SignOn.org - NYC Fast Food Workers Strike

SignOn.org - NYC Fast Food Workers Strike
Emile Brolick, the CEO of Wendy's, is probably sitting at his desk having his morning coffee right now. By lunch time, he will have earned more than $11,009.95. That's more than I take home in a year as a regular Wendy's employee.

That's why I am walking out of the Wendy's at 125th and Lexington in New York City. Hundreds of my coworkers are doing the same, demanding higher wages and the right to form a union without interference.

Fast food workers like me barely scrape by on minimum wage while corporate executives take home millions. And despite the stereotype, most of us are not teenagers working after school. We're grown adults with kids of our own and bills to pay. Many people have worked in fast food for years and never received a raise from $7.25 an hour.

Going on strike is a big deal—and to win we need the support of the general public. If we can get 50,000 people to sign the petition by our Day of Solidarity on December 6th, we'll hand deliver your signatures to CEO headquarters all over the country. We know this is a David vs Goliath battle—workers against a $200 billion industry—but we can win if Americans from all walks of life stand in solidarity with us.

I am only one of more than 50,000 New Yorkers working in the fast food industry. With average annual incomes as low as $11,000, many fast food workers must turn to public assistance to make ends meet. We are striking today because we believe fast food companies should pay workers enough to be able to pay for basic needs like food, clothing, and rent.

Companies like McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, and Pizza Hut reap huge profits and shower CEOs with exorbitant compensation while many of their employees qualify for food stamps—and it's time to do something about it.

Don't stand for the minimum wage. Stand for something greater. Sign the petition today.