newnhdad]

this is only the beginning. Expect to see more of this crap over the next few years. This will become the next “occupy” movement or a lame attempt to create a leftwing tea party but with people who want more government.

[TurboZamboni]

If Keith X is for it, you know it’s just a bunch of rabid dipshittery.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Thank Obama for not creating new, better paying jobs.