As fast-food and other low-wage workers and their supporters in dozens of countries carried out actions on April 14 in support of a living wage and union organization, striking McDonald’s workers, union activists and community supporters in San José, Calif., joined in. Spirited rallies both inside and outside the restaurant, located in the mostly Latino east side, addressed the issues motivating the action.
SEIU Local 2015 and UNITE HERE Local 19 spearheaded the San José action, with additional support coming from other unions and community organizations. Similar actions in the Bay Area took place in San Francisco and Oakland. The turnout of around 200 at the San José action was diverse but predominantly young, with a majority of the participants Latinas and other people of color.
Two strikers, who began working last year to organize their co-workers, spoke at the outside rally, presenting the case for $15/hour and a union. They and other speakers stressed that $15/hour was just a first step, and was still insufficient in view of the soaring cost of living in the area.
A contingent of child care teachers also took part, along with home care workers. These skilled workers are typically paid little, if any, above the current minimum wage in San José of $10.30/hour.
On April 4, Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law Senate Bill 3, which had been passed by the Democrat-controlled California legislature in response to the growing movement. It provides for gradually increasing the state minimum wage to $15/hour by 2022, after which it would increase based on inflation. The legislation, however, allows the governor to delay increases if the economy turns down—a high probability within the next six years.
Speakers at the San José rally also stressed the need for union organization to protect workers from wage theft, a common experience of low-wage workers.
