Today a large (pre-planned) fast food strike and protest occurred. The protestors demanded the minimum wage be raised to $15 per hour, as well as more union influence (or the formation of unions). McDonalds claimed there were no service disruptions due to the strike which, if true, exemplifies why every movement to unionize the company has failed.
Non-strike protestors joined the movement, as a higher minimum wage would affect many workers and businesses outside of fast food. Many of the protestors sat in traffic, and were detained or arrested for their actions. Among those fined was Rep. Gwen Moore who tweeted
Proud to support #MilwaukeeWorkers risking arrest in pursuit of a better future for their families! #Fastfoodstrike pic.twitter.com/tZjTsrrNzx
— Gwen Moore (@RepGwenMoore) September 4, 2014
No, they risked arrest for blocking traffic.
Today's events bring up two big questions.
- Is raising the minimum wage to $15/ hour a good idea?
- Is blocking traffic an effective protest method?
5 comments:
Well answering the first question of yours, I think it would be a good idea for them to raise the minimum wage with the wage gap getting bigger and bigger each year. People need more money to live decent lives and these companies have more than enough to give to them. If they keep up with making the wages so far apart with jobs in general there will not be much of a middle class. I believe if any job can achieve getting their wages increased than it could mean other people in different jobs can get a wage increase also. For your second question it is a very effective and good idea to block off traffic because that is something that will immediately get attention from people. But I do not think it should escalate more than that.
Adding on to Anish's comment, there are many other factors to consider. Raising the minimum wage has both its pros and cons, but as a whole, it will not solve the poverty issue (http://wheniwork.com/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-raising-the-minimum-wage/#comments). On the other hand, raising the minimum wage can potentially have a positive impact on both the employers as well as a majority of employees. As for blocking traffic in effort to promote protest, I would have to disagree with Anish. Blocking traffic may be an effective method, but I don't think it's a good idea. The protesters are free to do as they please, so long as it doesn't violate the law. However, it also shouldn't directly bother those who aren't involved. Perhaps a better idea would be to take their protesting online, where their cause can be easily and quickly promoted. The protesters could have also just remained on the sidewalk, as shown in the video, instead of going onto the street to block traffic.
@Anish
"companies have more than enough to give to them"
I'll respond to that comment with an anecdote. My family employs several caregivers to ensure my grandma (in her 90's) has 24/7 care. It's not a hard job-- they get paid very well to literally sleep on the job 12 hours a day (they sleep when she sleeps).
We don't have "more than enough" money to pay for this care, and my grandma is very well off compared to the national average. Raising the minimum wage in this context could cost lives by making this care impossible to afford. Not hyperbole-- she has fallen multiple times.
Does this relate to giant companies such as McDonalds? It does. Even in tightly regulated franchises such as McDonalds, hiring practices and costs are 100% the franchisee's responsibility (these are often small-business owners). This business can run on margins so low that many owners of popular franchises need several locations to make a decent living (corporate "Ray Kroc" McDonalds makes it's money as one of the biggest landlords in America, and by collecting fees).
These laws are not without impact.
While there is no definite answer to either of those questions, a good discussion surrounds them. I strongly believe that the current minimum wage does not provide the means in which millions can live off of, but I dont exactly think that raising the minimum wage is the problem. The types of jobs being created and the fast food industry itself is not a stable and sustainable industry for people who need to provide college tuition and shelter for their children. As for the second question I strongly agree with Victoria. They need to find a method, now more than ever, where information can be shared quickly and with the internet it covers an extensive audience. The internet would give them the widespread coverage and support that they need.
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