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Ahead of Primary, NH Workers Declare: Want My Vote? Raise the Wage!
Fast food workers walk off the job before protesting at the GOP debate in Manchester
Feb 06, 2016
Want my vote? Then raise the wage.
That's the message that low wage workers in New Hampshire sent to the presidential contenders on Saturday when fast food employees and others walked off the job days before the state's pivotal primary election.
"I've never walked off the job before, but I can't wait any longer for fair pay," said Megan Jensen, a mother and KFC employee who lives off of $8 an hour. Jensen said that this is also the first year she plans to vote in the state's February 9th primary.
"Everyone deserves at least $15 an hour and the right to a union," Jensen continued, "and candidates who are flying into New Hampshire this week need to know that we are taking this demand to the polls."
After the strike, which was held in Manchester, New Hampshire's largest city, workers from McDonald's, KFC, Wendy's and other chains will join other underpaid workers from across the state to protest outside the GOP debate Saturday evening.
Organizers with the national Fight for $15 movement are expecting a "massive" turnout at the first fast food worker action in the state. "Wherever 2016 candidates go this election season, fast-food and other underpaid workers are following to demand $15/hour and union rights," stated the group, which is backed by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). A similar action was held in Iowa ahead of last month's Republican debate there.
None of the Republican candidates have come out in favor of a $15 minimum wage. Hillary Clinton advocates for a national $12 minimum wage, though says she supports local efforts to raise the wage to $15.
Calling for nothing less than "fifteen bucks and a union," Sen. Bernie Sanders joined striking workers during a rally in Washington, D.C. in November. During his speech, he credited the Fight for $15 movement with local wage victories across the country.
"What you are doing and workers all over the United States are doing, you are having a profound impact," Sanders said. "People are raising the minimum wage to 15 bucks an hour. And you know who started it? You did. You started the movement."
Updates on the New Hampshire protest are being shared online with the hashtag #Fightfor15.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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Lauren McCauley
Lauren McCauley is a former senior editor for Common Dreams covering national and international politics and progressive news. She is now the Editor of Maine Morning Star. Lauren also helped produce a number of documentary films, including the award-winning Soundtrack for a Revolution and The Hollywood Complex, as well as one currently in production about civil rights icon James Meredith. Her writing has been featured on Newsweek, BillMoyers.com, TruthDig, Truthout, In These Times, and Extra! the newsletter of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She currently lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several chickens.
Want my vote? Then raise the wage.
That's the message that low wage workers in New Hampshire sent to the presidential contenders on Saturday when fast food employees and others walked off the job days before the state's pivotal primary election.
"I've never walked off the job before, but I can't wait any longer for fair pay," said Megan Jensen, a mother and KFC employee who lives off of $8 an hour. Jensen said that this is also the first year she plans to vote in the state's February 9th primary.
"Everyone deserves at least $15 an hour and the right to a union," Jensen continued, "and candidates who are flying into New Hampshire this week need to know that we are taking this demand to the polls."
After the strike, which was held in Manchester, New Hampshire's largest city, workers from McDonald's, KFC, Wendy's and other chains will join other underpaid workers from across the state to protest outside the GOP debate Saturday evening.
Organizers with the national Fight for $15 movement are expecting a "massive" turnout at the first fast food worker action in the state. "Wherever 2016 candidates go this election season, fast-food and other underpaid workers are following to demand $15/hour and union rights," stated the group, which is backed by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). A similar action was held in Iowa ahead of last month's Republican debate there.
None of the Republican candidates have come out in favor of a $15 minimum wage. Hillary Clinton advocates for a national $12 minimum wage, though says she supports local efforts to raise the wage to $15.
Calling for nothing less than "fifteen bucks and a union," Sen. Bernie Sanders joined striking workers during a rally in Washington, D.C. in November. During his speech, he credited the Fight for $15 movement with local wage victories across the country.
"What you are doing and workers all over the United States are doing, you are having a profound impact," Sanders said. "People are raising the minimum wage to 15 bucks an hour. And you know who started it? You did. You started the movement."
Updates on the New Hampshire protest are being shared online with the hashtag #Fightfor15.
Lauren McCauley
Lauren McCauley is a former senior editor for Common Dreams covering national and international politics and progressive news. She is now the Editor of Maine Morning Star. Lauren also helped produce a number of documentary films, including the award-winning Soundtrack for a Revolution and The Hollywood Complex, as well as one currently in production about civil rights icon James Meredith. Her writing has been featured on Newsweek, BillMoyers.com, TruthDig, Truthout, In These Times, and Extra! the newsletter of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She currently lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several chickens.
Want my vote? Then raise the wage.
That's the message that low wage workers in New Hampshire sent to the presidential contenders on Saturday when fast food employees and others walked off the job days before the state's pivotal primary election.
"I've never walked off the job before, but I can't wait any longer for fair pay," said Megan Jensen, a mother and KFC employee who lives off of $8 an hour. Jensen said that this is also the first year she plans to vote in the state's February 9th primary.
"Everyone deserves at least $15 an hour and the right to a union," Jensen continued, "and candidates who are flying into New Hampshire this week need to know that we are taking this demand to the polls."
After the strike, which was held in Manchester, New Hampshire's largest city, workers from McDonald's, KFC, Wendy's and other chains will join other underpaid workers from across the state to protest outside the GOP debate Saturday evening.
Organizers with the national Fight for $15 movement are expecting a "massive" turnout at the first fast food worker action in the state. "Wherever 2016 candidates go this election season, fast-food and other underpaid workers are following to demand $15/hour and union rights," stated the group, which is backed by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). A similar action was held in Iowa ahead of last month's Republican debate there.
None of the Republican candidates have come out in favor of a $15 minimum wage. Hillary Clinton advocates for a national $12 minimum wage, though says she supports local efforts to raise the wage to $15.
Calling for nothing less than "fifteen bucks and a union," Sen. Bernie Sanders joined striking workers during a rally in Washington, D.C. in November. During his speech, he credited the Fight for $15 movement with local wage victories across the country.
"What you are doing and workers all over the United States are doing, you are having a profound impact," Sanders said. "People are raising the minimum wage to 15 bucks an hour. And you know who started it? You did. You started the movement."
Updates on the New Hampshire protest are being shared online with the hashtag #Fightfor15.
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