Fast food workers call on Seattle to "Boycott McPoverty" on February 20th

Citywide big burger boycott will be next step forward for $15 movement

Calling on the public to "Boycott McPoverty" to support $15 for Seattle, fast food workers today announced plans for a citywide boycott of the big burger chains on February 20th. The big three chains (McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King) have a combined 25 locations within Seattle city limits.

The big corporate fast food chains bank billions of dollars a year while paying workers less than it takes to survive. Their McPoverty business model shifts costs to the public, puts downward pressure on wages, and suppresses consumer demand: you can't contribute much to the economy on a minimum wage paycheck.

"Because I make minimum wage I cannot afford daycare, healthcare, or my own place for me & my daughter," explained Brittany Phelps, who works at McDonald's in Seattle, where she's paid $9.32/hour. "Instead I live with 7 other people in a 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom apartment. I'm fighting for a $15 minimum wage so I can afford the basic necessities of life."

There's no question that McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's can afford to lead by example with a $15 minimum wage -- McDonald's alone banked $5.6 billion in profit last year. While the corporate brands make much of the profit and effectively control many store operations, the franchised stores in these chains are also typically owned by large corporations, each of which control dozens or even hundreds of locations.

By joining fast food workers to Boycott McPoverty on February 20th, the people of Seattle will show strong support for a $15 minimum wage that builds broad-based prosperity from the middle out.

Early supporters of the call to Boycott McPoverty February 20th include Working Washington, Fifteen Now, SEIU 775NW & 1199 NW, Teamsters 117, and Washington CAN.

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Contact: Sage Wilson: sage@workingwa.org

THURSDAY: Fast food workers head to City Hall, urge councilmembers to support $15 & fight McPoverty

Councilmembers will hear directly from workers about how a $15 minimum wage would change their lives

SEATTLE, 2/6/2014 - Fast food workers will bring their real-life stories about trying to survive on McPoverty wages straight to the city councilmembers who are considering a $15 minimum wage for Seattle. Workers will then make two direct requests of councilmembers, asking:

1) Will they support a $15 minimum wage for Seattle that boosts the economy and lifts workers out of poverty?

2) Will they join a citywide day of action against McPoverty on February 20th? (Workers will announce more information about the action on Thursday morning.)

Who: Seattle fast food worker-leaders at the forefront of the fight for a $15 minimum wage

What: Head to City Hall to share their stories with City Councilmembers and ask for their support in the fight for a $15 minimum wage.

When & Where: Thursday, February 6, 2014. - 9:30 am: Brief program — including announcement of upcoming citywide event — held in Working Washington offices, 719 3rd Ave (between Columbia & Cherry). Media availability may be arranged beginning at 9:00 am — contact for details. - 10:15 am: Walk over to City Hall for meetings with Councilmembers. Seattle City Hall, 600 4th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104

In recent weeks, the movement for a higher minimum wage has continued to build momentum. Last week, President Obama took executive action to raise wages for more than 200,000 workers. Just yesterday at the State Capitol, McDonald’s worker Brittany Phelps offered testimony about what it’s like to raise a daughter on minimum wage, while living in a 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom house with 7 other people. And Thursday, the call for $15 will once again be heard in Seattle City Hall.

More information:

Sparked by the 2013 fast food strikes and the landmark victory of SeaTac Proposition 1, Good Jobs Seattle seeks to build a sustainable future for Seattle’s economy from the middle out — by turning poverty-wage jobs in fast food and other industries into good jobs that pay enough for workers to support themselves and contribute to the local economy. Good Jobs Seattle is supported by Working Washington, SEIU Healthcare 775NW, OneAmerica, Teamsters 117, Washington CAN! and hundreds of workers and community members across the city.

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Contact: Sage Wilson, Working Washington, sage@workingwa.org

Lawmakers to hear directly from minimum wage workers on Tuesday & Thursday this week

Fast food workers take minimum wage campaign to State Capitol on Tuesday, then City Hall on Thursday

Legislators and city councilmembers will hear directly from workers trying to survive on poverty wages

Fast food workers are taking the fight for good jobs & a stronger economy to state legislators and city councilmembers this week, as momentum behind the campaign to raise the minimum wage spreads from Seattle to Olympia to Washington, DC.

On Tuesday, fast food workers will testify before elected officials in Olympia who are considering a statewide proposal for a $12 minimum wage. Then on Thursday, they will bring the stories of their lives, their work, their families, and their struggles in one-on-one meetings with city councilmembers who are considering a $15 minimum wage for Seattle. (Fast food workers leading the Good Jobs Seattle campaign believe progress towards a $12 statewide standard is an extremely positive development, but remain committed to winning $15 for Seattle.)

