Fast-Food Workers Strike in 200 Cities

A Tax Day strike by fast-food workers in more than 200 American cities is expected to be the largest of its kind. The employees demand a $15 per hour living wage for the workforce, more than half of whom rely on public assistance to supplement their incomes. In Brooklyn, members of the SEIU-funded Fight to $15 campaign blocked traffic near the Brooklyn Bridge on Wednesday morning, and organizers say they hope the event will grow to draw in other underpaid sectors of the population—including adjunct professors and child-care workers. Some fast-food chains, like McDonalds, recently implemented small raises for some of their staff—but organizers say that’s not enough. “This is much more of an economic and racial justice movement than the fast-food workers strikes of the past two years,” said Fight for $15 Director Kendall Wells.