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

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:

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]