McDonald's closes corporate HQ in Chicago as 2,000 protesters gather

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McDonald’s closed part of its corporate headquarters in Chicago on Wednesday in response to a mass protestplanned by workers and activists calling for a hike in the minimum wage and the right to form a union without retaliation.

The protest, by 2,000 people, is believed to be the largest McDonald’s has ever faced, and is expected to include 500 fast-food workers from three dozen cities as well as local church groups, union activists and community groups. It comes a day before the fast food company’s annual meeting when dissident shareholders intend to vote against CEO Donald Thomson’s $9.5m pay package. Protesters also plan to picket that meeting.

Activists said the company feared a "public relations minefield" and had sent workers home in order to derail the protest. Protesters planned to move their demonstration to another nearby McDonald’s corporate facility.

A McDonald's spokeswoman said the company had taken the decision to close the a building on its campus that holds 2,000 staff after consultation with police. The building was close to a busy intersection and the company was concerned about the disruption the protesters could cause to traffic. She said staff continued to work from home.

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/may/21/mcdonalds-closes-corporate-hq-chicago-protest