Kansas City fast food workers protest as part of nationwide push for $15 minimum wage
On a snowy and windy day, dozens of fast food workers and community activists joined Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas Friday in calling for unionization and a $15 an hour federal minimum wage increase.
The workers’ strike and demonstration, which took place in front of the McDonald’s at 3015 Van Brunt Boulevard, was part of a national day of action that also occurred in 15 other cities across the United States. It coincided with the anniversary of the birthday of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
Lucas and other speakers urged federal politicians and lawmakers to raise the current minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour.
“It ain’t right for some of these people to work for $7.25 an hour,” Lucas told the crowd. “It ain’t right that some of these people don’t have access to things like quality healthcare, quality benefits.
“It ain’t right that in Kansas city today you can be somebody who is working 40, 50, 60, hours a week and you still can’t take care of your family,” he said.
The event, which took place at noon, was organized by Stand Up KC, a worker advocacy organization.
Dozens of vehicles formed a caravan that made its way along Van Brunt Boulevard to the McDonald’s where the rally took place. Many of the vehicles featured signs that read: “Respect us. Protect us. Pay us.”
Fran Marion, a mother of two children who works at that McDonald’s location, said before the coronavirus pandemic hit, said the amount of money she earned made it difficult to provide for her family. The lack of a living wage and the lingering impact of the pandemic has made things worse, Marion said.
“Millions of workers like myself are still getting up every day and going to work and are being forced to raise our families in poverty,” she said. “It is time for a $15 minimum wage across the fast food industry. It is time for our political leaders to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour nationwide.”
