More than 100 well organized McDonald's workers and their activist supporters were arrested protesting low pay at the company's headquarters yesterday.
This demonstration at McDonald's headquarters is part of a months long coordinated campaign planned by Service Employees International Union. The protest at McDonald's headquarters on Wednesday was a continuation of a one day strike demonstration last Thursday in 150 cities and 30 countries around the world.
Print monopoly media coverage of the events has portrayed the protestors favorably.
Chicago Tribune's Jessica Wohl reports:
"The push to raise fast-food and retail employees' wages has led to protests nationwide since the movement took shape in 2012, with demonstrations from New York to Los Angeles that are organized by groups financially backed by the Service Employees International Union. Wednesday's gathering marked the latest against McDonald's, coming a day before the company's annual meeting. "
Wohl also says, " The demonstration was peaceful, with 138 protesters presenting their IDs to police and allowing themselves to be arrested and led to a bus, one-by-one, on a hot afternoon. The Oak Brook Police Department said the arrests were made for 'criminal trespass to property' and that those arrested could face a fine."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-mcdonalds-protests-20140521,0,5545443.story
"As in years past, McDonald's marketing to tactics to children was also
brought up by speakers. One mother from Lexington, Kentucky, Casey
Hinds, said Ronald McDonald was "the Joe Camel of fast food."
Thompson said McDonald's wasn't predatory and that Ronald McDonald was
about letting kids have fun. He noted that his children ate the chain's
food and turned out "quite healthy," with his daughter even becoming a
track star."
Labor Power Blog reported on the past week's struggles here:
LOW PAY IS NOT OK !http://take10charles.blogspot.com/2014/05/i-support-striking-fast-food-workers.html
"We can't pay our bills. We can't pay our rent. We must be a part of the 99%"http://take10charles.blogspot.com/2014/05/usa-today-as-many-as-2000-protesters.html
"Change from the Bottom Up :Minimum Wage Hike Petition in Michigan" http://take10charles.blogspot.com/2014/05/change-from-bottom-up-minimum.html
The protests against low pay in the fast food and retail sales industries are noteworthy for their high level of organization and sophisticated public relations and media strategy. The nationally and internationally coordinated protest demonstrations have been going since 2012, and the media coverage of them is quite sympathetic compared to the norm. USA Today announced the demonstration the day before it happened. The Chicago Tribune article quoted here is very portrays the McDonald's workers in a positive light.http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-21/mcdonald-s-tells-employees-to-stay-home-as-protests-loom.html
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/protesters-target-mcdonalds-annual-meeting-23812028
http://www.aflcio.org/Blog/Corporate-Greed/McDonald-s-Workers-Show-Us-What-Democracy-Looks-Like
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=707831559251328&set=a.190167221017767.44131.186219261412563&type=1&theater
On this day in labor history:
May 22, 1895 Eugene V. Debs was imprisoned for his role in the Pullman railway strike in Woodstock, Illinois. http://bit.ly/EugeneDebsImprisoned more Peace & Justice history here http://bit.ly/WeekInPeace
http://www.aflcio.org/Blog/Corporate-Greed/McDonald-s-Workers-Show-Us-What-Democracy-Looks-Like
Help 'Kickstart' Walmart Workers' Documentary
http://www.aflcio.org/Blog/Corporate-Greed/Help-Kickstart-Walmart-Workers-Documentaryhttps://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=707831559251328&set=a.190167221017767.44131.186219261412563&type=1&theater
On this day in labor history:
May 22, 1895 Eugene V. Debs was imprisoned for his role in the Pullman railway strike in Woodstock, Illinois. http://bit.ly/EugeneDebsImprisoned more Peace & Justice history here http://bit.ly/WeekInPeace
Debs agitating
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald%27s
"The McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 68 million customers daily in 119 countries across 35,000 outlets.[4][5] Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948 they reorganized their business as a hamburger stand using production line principles. Businessman Ray Kroc joined the company as a franchise agent in 1955. He subsequently purchased the chain from the McDonald brothers and oversaw its worldwide growth.[6]
A McDonald's restaurant is operated by either a franchisee, an affiliate, or the corporation itself. McDonald's Corporation revenues come from the rent, royalties, and fees paid by the franchisees, as well as sales in company-operated restaurants. In 2012, McDonald's Corporation had annual revenues of $27.5 billion, and profits of $5.5 billion.[7]
McDonald's primarily sells hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken, french fries, breakfast items, soft drinks, milkshakes, and desserts. In response to changing consumer tastes, the company has expanded its menu to include salads, fish, wraps, smoothies, fruit,[8][9] and seasoned fries.[10"
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=873288469353826&set=a.130389670310380.23487.100000180426583&type=1&theater
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