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| Fast-Food Protests Spread Overseas | Fast-Food Protests Spread Overseas |
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| Even though fast-food workers have staged several one-day strikes in the last 18 months, the protests have not swayed McDonald’s or other major restaurant chains to significantly raise their employees’ pay. | Even though fast-food workers have staged several one-day strikes in the last 18 months, the protests have not swayed McDonald’s or other major restaurant chains to significantly raise their employees’ pay. |
| So on Thursday, the fast-food workers’ movement wants to broaden its reach as it pushes for a $15-an-hour wage that restaurant companies say is unrealistic. In addition to one-day strikes in 150 cities across the country, the movement’s leaders hope to take their cause global. They say support protests will take place in 80 cities in more than 30 countries, from Dublin to Venice to Casablanca to Seoul to Panama City. | So on Thursday, the fast-food workers’ movement wants to broaden its reach as it pushes for a $15-an-hour wage that restaurant companies say is unrealistic. In addition to one-day strikes in 150 cities across the country, the movement’s leaders hope to take their cause global. They say support protests will take place in 80 cities in more than 30 countries, from Dublin to Venice to Casablanca to Seoul to Panama City. |
| Over the last decade as American labor unions have declined in membership and power, they have increasingly turned to unions in Europe and Asia to help pressure companies overseas to stop battling organizing drives at their United States units. And now the fast-food movement, underwritten by the Service Employees International Union, is embracing a similar strategy as it struggles to gain influence with the fast-food giants. | Over the last decade as American labor unions have declined in membership and power, they have increasingly turned to unions in Europe and Asia to help pressure companies overseas to stop battling organizing drives at their United States units. And now the fast-food movement, underwritten by the Service Employees International Union, is embracing a similar strategy as it struggles to gain influence with the fast-food giants. |
| “It’s a global economy, so they’re saying, ‘Why not go overseas to make it into a global fight?’ ” said Lowell Turner, a professor of international labor relations at Cornell University. “They’re trying to create a global protest movement.” | |
| The movement’s organizers say there will be protests in 30 cities in Japan, 20 in Britain, five in Brazil and three in India. The effort’s strategists point to some fast-growing overseas markets as vulnerable targets for corporations like McDonald’s that have begun relying more heavily on foreign revenue now that domestic fast-food sales have languished. | The movement’s organizers say there will be protests in 30 cities in Japan, 20 in Britain, five in Brazil and three in India. The effort’s strategists point to some fast-growing overseas markets as vulnerable targets for corporations like McDonald’s that have begun relying more heavily on foreign revenue now that domestic fast-food sales have languished. |
| To help propel the effort, a labor federation with 12 million workers in 126 countries — the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations — met in New York last week. It brought together union officials from more than two dozen countries, many of them with thriving, powerful labor organizations, to throw their weight behind Thursday’s protests. | To help propel the effort, a labor federation with 12 million workers in 126 countries — the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations — met in New York last week. It brought together union officials from more than two dozen countries, many of them with thriving, powerful labor organizations, to throw their weight behind Thursday’s protests. |
| Massimo Frattini, international coordinator of the federation’s restaurant division, said restaurant workers in Europe, Asia and Latin America were eager to join in — both to help their own cause and that of their United States allies. | Massimo Frattini, international coordinator of the federation’s restaurant division, said restaurant workers in Europe, Asia and Latin America were eager to join in — both to help their own cause and that of their United States allies. |
| “Fast-food workers in many other parts of the world face the same corporate policies — low pay, no guaranteed hours and no benefits,” said Mary Kay Henry, the president of the Service Employees International Union. | “Fast-food workers in many other parts of the world face the same corporate policies — low pay, no guaranteed hours and no benefits,” said Mary Kay Henry, the president of the Service Employees International Union. |
| Her union has previously teamed up with overseas unions. For instance, it worked with Swedish unions to persuade Securitas, a Swedish security services company, not to oppose many efforts to unionize security guards at its American subsidiaries. | Her union has previously teamed up with overseas unions. For instance, it worked with Swedish unions to persuade Securitas, a Swedish security services company, not to oppose many efforts to unionize security guards at its American subsidiaries. |
| But such overseas cooperation does not always guarantee success. The United Automobile Workers have asked unions in Japan and other nations to pressure Nissan to adopt a less hostile stance toward its unionization campaign at Nissan’s plant in Mississippi. So far, those efforts have not changed Nissan’s position. | But such overseas cooperation does not always guarantee success. The United Automobile Workers have asked unions in Japan and other nations to pressure Nissan to adopt a less hostile stance toward its unionization campaign at Nissan’s plant in Mississippi. So far, those efforts have not changed Nissan’s position. |
| Scott DeFife, an executive vice president for the National Restaurant Association, a trade group, dismissed Thursday’s protests — however broadened — as more of the same. “These are made-for-TV media moments — that’s pretty much it,” he said. | Scott DeFife, an executive vice president for the National Restaurant Association, a trade group, dismissed Thursday’s protests — however broadened — as more of the same. “These are made-for-TV media moments — that’s pretty much it,” he said. |
| Eddie Foreman, 40, a McDonald’s worker in Opelika, Ala., who makes $7.75 an hour and takes home about $200 a week, said he had persuaded several other fast-food workers in his town to walk out Thursday. | Eddie Foreman, 40, a McDonald’s worker in Opelika, Ala., who makes $7.75 an hour and takes home about $200 a week, said he had persuaded several other fast-food workers in his town to walk out Thursday. |
