It was Wal Mart last week and now another front has been established in the fast food industry. Workers at major fast food restaurants in New York today are refusing to work because they want pay increases and a right to form a union.
Those major restaurants include Wendy's, KFC, Taco Bell and of course Mc Donalds. This is not surprising at all, especially following the workers at Wal Mart on Black Friday refusing to work in the poor conditions that they are put in.
We don't know if this will persistent or not, but one thing is certain: It will grow. Although these companies will keep making money as how Wal Mart did on Black Friday, but on both of these fronts the sentiment is there.
It is a big part of the consumer to impact the business, that is why persistent is a key ingredient, so customers will start thinking twice of what they are paying for at these places not only with the artery clogging food but with how their fellow workers are being treated.
The money will start doing the talking to the CEOs because that is the only language they can speak in, for the CEOs will not listen to voices like this Mc Donalds worker in New York, from Alana Semuels article in the LA Times:
Darryl Young, 24, was one of the McDonald's workers to walkout. The Bronx resident says he gets paid $7.25 an hour to be a cashier, but is asked to do many more jobs -- maintenance, manning the grill, cleanup. He's the only one in his household earning an income, and said he was nervous about walking out because he has a 2-week-old daughter.
"I'm just standing up for what's right," he said
And that indeed Darryl Young is standing up for what is right. These workers work for some of the most richest companies in the world, they like the Wal Mart workers are asking for a little decency. The economy is tough and there is worry that the workers will lose their jobs and not find a new one, but the workers have potential to build much momentum and the companies will realize that they cannot fire their whole workforce.
It will be an interesting road, but it is only getting started, who knows if this will start to spread to other companies in other industries.