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Fast food strikers sending message to presidential candidates

Fast-food workers across 270 U.S cities are striking today in a protest for higher wages and union rights, according to Fight for $15, the organization that represents the workers and is backed by the Service Employees International Union.

November 10, 2015

Fast-food workers across 270 U.S cities are striking today in a protest for higher wages and union rights, according to Fight for $15, the organization that represents the workers and is backed by the Service Employees International Union.

Tens of thousands of workers and supporters are expected to take part in today's demonstrations,according to the USA Today, which began around dawn at McDonald's outlets in downtown Brooklyn, Boston and Philadelphia, among other locations. Today is exactly one year from the 2016 presidential election, which protestors hope will gain the attention of candidates. Strikers, which include workers from Wendy's, Burger King , KFC and other restaurants, want the federal minimum wage to hit $15, and most GOP candidates oppose an increase in the $7.25/hour minimum wage. Many Democrat candidates, however, support increasing the minimum wage to $12-15 an hour.

The walkouts will be followed by protests in 500 cities by low-wage workers in such sectors as fast food and home and child care, according to Fight for $15.