Who: Poverty-wage fast food workers

What: Testify before the House Labor & Workforce Development Committee in support of HB 2672, the $12 minimum wage bill on Tuesday, then meet with city councilmembers Thursday in support of a $15 minimum wage for Seattle.

When & Where: - Olympia: Tuesday, February 4, 2014, 1:30pm, House Labor & Workforce Development Committee, House Hearing Room D, John L. O’Brien Building, Capitol Campus - Seattle: Thursday, February 6, 2014. Media availability beginning at 9:00 am — more details available tomorrow.

Fast food workers are taking their stories to lawmakers just a week after McDonald’s had its own lobby day in Olympia in support of the corporate interests of the multi-billion-dollar corporation and its major franchisees.

More information:

Sparked by the 2013 fast food strikes and the landmark victory of SeaTac Proposition 1, Good Jobs Seattle seeks to build a sustainable future for Seattle’s economy from the middle out — by turning poverty-wage jobs in fast food and other industries into good jobs that pay enough for workers to support themselves and contribute to the local economy. Good Jobs Seattle is supported by Working Washington, SEIU Healthcare 775NW, OneAmerica, Teamsters 117, Washington CAN! and hundreds of workers and community members across the city.

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Contact: Sage Wilson, Working Washington: sage@workingwa.org

THURSDAY: Fast food workers lead day-long march from SeaTac to Seattle City Hall

Final route and timing info for epic fast-food-worker-led march for $15 from SeaTac to Seattle City Hall

Carrying on the momentum of the landmark victory for the $15 minimum wage in SeaTac, fast food workers will lead a day-long, 8-hour march on Thursday, December 5th that traces the $15 movement’s path from our first big victory in SeaTac to our next destination — Seattle City Hall.

March route: International Blvd to Boeing Access Road to MLK to Rainier to Jackson to 4th. (Map available online with route and timing information.)

March timing:

  • 9:00 - brief program at SeaTac Hilton Conference Center, 17620 International Blvd, SeaTac
  • 9:30 - march departs, heading north on International Blvd
  • 10:30 - marchers pass Abu Bakr Mosque, 14101 International Blvd, Tukwila
  • 11:40 - marchers enter Seattle city limits (Boeing Access Rd & MLK)
  • 12:00 - marchers reach MLK Way S & S Henderson St
  • 1:00 - lunch en route - northwest corner of Brighton Playfield (6000 39th Ave S)
  • 1:20 - march continues
  • 2:30 - Marchers reach Rainier & MLK
  • 4:00 - Supporters gathered at Hing Hay Park (423 Maynard Ave S) join march at Jackson & Maynard
  • 4:30 - Rally at City Hall (600 4th Ave)

Please note: times are estimates for planning purposes. For minute-by-minute updates throughout the day as we make our way from SeaTac to Seattle, we will be livestreaming our location during the march on goodjobsseattle.org and on twitter at #onthemarch.

Sparked by this summer’s fast food strikes, Good Jobs Seattle is a growing movement which seeks to build a sustainable future for Seattle’s economy from the middle out — by turning poverty-wage jobs in fast food and other industries into good jobs that offer opportunities for a better future and pay enough for workers to afford basic necessities like food, clothing and rent. Good Jobs Seattle is supported by organizations including Washington Community Action Network, Working Washington, OneAmerica, SEIU Healthcare 775NW and hundreds of workers and grassroots supporters.

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Contact: Sage Wilson, Good Jobs Seattle: sage@workingwa.org

 

 

Day-long march to take $15 movement from SeaTac to Seattle City Hall on Thursday

Marchers to leave SeaTac at 9:00am Thursday December 5th, arrive at Seattle City Hall 4:30pm Seizing on the momentum of the landmark victory for the $15 minimum wage in SeaTac, fast food workers and community supporters will mount a day-long, 8-hour march on Thursday, December 5th that traces the $15 movement's path from our first big victory in SeaTac to our next destination — Seattle City Hall.

Who: Poverty-wage workers who work in fast food, at the airport, and other industries, joined by faith leaders and other community supporters

What: Launch an all-day march for $15 and a better future, leaving from the site of our first big victory in SeaTac to our next destination: Seattle City Hall.

When & Where: Thursday, December 5th. (March route: International Blvd to Boeing Access Rd to Martin Luther King, Jr. Way to Rainier Ave to Jackson to 4th.)

- 9:00 am: $15 march kicks off at SeaTac Hilton (which is covered by the SeaTac Good Jobs Initiative), 17620 International Blvd, SeaTac

- 1:00 pm: $15 march pauses for lunch en route at Brighton Playfield, 6000 39th Ave S, Seattle

- 4:00 pm: All-day $15 marchers joined by additional supporters at Hing Hay Park, 423 Maynard Ave S, Seattle for final stretch to City Hall

- 4:30 pm: Rally for $15 from SeaTac to Seattle at City Hall, 600 4th Ave, Seattle

 

Before the first Seattle fast food strike in late May, the $15 minimum wage sounded like an impossible dream. Just 6 months later, it's more than possible: it's set to become a reality for more than 6000 poverty-wage workers in the travel & tourism industry in SeaTac, including the people who work at the McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's in our airport.

