[VIDEO] Fast Food Workers Plan Nationwide Minimum Wage Strike For Thursday

By Frazer Jones
Franchisees and fast food restaurant chains are going to have to get ready over the next couple of days. The “Fight for 15” movement to improve work...

Franchisees and fast food restaurant chains are going to have to get ready over the next couple of days. The “Fight for 15” movement to improve working conditions and raise the federal minimum wage is gearing up for its biggest coordinated series of protests and strikes yet to take place on Thursday, September 4.

Coordinated protests, walkouts and strikes have been ramping up steadily across several U.S. cities since 2012 in support of the movement, but Thursday has the potential to be the biggest organized event yet. According to reports, protests on Thursday could occur across as many as 150 cities as employees organize outside fast food locations petitioning for points like a living wage and the right to unionize.

To help franchise owners stay aware of how to handle the strike, the International Franchise Association posted a blog reminding employers that interfering with the strike could land them in legal hot water with their employees:

Employers must be careful not to interfere with employees’ lawful Fight for 15 activities.  Under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA”), employees have the protected right to engage in concerted activity for the purpose of mutual aid and protection.  These rights apply to both union and non-union employees.   Concerted activity includes individual employees seeking to initiate group action, or a group of employees trying to bring group complaints to management, regarding employment related concerns.  Any adverse employment action taken in response to an employee’s participation in Fight for 15 could be an unfair labor practice if it interferes with, coerces, or restrains the employee’s rights guaranteed by Section 7 of the NLRA. Remedies for unfair labor practices include reinstatement with full back pay and interest.  Employers also are required to post a notice to all employees outlining the NLRA violation and the remedy.

 

These protests are already having an effect, as cities like Seattle have voluntarily raised the minimum wage to $15 per hour while President Obama has put forward a proposition to raise the minimum wage on a federal level and major brands like McDonald’s are starting to stand up in support. As these events continue, it’s pretty likely that we will continue to see their results reshape the industry.

[SOURCE: International Franchise Association; Franchise Herald; Newsloop]

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