CWA Activists Support Fast Food Strikes Strikers

Activists join STL735 in a one-day strike for higher fast-food wages.

Below: CWA and Missouri AFL-CIO members walk a fast-food worker back to her job.

In cities across the country, CWA activists stood shoulder-to-shoulder with hundreds of fast-food workers striking to demand a living wage and respect in their workplaces.

In St. Louis, United Media Guild activists and allies took to the streets to support striking workers. Four months ago, the Guild organized eight staffers at STL 735, a group that supports fast-food workers and their fight for fair wages and the right to form a union without retaliation at more than 15 restaurant chains.

In a show of unity the next day, St. Louis faith and union leaders walked strikers back to their jobs. It was the continuation of a growing partnership between leaders in the two communities. A year ago, faith-labor breakfasts began bringing together union presidents and clergy on a regular basis to talk about shared values. "Labor in the Pulpit" events have helped congregations to learn about the labor movement. And at last year's Labor Day parade, the faith community carried a huge banner in support of workers.

"It's not just unions – it's a very broad coalition," said Shannon Duffy, a business representative at the Guild and labor co-chair for St. Louis Jobs with Justice. "It's exciting times. If we're going to do anything substantial and make an impact, we have to think about how we build our alliances."

In New York City, CWA supported fast-food workers – from McDonald's, Wendy's, KFC and many other chains around the city – who also walked off the job in a mass protest for higher pay.

And in New Jersey, CWA has focused on an upcoming ballot initiative on Nov. 5 to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $8.25. This week activists canvassed neighborhoods in Essex County to drum up support.