Thousands of fast food workers walked off the job across the country on August 29th, demanding $15 an hour and the right to form a union without retaliaion. In Denver, dozens of workers from McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Subway and Pizza Hut joined them.
“As a single mother that goes to school, Subway was the only job I could find quickly that worked with my hours. Although I work as much as 33 hours a week, I can’t make ends meet,” said Zendra Flores, a Fast Food worker that went out on strike Thursday.
Zendra and thousands of other workers across Denver attempt to suport a family getting paid an average of $8.84 per hour. A study on the living wage by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology shows that in order to cover basic expenses, an adult supporting one child has to make AT LEAST $20.95 per hour in Denver.
That’s a $12 dollar HUGE difference.
“We are demanding $15 dollars per hour,” said Dakota Bosma, a striking worker from a McDonald’s in Northglenn, Colorado. “I’ve worked in the fast food industry for 4 years off and on. It’s the only steady work I’ve been able to find. I often work over 40 hours a week and don’t get compensated for the overtime. Take home pay barely covers my portion of the rent, utilities, my cell phone and car payment. It’s not enough to put food on the table.”
In Colorado, the fast food worker movement is being supported by Colorado Progressive Coalition, Colorado 9 to 5, Jobs with Justice, FRESC: Good Jobs, Strong Communities, Denver Area Labor Federation and SEIU Local 105.
