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2014 was a massive year for Fast Food workers in the U.S. Two McDonalds’ workers from Los Angeles are visiting New Zealand to tell the story and work with fast food workers in New Zealand to keep building the momentum.
Genoby Jaimes, 27, has worked at McDonald’s for 6 years and only makes $9.75 an hour. She is a mother of a six year old son. Anggie Godoy,19, has worked at McDonald’s for a year and makes $9 an hour.
They will be speaking at the National Fast Food Workers day on Sat Feb 14th (9am, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Road, Auckland, Link Here). They have just been in Wellington meeting with Union Leaders and meeting MP’s at Parliament.
The U.S. campaign has many reasons to celebrate over the past year:
The movement went global- 230 cities, 33 countries, 6 continents.
They shut down McDonald’s headquarters.
The day before McDonald’s shareholder meeting in May, more than 2,000 workers and supporters marched straight to their Illinois corporate headquarters.
The Wall Street Journal said “Protesters Shut Down McDonald’s HQ.”
They exposed McDonald’s rampant wage theft. Brave workers spoke up and seven lawsuits were officially filed against McDonald’s and its franchises.
They got arrested. When thousands of fast-food workers went on strike nationwide in September, nearly 500 risked everything by getting arrested in order to turn up the heat on fast-food chains. They even ran out of handcuffs in Detroit.
They went beyond fast food. During December’s massive 190 city strike, home care workers, convenience store cashiers, discount store clerks, airport cleaners and ramp workers, Walmart associates, and many others walked out.
They got voters on their side. Voters from Illinois, to Alaska, to Arkansas passed ballot initiatives to increase pay for lower wage workers.
To learn more about the U.S. campaign online:
Submitted by
Kristin Gillies
Written 13/2/2015