Introduction
Research Question for the Case Study.
The research question from this case study of the fast-food labor movement is; what is the primary cause of the continuous strikes by the fast food workers? Many articles have been looked at and have been discussed in this research paper to try and explain more about the research question. Most of these research materials that have been used for this research have mentioned a lot about the research question.
Reasons for the Strikes
These continuous strikes from the fast food works are as a result of the small wages that the workers are paid. The strikes are to help these workers demand for a raise of their pay be heard by the fast food companies (Bill, 2016). The fast food workers show how little they earn and what they are forced to undergo so as to sustain their basic need things like working more than one job. These workers also explain that the fast food jobs have changed from jobs of the young youth who did the job as a part time thing but due to the lack of employment opportunities older people are doing the job and depend on these jobs but with the small pay this is proving to be hard.
Job security is another thing that the movement is following up on. The fast food workers complain that the security of waking up tomorrow and you are not sure of your job to still be there (Schmitt, 2013). These strikes also are aiming at also getting this issue addressed by the fast food companies. Also, the fast food workers have no work benefits as compared to all the other workers. When all these matters are to be observed, then the strikes by these fast food workers are entirely justifiable.
Demands from the Fast Food Workers
These strikes demand a raise of the hourly wage to 15$ from what they are paid currently which varies from 7$ and below. The Service Employees International Union has spent millions of dollars on the campaigns with the purpose that the fast food employees union be recognized by the fast food companies and that also the wages be raised to the set 15$ per hour pay (Greenhouse, 2016).
The main reason for the continuous strikes is that from the other side that is the fast food companies. They complain that the raise is unrealistic and that the profit margins that the companies make will be wiped out by such a raise (Chan, 2016). They have also attacked the campaigns with an attempt to dissolve the movement and rally a new group of employees. With this kind of a standoff between the employees and the employer these strikes are likely to continue. Unless a conclusion or a decision is to be made only then a way forward can be found (Strauss, 2013).
The involvement of Service Employee International Union has helped a lot so as to take the movement to the point they have reached. But a few things also can be realized among the fast food worker strikes. The campaigns do not just target individual workers from a particular fast food, but they have also placed the future of the other fast food workers under consideration (Schlosser, 2012). They are holding these rallies for all the fast food works trying to achieve o primary goal for all of them. Trying to make the movement realized by both the government and the fast food companies. This makes it easy for them to fight for the rights of all the other workers much more quickly.
Suggestions on how the Movement Can Voice out there Grievances More
Also, another idea is to try and unify all the fast food works because as seen from the research during these strikes, not all the fast food works participate. This is a weakens on the side of the fast food workers but the minute all the fast food join hands then the easier it will be for the fast food movement to be realized.
References
Bill, Fletcher. “Intolerable Wages Feed Strikes by Fast Food Workers.” www.atlantadailyworld.com. http://atlantadailyworld.com/2013/12/23/intolerablewages- feed-strikes-by-fast-food- workers/ (accessed March 23, 2016)
Klopott, Freeman. “New York said poised for $15 minimum wage for fast-food workers.” www.concordmonitor.com. http://www.concordmonitor.com/home/17847975-95/new- york-said-poised-for-15-minimum-wage-for-fast-food-workers. (Accessed March 23, 2016)
Michelle, Chen. “Fast-Food Jobs.” www.highbeam.com. https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2- 37845811.html. (Accessed March 23, 2016)
Resnikoff, Ned. "Largest fast food strike yet as workers walk out in Michigan." MSNBC, May 10 (2013).
Schlosser, Eric. Fast food nation: The dark side of the all-American meal. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012.
Schmitt, John, and Janelle Jones. "Slow progress for fast-food workers."Center for Economic Policy Research Issue Brief (2013).
Steven, Greenhouse. “Fast-Food Workers Seeking $15 Wage Are Planning Civil Disobedience.” www.nytimes.com. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/02/business/fast-food-workers- seeking-higher-wages-plan-another-strike.html?_r=1 (accessed March 23, 2016)
Strauss, Gary. "Fast-Food Workers Strike for Higher Pay." USA Today(2013).
