Milwaukee fast-food and retail workers who walked off their jobs last week are taking their message on the road.
On Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. the workers will hold a rally to send a delegation of McDonald’s workers to Chicago to protest at the company’s annual shareholder meeting.
“We’re taking the fight directly to the corporations to tell them $7.25 an hour is not a living wage,” said Stephanie Sanders, a McDonald’s worker who plans to attend the protest in Chicago. “Even though I serve food at my job, I can’t always afford to buy enough food for myself.”
Last week’s Milwaukee strike happened at major national brands such as McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Foot Action, Simply Fashion and Taco Bell. The strike was a part of the Milwaukee Workers Organizing Committee’s “Raise Up MKE” campaign.
Growth in food preparation jobs in the metro area is projected to be nearly triple the rate of overall employment, yet many workers earn minimum wage, $7.25 an hour, or just above it.
Wednesday’s rally will take place in Milwaukee at 920 W. North Ave.
The “Raise Up MKE” campaign is supported by a coalition of community, labor, and faith-based groups, including Citizen Action of Wisconsin, MICAH, Wisconsin Jobs Now, 9to5, SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin, the African American Roundtable, League of Young Voters, AFT Local 212, Grassroots Tosa, UFCW Local 1473, Voces de la Frontera, the United Council of UW Students, Youth Empowered in the Struggle, and the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO.
