Fast food workers in dozens of cities will strike today in support of higher wages. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has been providing financial support and training to those organizing the activities.One of those target cities is here in San Diego.From UT San Diego:
San Diego fast food workers will join a nationwide 1-day strike Thursday as part of a call for a $15-an-hour minimum wage and the right to unionize.
Employees from McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Subway and Chipotle will gather Thursday morning at the downtown San Diego Wendy’s on Broadway, joined by supporters from community groups and the clergy.
San Diego is one of about 50 cities across the country participating in the 1-day action, following similar strikes held in a smaller number of core cities in May and July.
Other citizens around San Diego and across the country have a different idea – they are revising meal plans today in support of the free market and their favorite fast food restaurants.
This is from San Diego blogger B-Daddy:
McDonald’s, Subway then In-n-Out
The title of the article refers to my dining plans for breakfast, lunch and dinner in light of the “fast-food” strike set for tomorrow. I will be showing solidarity with the workers of those establishments who choose to show up and provide the generally good service we have come to expect in all American businesses. I predict that I will have no trouble getting my meals, as the “strike” is an astroturf operation of the SEIU. If the strike by San Diego’s roughly 8,000 fast food employees was otherwise, why would the strikers only gather at a single establishment downtown? For the publicity and the photo op, of course. I just feel sorry for the jurors who won’t be able to hit the Wendy’s on their break from duty. Other than that, this will be a great big fizzle. To my astroturf point, the AP is reporting:Mary Kay Henry, president of the Service Employees International Union, which is providing the fast-food strikes with financial support and training. . .
The strike is stupid for other reasons. If the strikers were successful, then eventually fast food outlets would employ vastly more automation to make their meals, reducing the number of employees. Further, it would harm the nation’s economy by not providing entry level positions that allow young people to learn the life skills necessary for success at work. How is that fast food workers would get paid $15 an hour when my son only gets minimum wage in his union job at the grocer?
…The call for higher wages not supported by skills hurts job creation. I think employers should fire workers who miss their shift to strike tomorrow, but I could understand wanting to play it low key. McDonald’s is doing so:
Casillas said in an email that McDonald’s did not plan to take any action against employees who participate in the strike.
[…]
So join me [Thursday] at a fast food joint, this could be a boon for the industry, and it will help reduce youth unemployment.
Fellow San Diego W.C. Varones is planning to eat at Chipotle, which is another strike target. He offers this counter to union charges that the current minimum wage is unfair: Your humble blogger got his first work experience in the food service industry, and learned more there than he did in college. Why would we deny such a valuable experience to future generations?
Our group of activists is also trying to promote our buycott via the Twitter hashtags: #SupportFastFood and #FastFoodBuycott.
Myself? I am very fond of McDonald’s fries…and capitalism. So, I am heading to the Golden Arches after a day at the beach.
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