In Solidarity With Fast Food Workers

Today there were walkouts by fast food workers in many cities.  We need to stand in solidarity with them.  In the current economy, the wages most are now paid are just not enough to support families, let alone lift anyone out of poverty even if working full-time hours.  A single person would even barely get by.

Some unsympathetic people say these jobs were not designed to support families.  Well, maybe not. But with the economy the way it is, especially the lack of well-paying jobs, make such jobs the only option for some to support themselves and their families.  The minimum wage has not kept pace with inflation.  I'd really like to see some of those who reject paying these folks a living wage do these jobs for the minimum wage now being paid. I went through the comments at The Guardian's story on this.  I was pretty appalled at the way some commenters cast all kind of aspersions on the one lady interviewed and on other workers.  Oh, they're just not worth $15.00 an hour (and that was mild!).  Well, I stand with those who feel if you work full time, you should be able to support your family.  I also feel that raising the minimum wage would be beneficial to the economy, not detrimental.  If these workers have more disposable income, they can purchase more and not have to be subsidized by having to use food stamps and other aid programs.

To read about these latest protests you can visit either or both of these links:

1) the NPR story - including the news that McDonald's is buying a new corporate jet, and other links to some interesting data.  But beware of that free-market apologist I guess they felt they had to include

2) The Guardian story

Let's stand with these hard-working employees and protesters and start lifting each other up.  That should help us all in the long run.

UPDATE 12/10:

Oh my, it must be good to be a CEO - at McDonald's especially.  This story highlights 10 corporations whose CEO hourly pay tops average workers' pay by the highest ratios.  No wonder there's such a growing gap between the top 1% and the rest of us!