Seeing McDouble

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Monday October 21, 2013 · 1:27 PM PDT

2013/10/21 · 13:27

A report released last week shows that the fast-food industry costs American taxpayers nearly $7 billion annually because its jobs pay so little that 52 percent of fast food workers are forced to enroll their families in public assistance programs. In the companion report by the National Employment Law Project, McDonald’s front-line workers receive $1.2 billion in public assistance, such as Medicaid, TANF and Foodstamps. In response to these reports, a handful of fast-food workers dressed as a familiar fast-food clown, accompanied by a dozen other fast-food workers and community people delivered an invoice to McDonald’s locations all over the St. Louis area, for $1.2 billion stating if McDonald’s paid their workers more they would not have to rely on public assistance.

Ben and David Patterson, a couple clowns, are forced to rely on food stamps because their low-wage jobs don’t pay them enough to feed themselves. David, who has worked for McDonald’s for two years, said, “I went on strike because I want to feed my family without government assistance, so we don't have to depend on other people and still struggle.” Last September, after David went on strike his hours were cut from almost 40, to 4. Clergy, community members, and other fast-food workers galvanized enough support for the owner of his McDonald’s to come out and guarantee that his hours would be restored. “This has been the opportunity of a lifetime. I had fun and am still having fun with it. I'm a part of this campaign all the way, because we can't survive on 7.35.”

Workers at the McDonald's saw the clowns and invoice and decided to join the movement for $15 and a union. They'll soon be card carryin', 'fro wearin members of St. Louis Can't Survive on $7.35!

No waiting on this line....unless you're waiting on a fair wage

STL735

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Tuesday October 15, 2013 · 12:00 PM PDT

2013/10/15 · 12:00

Drive thru is jumping ...
Hmmm....wonder why?
#Frydays

Frydays have been almost as busy for us as it is for the Fast Food Industry. In fact, things were so busy at some of the stores they chose not to collect the funds due for the food! We figure they make so much from paying their workers pennies, they can afford to give something back to their workers.

Rabbi Talve talking with the community about the campaign

But we'd rather they give their workers a fair wage and the right to form a union, so they can build better lives for themselves and their families.

Thank you for your patience and your willingness to stand with us! The workers have a busy week ahead...the weekend is closer than you think!!

Happy FRYDAY!!

STL735

Crowd patiently waiting while we stood with workers for better wages

Sonic's got it...the workers don't

STL735

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday October 07, 2013 · 4:01 PM PDT

2013/10/07 · 16:01

Another successful fast-food fry-day!

In light of recent articles of slower drive thru lines we went to Sonic and chatted with a few workers there. Few being the operative word. There was only one worker waiting on the drive up bays and one in the drive thru. This, meanwhile, was during their busiest time of day, ½ off Happy Hour, and one of the hottest days of October. So why wasn’t anyone at work? Why did it take 15 minutes to order, and over 30 minutes to get our food? Some hypothesize that slower lines are due to “menu bloat”, fast-food workers close to the line attribute it to “CEO bloat”.

Ask a room full of workers how many of them have been sent home to “keep labor cost down” and the majority will raise their hands. Erratic schedules are par for the course in fast-food. Coupled with low pay, fast-food workers struggle to pay for their basic necessities, such as rent and heat.

Last Friday 40 fast-food workers and a dozen community people came out to support workers at the third Fast-food Fry-days. Almost every drive up bay was occupied with a community supporter and fast-food workers. Each car had a sign in the back that read, “Sorry for the wait, standing with workers.” The workers at Sonic were excited and a few have decided to join the movement.

dissatis-fried

STL735

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday October 07, 2013 · 2:58 PM PDT

2013/10/07 · 14:58

Since Burger King released their new “healthier” fry last week, I’ve been humming to myself, “Are you satisfried, are you satisfri-ied?” to the Lauryn Hill song “I find it hard to say”; I have to say it is quite catchy. Burger King launching a new ad campaign for slim fries, seems fitting on the foot heels of the largest fast food strike ever in history. Why would they want to talk about slimming CEO compensation and paying their workers more, when they can attempt to widen their profits by pushing crinkly fries?

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