Fast-food strikes shut down stores, penetrate the South

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwgPK1GRhKEhx0lR2oNa4zAYZ7IDVwirOYeZCpor4FsX7u4GhDqcSlDC24VZqQJBfZkvsne-UrQHY2WE_bLRyho4xylcqW0OROT2yCniPSGvYBysTNQqJDf1CJi8Eau1hvY8TZauyQVtS-/s1600/burger+king.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwgPK1GRhKEhx0lR2oNa4zAYZ7IDVwirOYeZCpor4FsX7u4GhDqcSlDC24VZqQJBfZkvsne-UrQHY2WE_bLRyho4xylcqW0OROT2yCniPSGvYBysTNQqJDf1CJi8Eau1hvY8TZauyQVtS-/s320/burger+king.png" width="320" /></a></div>Fast-food workers on strike today continue to make history and they are showing their power in real time.<br /><br />In Raleigh, N.C., <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=623536737677047&set=a.591503887546999.1073741828.580610428636345&type=1">Burger King offered to pay employees double to work today</a>. <br /><br />Tell that to those who doubt the effectiveness of striking, and tell that to those who insist fast-food giants can't afford to pay their workers a living wage.<br /><br />Today's national fast-food workers strike has hit 60 cities around the country. <br /><br />And like so many workers in America, Teamsters know that this fight isn't just about fast-food workers - it's about the dignity of all workers. That's why our brothers and sisters at Local 391 were out today <a href="http://www.digtriad.com/news/photo-gallery.aspx?storyid=296911">supporting the fast-food strikers in Greensboro, N.C</a>.<br /><br />Workers have successfully shut down stories in many parts of the country, <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-usa-restaurants-strike-20130828,0,3586222.story">Reuters reports</a>:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">The strikes spread quickly across the country and have shut down restaurants in New York, Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Raleigh and Seattle, according to organizers.</blockquote>In Madison, Wisc., almost 60 workers and supporters are outside a Dunkin Donuts chanting "$15 and a union! $7.25 has got to go!" Workers in Madison also shut down a Family Dollar story after walking out today.<br /><br />Here's a sampling of reports on Twitter and Facebook to give you a flavor of what's been happening today:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><em>St. Louis:</em> STL Represent! RT <a href="https://twitter.com/MOJwJ">@MOJwJ</a>: Workers, community leaders just packed this STL <a href="https://twitter.com/McDonalds">@mcdonalds</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23829strike&src=hash">#829strike</a> <a href="http://bit.ly/141YjHt">http://bit.ly/141YjHt </a></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><em>New York:</em> Fast food workers on strike today at McDonald's near Yankee Stadium in NYC <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23iamfastfood&src=hash">#iamfastfood</a> <a href="http://t.co/4wZu7SJtcO">pic.twitter.com/4wZu7SJtcO</a></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><em>San Francisco:</em> Workers from 37 East Bay locations (Burger King, McDonald’s, KFC, Wendy’s, Subway, more!) are striking! <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23829strike&src=hash">#829strike</a> <a href="http://t.co/47VsOvZ1B3">pic.twitter.com/47VsOvZ1B3</a></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><em>Boston</em>: Another elected official out supporting workers on the<a href="https://www.facebook.com/LowPayIsNotOk/posts/623633707667350"> strike lines in Boston</a>! <a href="http://bit.ly/829nationwide" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a></blockquote><div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><em>Indianapolis:</em> RT <a href="https://twitter.com/829StrikeIndy">@829StrikeIndy</a>: Indy on strike! at McDonalds. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23829strike&src=hash">#829strike</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/fightfor15">@fightfor15</a> <a href="http://bit.ly/17llH3p">http://bit.ly/17llH3p </a></blockquote></div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><em>Houston:</em> "I'm at work more than I see my children, thats why I'm on strike" Burger King worker Luis Ortiz <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23829strike&src=hash">#829strike</a> <a href="http://t.co/LGRMJawPam">pic.twitter.com/LGRMJawPam</a></blockquote></div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><em>New York:</em> Clergy, community and workers will not be moved! View of<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=553240191404308&set=a.435703519824643.99006.430475173680811&type=1"> sit-in at 5th Ave McDonald's in NYC</a> at 6:30am this morning! </blockquote></div><br />We've also just gotten word that Rep. John Lewis is speaking to Atlanta fast-food workers on strike right now.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbvHMj32X2IAbJLyzqhkOQq3vk3u64WFlwXrpALtM3NCU4-_RG3pawwxM5xIVEyCv2Ul-3HlDdjtBhhmCRU4L-8FY-YZOl7NF8p7l2MRVSXgRUQIGmp0gDHI0ztZWF8MKwwHZSgVUDsu1/s1600/john+lewis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbvHMj32X2IAbJLyzqhkOQq3vk3u64WFlwXrpALtM3NCU4-_RG3pawwxM5xIVEyCv2Ul-3HlDdjtBhhmCRU4L-8FY-YZOl7NF8p7l2MRVSXgRUQIGmp0gDHI0ztZWF8MKwwHZSgVUDsu1/s320/john+lewis.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />It's hard to overstate just how significant today's events are for fast-food workers and the overall movement among low-wage workers for better pay and rights on the job. Today's strikes are reaching every corner of the country, including the South. <br /><br />Columbia University political science professor Dorian Warren was quoted saying that the inroads the strike movement is making today in the South is "<a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-usa-restaurants-strike-20130828,0,3586222.story">a huge, huge deal</a>":<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">The South has always been the model for low wage employment, from slavery to the Jim Crow laws, to the present. It's also the most anti-union part of the country, so the fact that workers feel empowered enough to take collective action is enormous.</blockquote><div>The day is far from over for striking fast-food workers who will be protesting into the evening in many cities. <br /><br />We'll soon know more about the full scope and impact of today's strikes. But it's safe to say that the living-wage movement in America has taken a huge step forward with today's walkouts.<br /><br />Way to go, brothers and sisters!  </div>

fast food strikes fight for 15 low wage workers Fast-food strikes shut down stores, penetrate the South

Fast-food workers on strike today continue to make history and they are showing their power in real time. In Raleigh, N.C., Burger King offe...

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