Show your solidarity in fight to raise low wages
On Thursday, September 4 at noon, supporters of fast food workers in the South - workers who are leading the way in the fight for raising wages, respect, and hope through their union - will rally in Durham.
What: Solidarity rally with fast food workers from across North Carolina
When: Thursday, September 4, 2014 at noon
Where: Durham Farmers Market, 501 Foster St, Durham, North Carolina 27701
Join this event on Facebook to let us know you're coming.
From the Facebook event page:
Join us on Sep 4 as fast food workers from across North Carolina gather in Durham to demand $15 and a union!
ALL workers deserve living wages and rights on the job. $15 an hour would allow us enough money to care for our families and boost our economy. We all benefit when workers receive a raise. No one working hard every day deserves to live in poverty, especially while CEOs get paid 1200x what the average fast food worker makes.
Enough is enough. McDonald's makes nearly $6 BILLION in profit every year because of workers like us! We demand to get paid what we are worth and we believe that we will win!
Low-wages are killing the American Dream
According to a report by the New York Times, low-wage jobs have dominated the recovery since the Great Recession:
The National Employment Law Project study found especially strong growth in restaurants and food services, administrative and waste services and retail trades. Those industries — which often pay wages at the federal minimum — accounted for about 40 percent of the increase in private sector employment over the past four years. [source]
The non-partisan N.C. Budget and Tax Center released a report in June of this year saying the low-wage recovery is hurting North Carolina workers and the economy:
“When workers earn low wages, they struggle to meet the rising costs for their most basic needs: food on their table, roofs over their heads and clothes for their children,” said Alexandra Sirota, Director of the Budget & Tax Center and co-author of the report. “The broader economy also suffers from a shrinking middle class and increased public spending to help working families stay afloat.”
What can be done about it?
“It is critical that North Carolina support workers earning low-wages with a strong public policy framework that provides pathways to the middle class and supports to make ends meet,” Allan Freyer, Public Policy Analyst and co-author of the report said. “Fundamentally, though, North Carolina should ensure that all workers have the ability to seek better wages and working conditions by joining a union which has been proven to support a strong middle class and better economic outcomes.” [emphasis added] [source]
Forming a union and fighting together for $15 and recognition of their union is how fast food workers are doing their part to make our economy work for hard-working people and not just the rich. Join us September 4th in Durham!
Download the flyer for the Sept. 4 solidarity rally.
Download this flyer as PDF