Business as Usual at McDonald's, Despite Protesters

There was no waiting for the lunch crowd at the McDonald's on South Willow Street in Manchester Thursday. Although the threat of striking fast food workers may have sounded like a lunchtime nightmare, as many as 10 workers were seen behind the counter, filling orders at 11:30 a.m.

Outside a small group of protesters assembled with signs, and a message for the fast food chain corporation.

"The franchisees are all rich, the executives are all rich, and they don't want to share it with the people who do the real work," said Steve Kloppenburg, a protestor affiliated with the NH Chapter of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), NH-Alliance for Retired Americans, and Veterans for Peace.

Although workers at the Manchester restaurant were not on strike, the protesters said they were there to give voice to minimum wage fast-food workers everywhere, who deserved better.

Kurt Ehrenberg, also with NH AFL-CIO, said it is time to raise the minimum wage in New Hampshire.

"There's currently legislation filed that would raise the minimum wage incrementally to $9 over two years. New Hampshire doesn't have a minimum wage – that was taken away by the Republican legislators two years ago.  We default to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour," Ehrenberg said. 

"We also support workers' right to form a union and go to the negotiating table and ask for a raise. Organizing means they have a seat at the table, to determine what a fair wage should be. Right now, these workers have no voice. They also have no healthcare benefits, no retirement, and no way to save and send their children to college," Ehrenberg said.

Many of the protestors said that fast food jobs are no longer entry-level jobs for teenagers; they are the only jobs available to people in their 20s, often single mothers who need to make a livable wage.

A pair of Manchester police officers with a police dog pulled up as the group assembled, just to advise them of the parameters of the protest, which included not blocking customers or encroaching on private property. 

A manager inside the Manchester restaurant referred questions to their corporate office, which issued the following statement from Lisa McComb, spokesperson for McDonald’s USA:

“McDonald’s and our owner-operators are committed to providing our employees with opportunities to succeed.  We offer employees advancement opportunities, competitive pay and benefits.  And we invest in training and professional development that helps them learn practical and transferable business skills. 

"We also respect the right to voice an opinion. To right-size the headlines, however, the events taking place are not strikes. Outside groups are traveling to McDonald’s and other outlets to stage rallies. Our restaurants remain open today – and every day –  thanks to our dedicated employees serving our customers.”   

A statement issued Thursday by Greg Moore of Americans For Prosperity said a 40 percent wage hike for workers would likely result in reducing job opportunities for those in need of entry-level jobs.

“While the top union bosses suggest that a 40 percent minimum wage hike will put more money in the pockets of lower wage workers, what it really does is price most of them out of the market and cost the poorest an opportunity to start on the first rung of the career ladder,” said Moore, AFP-NH State Director.
“The reality is that many 16 and 17-year olds – the folks who often take minimum wage jobs – simply can’t create over $10 per hour in value for an employer, and simply won’t get hired.  They need to start building the types of job skills that would warrant that kind of pay.  A 40 percent increase in the minimum wage will price them out of jobs and leave them without opportunities. They need someone to give them a chance, and that chance will be taken away from them by this proposal.”

Earlier in the week, the job action, billed as a 100-city strike of fast-food workers, was to demand a pay raise, to $15 per hour, and the right to unionize without repercussions. In addition to the AFL-CIO, the fast-food protest was backed by the Service Employees International Union and other labor groups.

What's your call on the current state of employment for workers at fast-food restaurants, and minimum wage?