McDonald's workers in 100 cities are
striking the mega-fast food corporation today, protesting McDonald's failure to pay a living wage to its workers. Workers making $7.25 an hour (or $15,000 per year
full time, just barely above the Federal poverty line) are not able to sustain a decent living for themselves or their families. McDonald's
corporate profits in 2012 were $5.5 billion, so throwing their 760,000 U.S. employees a few extra dollars per hour wouldn't bankrupt them.
With mega corporations like Walmart facing increasing pressure
to give their employees a living wage, and with such unexpected but welcome support from Pope Francis
regarding income inequality, the pressure won't let up, either against the corporations paying poverty wages or the politicians that refuse to consider an increase in the minimum wage.
(photo: L. Nicholson, Reuters/Corbis)
