Some 200 fast food workers walked off the job at restaurants around New York City on Thursday as part of the largest-ever drive to organize this industry. Fast Food Forward, the umbrella group behind yesterday’s action, is a joint effort by unions, community groups, religious leaders, and other concerned citizens. 

I’d estimate that the Times Square rally drew about 200-300 people at its peak, but that’s a very rough estimate. 

The workers are demanding a raise to $15.00 an hour, an end to retaliation for organizing, and respect on the job. The median wage for fast food workers in New York City is about $9 an hour, but many in this sector are scraping by on the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. Hence the catchphrase of yesterday’s action: “Can’t survive on $7.25.”

Scenes from Fast Food Forward’s rally in Times Square. (Click thumbnails to view full-sized images.) 

A speaker addresses the crowd outside McDonald’s in Times Square. 

Strike rats! 

[Photo credits: Lindsay Beyerstein, all rights reserved.]