The victory for $15 in SeaTac shows that workers and community members can stand up to giant multinational corporations, turn the tide of income inequality, and kickstart the economy by ensuring thousands of workers are paid enough to afford basics like food, rent, and transportation.

Adding to the momentum from SeaTac, candidates who expressed support for fast food workers and the $15 movement won several key Seattle elections:

Sparked by this summer's fast food strikes, Good Jobs Seattle is a growing movement which seeks to build a sustainable future for Seattle's economy from the middle out — by turning poverty-wage jobs in fast food and other industries into good jobs that offer opportunities for a better future and pay enough for workers to afford basic necessities like food, clothing and rent. Good Jobs Seattle is supported by organizations including Washington Community Action Network, Working Washington, OneAmerica, SEIU Healthcare 775NW and hundreds of workers and grassroots supporters.

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Contact: Sage Wilson, Good Jobs Seattle: sage@workingwa.org

Day-long march for $15 on December 5th will take fast food workers and supporters from SeaTac to Seattle City Hall

After victory in SeaTac, $15 movement looks to Seattle for next steps forward

As King County officially certifies the landmark electoral victory for the $15 minimum wage in SeaTac today, fast food workers are already preparing the next big step forward for the $15 movement: a day-long, 8-hour march on December 5th that will trace the movement’s path from our first big victory in SeaTac to our next destination — Seattle City Hall.

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From SeaTac to Seattle and beyond, low wage workers celebrate landmark victory for $15 movement

Election results in bring new momentum to fast food workers struggle Seattle fast food workers are celebrating tonight's election results, citing the strong vote for the SeaTac Good Jobs Initiative as an example that is sure to inspire further advances for the $15 movement in Seattle and across the country.

“The victory in SeaTac means that workers at the Wendy's, McDonald’s, Burger King,  and Starbucks at our airport will see their pay rise to $15/hour along with thousands of others,” said Ryan Parker, a fast food striker who works at Wendy's in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. “If they can do it in SeaTac, we can do it in Seattle too.”

At the same time as SeaTac voters cast their votes decisively for the Good Jobs Initiative, which will ensure a $15 minimum wage for more than 6000 workers in an around the airport, Seattle voters elected Ed Murray as mayor after a campaign where the candidates aggressively competed over who would do more to support low-wage workers. The mayor-elect has vowed to push for a $15-an-hour minimum wage, writing in his Economic Opportunity Agenda that "Seattle should not wait for state or federal action" to "move forward on achieving the goal of a $15/hour wage for large-scale industries like national big box and fast food brands."

Now that a small city of 30,000 has defeated the scare tactics of the Koch Brothers and cast their ballots for prosperity, workers and community supporters will be looking to Seattle to take the next step as our region leads the way forward in the $15 movement.

Inspired by the victory in SeaTac, Seattle fast food workers are determined to work with the new mayor & city council to ensure that their campaign commitments become realities. The voters have spoken: it's time to address the crisis of income inequality and build a sustainable economy from the middle-out, by putting more money in the paychecks of the people who need it most.

SeaTac Proposition 1 will will ensure a $15 minimum wage for more than 6000 workers in an around the airport, including workers at the airport McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, and Starbucks.

Sparked by this summer's fast food & coffee strikes, Good Jobs Seattle is a growing movement which seeks to build a sustainable future for Seattle's economy from the middle out — by turning poverty-wage jobs in fast food and other industries into good jobs that offer opportunities for a better future and pay enough for workers to afford basic necessities like food, clothing and rent. Good Jobs Seattle is supported by organizations including Washington Community Action Network, Working Washington, OneAmerica, SEIU Healthcare 775NW and hundreds of workers and grassroots supporters.

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Contact: Sage Wilson, Good Jobs Seattle. sage@workingwa.org

$96 million in Washington, $7 billion nationally: the public cost of fast food poverty wages

National chains profit by leaving workers in poverty, shifting costs to the rest of us.

Poverty wages at food chains cost the public $96 million in our state, and almost $7 billion nationally, according to two new reports unveiled today by fast food workers and community supporters outside the SoDo Burger King (3301 4th Ave S), including State Representative Zack Hudgins (11th District).

"Corporations are making profits and passing the costs onto us. There's no excuse for that," Representative Hudgins explained. "I'm going to be talking to my colleagues in Olympia about this cost shifting. We are going to do something about it!" Note: Rep. Hudgins is available for comment this afternoon.

