450 striking fast food workers arrested

04/09/2014: U.S. fast-food workers staged protests in some 150 cities in a fight for a $15 minimum wage and the right to unionize. More than 450 of them were arrested on that day in the whole country for blocking traffic or refusing to disperse.

 

This was the biggest day of action of the "Fight for 15" movement that started in November 2012 and have seen several days of strikes and actions against chains including McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's and KFC. The workers are asking for a 15 Dollar an hour wage and say they won't accept anything below this amount.

 

Fast food workers in the US are predominantly young, female and black or latino. They currently earn 7, 25 US Dollar on hour, which means that they remain  under the poverty line even with a 40-hour workweek and that they often need a second or third job to be able to survive.