Spreading the word about citywide big burger boycott as $15 movement continues to build momentum
Seattle fast food workers will be at Westlake Park at lunch break Monday, handing out thousands of brown “Boycott McPoverty” lunch bags and asking downtown workers & shoppers to join a citywide big burger boycott on Thursday by not eating at McDonald’s, Burger King, or Wendy’s.
The one-day citywide boycott is the next step in the campaign to win $15 for Seattle — an effort which has the support of 68% of likely voters in the city, according to a recent poll by EMC Research.
Who: Fast food workers and other supporters of $15 for Seattle
What: Hand out thousands of brown “Boycott McPoverty” lunch bags, asking downtown workers & shoppers to join the call for a one-day boycott of all 25 McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s in the city.
When: Monday, February 17, 2014, 11 am - 1 pm: lunchtime
Where: Westlake Park: Corner of 4th & Pine in downtown Seattle
Fast food workers have called for a one-day boycott of all 25 McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s locations within Seattle city limits as a show of support for raising pay to $15 an hour. More information about the big burger boycott set for Thursday at McPoverty.com
The three big burger chains make billions of dollars by serving billions of burgers to billions of customers – but they still pay their workers poverty wages. Higher wages would mean workers could afford to support themselves and pay for basics like food, rent, and transportation. Our economy would benefit too — because more people making more money means more customers for every business out there.
Leafletting, bannering, and other outreach will continue throughout the week, leading up to Thursday’s boycott at all 25 big burger chain locations in the city.
More information:
- Higher-income people actually eat fast food more often that poor people — 51% of people with incomes above $75,000 report they eat fast food weekly, compared to only 39% of people with incomes below $20,000. (A full-time worker paid the Washington State minimum wage would have an income of $19,385/year.)
- Organizations endorsing the call to Boycott McPoverty include Working Washington, Fifteen Now, Good Jobs Seattle, Martin Luther King County Labor Council, OneAmerica, People’s Institute NW, SEIU 775NW, SEIU 1199NW, Teamsters 117, Tyree Scott Freedom School, and Washington CAN.
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Contact: Sage Wilson: sage@workingwa.org, 206-227-6014