The research shows how the big national chains pad their profits by paying such low wages that nearly 12,000 fast food workers in our state alone need assistance from food stamps or another anti-poverty program to fill the gap between what they're paid, and what it takes to survive.

"Because Burger King pays such low wages I actually had to borrow money from my father -- for underwear," said Jason Harvey, who has worked at Burger King for 6 years and is paid the state minimum wage of $9.19/hour. Even though he works preparing and serving food for as many hours as Burger King will schedule him, Jason couldn't afford to eat without the help of food stamps, and wouldn't have a place to leave without public housing assistance. "I'm 42 years old. It ain't right."

The UC Berkeley report Fast food, poverty wages cross-references occupational data, the Census Bureau's American Community Survey, and other public data sources to show the extent to which fast food workers live in poverty and need assistance from a major anti-poverty program to fill the gap between what they're paid, and what it takes to survive. The data shows that in Washington State:

  • 26% of fast food workers need assistance from food stamps
  • 30% receive support from the Earned Income Tax Credit
  • 18% get healthcare through Medicaid, and 17% have children in their households who get healthcare through Medicaid/CHIP.
  • Overall, 41% of fast food workers need support from at least one of these major anti-poverty programs to survive.
  • Our state spends $96 million providing anti-poverty assistance to poverty-wage fast food workers.

The National Employment Law Project report Super-sizing public costs takes the UC Berkeley report and analyzes which chains shift the most costs to the rest of us. The 4 largest fast food chains leave workers in poverty and shift enormous costs to the public:

  • McDonald's: $1.2 billion in public costs to aid workers in poverty
  • Yum! Brands: $648 million in public costs to aid workers in poverty. (Yum! owns Taco Bell, KFC, and other chains.)
  • Subway: $436 million in public costs to aid workers in poverty
  • Burger King: $356 million in public costs to aid workers in poverty
  • The top 10 largest fast food chains shift a total of $3.8 billion in costs — while banking total profits well in excess of that amount and leaving workers in poverty. The fast food industry overall shifts just shy of $7 billion in costs.

Sparked by this summer's fast food & coffee strikes, Good Jobs Seattle is a growing movement which seeks to build a sustainable future for Seattle's economy from the middle out — by turning poverty-wage jobs in fast food and other industries into good jobs that offer opportunities for a better future and pay enough for workers to afford basic necessities like food, clothing and rent. Good Jobs Seattle is supported by organizations including Washington Community Action Network, Working Washington, OneAmerica, SEIU Healthcare 775NW and hundreds of workers and grassroots supporters.

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New reports tally cost of poverty-wage fast food jobs: $96 million in our state, billions nationally

Huge national chains profit from low-wage economy by leaving workers in poverty and shifting costs to the rest of us

TODAY at 10 am - Fast food workers & supporters will unveil new reports just out today by researchers at UC Berkeley and the National Employment Law Project which calculate the massive cost of poverty wages at major fast food chains: $96 million in our state, and $3.8 billion nationally from the 10 largest chains alone. The reports show how the giant fast-food chains shift costs to the rest of us by paying such low wages that 41% of fast food workers in our state need assistance from food stamps or another other anti-poverty program to fill the gap between what they’re paid, and what it takes to survive.

WHO: Fast food workers, joined by State Representative Zach Hudgins, and other supporters

WHAT: Unveil new reports which detail the extent to which the giant national fast food chains pad their profits by leaving workers in poverty and shifting the costs of those poverty wages to the rest of us.

WHEN: TODAY: Tuesday, October 15, 10:00 am

WHERE: Burger King, 3301 4th Ave S, Seattle, WA. (This is located in Rep. Hudgins’s district.)

The minimum wage of $9.19/hour is simply not enough to meet basic needs, so many fast food workers need public benefits to close the gap between what their jobs pay, and what they need to survive. The reports released today show that:

  • Even though they serve food for a living, 26% of Washington State fast food workers need food stamps to ensure they have enough to eat.
  • Fast food chains pay so little that more that 41% of fast food workers in our state need support from one of the major publicly-funded safety net programs to get by.
  • The big national chains bank billions in profits, while leaving fast food workers in poverty and shifting huge costs to the rest of us — $96 million in our state, and $3.8 billion nationally from the 10 largest chains alone.

Sparked by this summer's fast food & coffee strikes, Good Jobs Seattle is a growing movement which seeks to build a sustainable future for Seattle's economy from the middle out — by turning poverty-wage jobs in fast food and other industries into good jobs that offer opportunities for a better future and pay enough for workers to afford basic necessities like food, clothing and rent. Good Jobs Seattle is supported by organizations including Washington Community Action Network, Working Washington, OneAmerica, SEIU Healthcare 775NW and hundreds of workers and grassroots supporters.

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