Each step in the recent months' mobilization of fast food workers has made its own little piece of history. The first time fast food workers at multiple restaurants across a city ever went on strike was in New York City in November, and after a second one-day strike in New York, city after city followed. With high unemployment, unions under attack and on the defensive, and labor law that does little to protect workers, low-wage workers in a decentralized industry were just about the last people who were supposed to rise up and demand more. But this week,
fast food workers in seven cities will be walking out.
Today, Monday, is a day of widespread rallies and walkouts, with members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and city council members on hand to support the strikers. But:
This week’s wave of strikes got an early start Friday night, when workers walked out at a Brooklyn Domino’s to protest the firing of an activist co-worker, Gregory Reynoso, following their April strike. Striker Jose Cruz told Salon that about 90% of the workers on the busy evening shift joined the work stoppage, forcing cancellations of deliveries. (Workers at two other Domino’s locations, a Papa John’s, and a McDonald’s also took part in Friday’s prequel strike.)
On Friday, state Sen. Eric Adams helped deliver letters in support of Reynoso to Domino's.
Monday:
Today, workers and allies will rally at multiple locations in New York City at noon and at Union Square at 3pm. In coming days, workers in Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, Milwaukee, Kansas City, and Flint, Michigan, will also strike, and workers in Seattle—who raised complaints of wage theft last week—will take action in other ways. This isn't a short-term fight, but the beginning of what will likely be a long campaign building pressure on the fast food industry to change. If you see workers striking outside a fast food restaurant, join them if you can. But whatever you do, don't weaken the fight by crossing their line and going inside.
Tell these brave fast food workers that you stand in solidarity with them.
