Fast-Food Strikes Hit 58 Cities Today

You might want to pack a lunch today. This summer's series of fast-food walkouts continues in a big way, as workers in at least 58 cities across the country go on strike. Organizers are calling it the largest such strike to date. The workers plan to picket the likes of McDonald's, Burger King, and KFC during lunchtime as they call for wages of $15 an hour and the right to form a union without fear of retaliation, the AP reports. The previous "biggest strike" occurred in July, when as many as 2,220 workers participated in a seven-city strike.

The fast-food workers will be joined by a number of allies, including employees from Walmart, Macy's, Sears, Dollar Tree, warehouses, and car washes, organizers say. The event roughly coincides with the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, reports USA Today, and at a march ceremony yesterday, Obama said that, "For over a decade, working Americans of all races have seen their wages and incomes stagnate, even as corporate profits soar," though he is advocating $9 an hour minimum. In a statement, McDonald's said that boosting entry-level wages would mean higher overall costs and jacked prices on their menus. (One researcher calculated that if it doubled wages, the price of a Big Mac would jump 68 cents.)