Karina McClain, a cashier at fast food chain Checkers in New York City, didn't show up for her shift on Thursday.
Instead, the 22 year-old joined about 100 other people outside of a Brooklyn Wendy's restaurant calling for an hourly wage increase to $15 an hour. She was holding a sign that read "Raise pay, live better."
"I have bills to pay and we don't get enough money," said McClain, who makes the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, and works 20 hours a week. Missing out on a day's pay would be hard for McClain, who can barely pay for diapers and clothes for her five-month old daughter Kamayah.
But on Thursday, McClain was able to afford missing a day at work, because organizers behind the protests compensate workers who walk off work.
McClain said union-backed groups, like Fast Food Forward and Fight for 15, were paying her about $50, or a day's wage, to be at the protest.
"If they weren't paying me, I couldn't afford to be here," she said.
Read - Fast food worker: Protest didn't cost me pay
Previously:
Does your favorite restaurant take the high road with its workers?
Get on the bus! Meet the folks who clean up your restaurant mess
'We are servers not servants!'
The fools were supposed to strike today as well but I see nothing in the news and they are open in my area. Guess the Mexicans could not afford to take the day off.
Meh. Just leave him in the basement and let him change his own sheets.
Go ahead and raise the minimum wage. Within a year fast food cashiers will be replaced by self-serve kiosks and all of these jackoffs will be out of a job.
My name is Nick I'm 26. That's a picture of me. The way they made this page.. looks like the name would belong to the picture above. That's not the case. Hi everybody. Any questions. Email me at mcmurryn@gmail.com I am not a fast food worker but a full time political activist. However I support them every step of the way. All you republicans and conservatives who are middle class and working class have lost your minds. "Hey" you say, "let's cut these vital resources that millions of citizens depend on." Vital resources being Medicaid, Medicare, food stamps etc. and guess what? You have a large possibility of retiring to those same programs. Where's all the money going? Not you. Not you. Not you. Not any of you. The crooked senators, house leaders, governors, legislative government that's always coming up with some law about that takes our rights away. Look at the nonsense going on in Cali. You have to now pay $5,000 to file a complaint against drilling on public land like parks and what not. The crazy part is.. nyc just voted to allow mining of our parks. If you want to talk politics. I have a mouth full. The majority of you consider Fox to be news.. Fox is straight republican bullshit and does not report all the important news. F**k you Rupert Murdoch!
Good thing there are no crooked liberal politicians!
Right, Nicholas?
There is a crooked person in every category.
What are you doing having children when you work FAST FOOD? WTH is wrong with these morons?
I guess poor people should simply not have kids.
TRUE STORY: My daughter-in-law's uncle took his son to a fast food restaurant a couple of years ago. They ordered two Egg Muffins, a coffee & an orange juice.He pulled out his wallet but stopped short when the cashier said "That'll be $42.38 please". He replied" That's not possible", she responded "That's what the register says".
The conversation went back & forth, the cashier's voice became more & more shrill until the manager finally came over asking what the problem was. Her reply "This man's refusing to pay for his food". Uncle Dave ( an elementary teacher) patiently explained what he ordered and what he was being asked to pay. The manager advanced the register tape, turned to the cashier and said"You didn't push cancel".
Her classic response??? "He didn't order no cancel".
Most entry level jobs are not worth more than minimum wage It has nothing to do with the worth of the employee, the jobs involve minimum skill positions which were never intended to provide long term permanent employment. They are good for showing dependability, learning customer skills, developing a work ethic – allowing the employee the oportunities of "climbing the ladder". Some obviously won't progress very far but that doesn't mean the job itself should be worth more.
If you don't like the pay, find a better job. If you have no skills, be glad you have a job at all and get back to work.
I suck things and get paid for it
Troll be gone.
There's no one working in the restaurant, they all walked off! So does that mean my meals are free?? LOL Seriously, if they ever (highly doubt it though) raise the wage to $15/hr, you can expect MAJOR changes from prices to who the restaurant hire.
Hey Fast Food Workers….The Union will pay you $50.00 to walk off your job today….Just sign here. No, You don't need to read the small print--$35.00 Union dues and $ 15.00 Union Representative Fee in case you get fired for walking out. Now, Give me back the $50.00. SUCKERS !!
You obviously don't know anything about unions.
Um no. as far as I know every worker who ever here in nyc that got fired for rallying, got their jobs back because the people that organize these rallies and other people stepped in.
I am shocked, shocked I tell you...
So where is his other job to make up the lack of hours, then?
Just sayin