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Photos: Fast Food Workers In L.A. Walk Off Jobs To Strike For Better Wages
Fast food workers have been up in the early hours of the morning in L.A. fighting together for better wages as part of a 100-cities nationwide strike. Some of the employees from fast food joints such as McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, KFC, and Taco Bell, are expected to walk off of their jobs today. Since 6 a.m., folks have been picketing at a McDonald's in South L.A. and holding signs that say "Fight For 15" at at McDonald's.
These strikes follow the first round of marches back in August, as employees from fast food restaurants have been fighting to increase their wages to $15 and form a union, according to City News Service. Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has organized the strikes and hopes they will get Congress to increase minimum wage from $7.25, which is approximately a $15,000 salary (yup, shocking), according to CBS Los Angeles.
"In today's economy and how prices and everything are going up, and how we're still stuck at $8 an hour, we don't even make ends meet with that," Simon Rojas, a McDonald's employee told KABC. "A lot of us are on government assistance programs."
On the other hand, Scott DeFife of National Restaurant Association opposes the strikes. "Dramatic increases in a starting wage such as those called for in these rallies will challenge that job growth history, increase prices for restaurant meals, especially in the value segments, and lead to fewer jobs created," he told CBS Los Angeles.
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There will be a second strike staged at noon at the McDonald's at 4348 Sunset Blvd. near Silver Lake.
Alberto Castro on strike for fair pay fight for $15 #fastfoodstrikes Los Angeles pic.twitter.com/DeiNJd23Qi
— Fight for $15 LA (@Fightfor15LA) December 5, 2013
Dawn of a new day in Los Angeles #fastfoodstrikes Lucia por 15 pic.twitter.com/oczCYfrqsM
— Fight for $15 LA (@Fightfor15LA) December 5, 2013
@SandraFluke this is a fight for our families our children our community #fastfoodstrikes #standwithrosie pic.twitter.com/KlupH7EHqT
— Fight for $15 LA (@Fightfor15LA) December 5, 2013
Hey @McDonalds this what democracy looks like Los Angeles McD workers can't survive $8.25 #fastfoodstrikes pic.twitter.com/HdqNprjx6L
— Fight for $15 LA (@Fightfor15LA) December 5, 2013
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