Fast-Food Workers to Strike for One Day: Today

You could have a tough time getting a Whopper or Big Mac today—assuming you live in Detroit; New York; Milwaukee; Chicago; St. Louis; Flint, Mich.; or Kansas City, Mo. Fast-food workers in those cities are planning to walk today, in a single-day strike that has worker pay in its crosshairs. The striking workers want their hourly wages raised to a "living wage" of $15 an hour (CBS New York notes that New York's statewide average is $8.25). Strike supporter Fast Food Forward points out that the people working these jobs in NYC make about $11,000 a year, while the CEOs at these companies rake in $25,000 a day.

The Washington Post paints the movement as a growing one: The latter two cities are joining a list of locations that have already seen strikes occur, and low-wage employees from more stores—like Victoria's Secret, Macy's, and Dollar Tree—are expected to participate today. Also on the list, per WABC: Domino's, Wendy's, and Papa John's. The Post spoke with a 25-year-old Chicagoan who plans to join in. He has worked at McDonald's for 7 years ... and makes $8.60 an hour. (More fast food stories.)