| “The reason I’m going on strike is I don’t make enough money to take care of my kids,” he said. “We need to go on strike and protest — that’s the only way we’ll get them to improve things.” | “The reason I’m going on strike is I don’t make enough money to take care of my kids,” he said. “We need to go on strike and protest — that’s the only way we’ll get them to improve things.” |
| Businesses have generally opposed the $15-an-hour proposal, saying it would cut into their profits, reduce hiring and force them to raise prices. Mr. DeFife warned of harmful repercussions if wages climbed to $15 an hour. “It would have consequences on hiring patterns for Main Street businesses across the country,” he said. | Businesses have generally opposed the $15-an-hour proposal, saying it would cut into their profits, reduce hiring and force them to raise prices. Mr. DeFife warned of harmful repercussions if wages climbed to $15 an hour. “It would have consequences on hiring patterns for Main Street businesses across the country,” he said. |
| For its part, McDonald’s — which has been one of the biggest targets — said its restaurants offered competitive pay and benefits, with opportunities for advancement. In a statement, McDonald’s said: “This is an important discussion that needs to take into account the highly competitive nature of the industries that employ minimum-wage workers, as well as consumers and the thousands of small businesses which own and operate the vast majority of McDonald’s restaurants.” | For its part, McDonald’s — which has been one of the biggest targets — said its restaurants offered competitive pay and benefits, with opportunities for advancement. In a statement, McDonald’s said: “This is an important discussion that needs to take into account the highly competitive nature of the industries that employ minimum-wage workers, as well as consumers and the thousands of small businesses which own and operate the vast majority of McDonald’s restaurants.” |
| The one-day strikes have drawn attention to low-wage workers across many industries, including retailing, and have provided fuel for congressional lawmakers backing President Obama’s call for a minimum-wage increase to $10.10. | The one-day strikes have drawn attention to low-wage workers across many industries, including retailing, and have provided fuel for congressional lawmakers backing President Obama’s call for a minimum-wage increase to $10.10. |
| Even with the new overseas protests, Jake Rosenfeld, a labor relations expert at the University of Washington, doubted the movement would achieve its $15 goal unless the fast-food employees were unionized. “I don’t think they’re any way close to getting there,” he said of the effort. | Even with the new overseas protests, Jake Rosenfeld, a labor relations expert at the University of Washington, doubted the movement would achieve its $15 goal unless the fast-food employees were unionized. “I don’t think they’re any way close to getting there,” he said of the effort. |
| At the moment, the fast-food movement seems far from unionizing many restaurants, even though one of its main demands is getting the fast-food chains and their franchisees’ to promise not to fight such efforts. | At the moment, the fast-food movement seems far from unionizing many restaurants, even though one of its main demands is getting the fast-food chains and their franchisees’ to promise not to fight such efforts. |
| Organizers said a total of 200 workers walked out at 60 restaurants in New York City during the first one-day strike in November 2012, adding that thousands went on strike when the walkouts expanded to more than 60 cities last December. | Organizers said a total of 200 workers walked out at 60 restaurants in New York City during the first one-day strike in November 2012, adding that thousands went on strike when the walkouts expanded to more than 60 cities last December. |
| But Mr. DeFife disputed those accounts, saying few restaurant workers actually went on strike during the five previous one-day walkouts and that only a handful of restaurants were forced to close, even for a few hours. | But Mr. DeFife disputed those accounts, saying few restaurant workers actually went on strike during the five previous one-day walkouts and that only a handful of restaurants were forced to close, even for a few hours. |
| “The vast majority of these protesters are not actually restaurant workers, and if they are, they’ve taken the day off in advance,” he said, adding that the efforts did not fit the description of a strike. | “The vast majority of these protesters are not actually restaurant workers, and if they are, they’ve taken the day off in advance,” he said, adding that the efforts did not fit the description of a strike. |
| Ms. Henry said that if workers went on strike in 150 cities on Thursday, with accompanying protests overseas, that would be one of the biggest labor protests in years. | Ms. Henry said that if workers went on strike in 150 cities on Thursday, with accompanying protests overseas, that would be one of the biggest labor protests in years. |
| She said these mushrooming protests showed “why a settlement with the big fast-food companies is possible.” | She said these mushrooming protests showed “why a settlement with the big fast-food companies is possible.” |
| The movement, known as Fast Food Forward, has also sought to pressure McDonald’s by filing several lawsuits accusing the company and its franchisees of illegally underpaying workers through, among other things, off-the-clock work. In addition, organizers are planning a protest at McDonald’s annual shareholders’ meeting on May 22 in Oak Brook, Ill. | The movement, known as Fast Food Forward, has also sought to pressure McDonald’s by filing several lawsuits accusing the company and its franchisees of illegally underpaying workers through, among other things, off-the-clock work. In addition, organizers are planning a protest at McDonald’s annual shareholders’ meeting on May 22 in Oak Brook, Ill. |
| Gary Chaison, a professor of industrial relations at Clark University, said Thursday’s protests were an example of “the labor movement reinventing itself. It’s the most experimental thing labor has done in a long time.” | Gary Chaison, a professor of industrial relations at Clark University, said Thursday’s protests were an example of “the labor movement reinventing itself. It’s the most experimental thing labor has done in a long time.” |
| But he characterized the goal of a $15 hourly minimum as overly ambitious. | But he characterized the goal of a $15 hourly minimum as overly ambitious. |
| “They seem to forget you have to take little steps at a time,” he said. “When you don’t have very much, getting a little can mean a lot. You can’t get it all at once.” | “They seem to forget you have to take little steps at a time,” he said. “When you don’t have very much, getting a little can mean a lot. You can’t get it all at once.” |