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Fast food workers gather in Chicago, prepare to escalate wage demands
Unions and community groups are sponsoring the convention, where workers will be asked to do 'whatever it takes'Fast food workers will take the fight for a $15 minimum wage and the right to unionize to Chicago this weekend, where they will gather for a national convention and plan their next steps.
An estimated 1,300 workers will attend seminars Friday and Saturday at a convention center in the Chicago suburb Villa Park, where union representatives will ask them to do “whatever it takes” to secure the wage increase and unionization, according to Service Employees International Union (SEIU) representative Kendall Fells. Fells is also an organizing director of the national movement to increase the minimum wage to $15 for fast food workers.
“Whatever it takes. Could be workers staying after work to talk to their coworkers, getting arrested at shareholders meetings, calling other coworkers” and more, Fells said. “We’re going to leave it broad for now and let those 1,300 workers decide.”
"We want to talk about building leadership, power and doing whatever it takes depending on what city they're in and what the moment calls for," said Fells, adding that the ramped-up actions will be "more high-profile" and could include everything from civil disobedience to intensified efforts to organize workers.
The convention is largely being paid for by a coalition of labor unions, nonprofits and workers-rights groups, which have been providing substantial financial and organizational support to the numerous fast-food worker protests that began in New York City in 2012.
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/7/25/fast-food-workersgatherinchicagopreparetoescalatewagedemands.htmlAn estimated 1,300 workers will attend seminars Friday and Saturday at a convention center in the Chicago suburb Villa Park, where union representatives will ask them to do “whatever it takes” to secure the wage increase and unionization, according to Service Employees International Union (SEIU) representative Kendall Fells. Fells is also an organizing director of the national movement to increase the minimum wage to $15 for fast food workers.
“Whatever it takes. Could be workers staying after work to talk to their coworkers, getting arrested at shareholders meetings, calling other coworkers” and more, Fells said. “We’re going to leave it broad for now and let those 1,300 workers decide.”
"We want to talk about building leadership, power and doing whatever it takes depending on what city they're in and what the moment calls for," said Fells, adding that the ramped-up actions will be "more high-profile" and could include everything from civil disobedience to intensified efforts to organize workers.
The convention is largely being paid for by a coalition of labor unions, nonprofits and workers-rights groups, which have been providing substantial financial and organizational support to the numerous fast-food worker protests that began in New York City in 2012.
