Chicago workers fight for $15

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internationalists, and hold that workers of one country have more in common with workers of anti-racist, feminist, student, and other social movements with a mass-action perspective. another than with their own nation’s capitalist class. We seek to link struggles across national Recognizing the divisions that exist on the left and within the workers’ movement, we seek to form united front type organizations around specific issues where various groups have sharing of experiences and political lessons. That is why we maintain fraternal relations with Socialist Action believes that the capitalist state and its institutions are instruments of the ruling class, and that therefore they cannot be used as tools of the working class but have revolutionary workers’ party that can successfully challenge the wealthy elite—whose profit- to be smashed. That is why we fight for revolution. When we fight for specific reforms, we about with the overthrow of capitalism, the establishment of a workers’ government, and the working-class politics—not alliances with the bosses’ parties. That is why we call for workers fight for socialism. Our ultimate goal is a truly democratic, environmentally sustainable, and in the U.S. to break from the Democratic and Republican parties to build a Labor Party based egalitarian society organized to satisfy human needs rather than corporate greed. We invite Socialist Action (ISSN 0747-4237) is published monthly by Socialist Action Publishing Association, P.O. Box 10328, Oakland, CA 94610.

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CHICAGO—Low-wage workers and their supporters turned out in force at over 300 locations in the U.S. and over 40 countries on April 14 de­ manding a $15 minimum wage and union organizing rights. The prime target was McDonald’s Corporation, referred to as a “poster-child” for un­ fair labor practices and poverty wag­ es for low-wage workers worldwide.

In Chicago, over 1000 protesters, including hundreds of fast-food and other low-wage strikers, gathered at the “Rock and Roll” McDonald’s, Chi­ cago’s “flagship” restaurant, to cap a day of actions around the city. A spir­ ited rally heard striking McDonald’s workers Angel Mitchell and Domi­ nique Bouie, Tess Raser of Assata’s Daughters (a group of young Black women prominent in Chicago Black Lives Matter), and others.

Earlier in the afternoon protesters gathered outside the penthouse condominium of billionaire Ken Grif­ fin, the richest man in Illinois. Griffin is a major donor to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, and his hedge fund Citadel has $132 mil­ lion invested in McDonald’s. A strong opponent of Fight for $15, and promoter of Rauner’s “Turnaround Agenda” austerity plan, Griffin also advocates more school clos­ ings in Illinois. Griffin has been rewarded with millions in tax breaks in real estate and other business transac­ tions with the city.

Outside Griffin’s penthouse, I spoke with Sheldon Sims, a 27-year-old father of two and striking McDon­ ald’s worker from a South Side restaurant. Sims had just arrived on one of several buses filled with striking coworkers and other low-wage workers.

“I’m here to fight for my right to a living wage,” said Sims. “I go to work every day and bust my ass to make $8. I’ve got two kids at home and $8 is not going to do shit for us. Period. … And even if we do get $15, we need a union … it could be SEIU or we may organize our own Socialist Action: Where we stand Socialist Action is a national organization of activists committed to the emancipation of workers and the oppressed. We strive to revitalize the antiwar, environmental, labor, agreement. In this way we seek to maximize our impact and demonstrate the power and effectiveness of mass action.

In the process we hope to bring activists together from different backgrounds into a driven system is driving down living standards and threatens all life on this planet.

We are active partisans of the working class and believe in the need for independent on the trade unions.

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designed, and laid out entirely by volunteer labor.

Name Address City State Phone E-mail union … but we need to work together with anyone stuck at $8 [per hour].”

From Griffin’s penthouse, marchers proceeded to the Bank of America nearby, focusing attention on the bank’s greed. Bank of America has investments of over $2 bil­ lion in McDonald’s, ranking among its top institutional investors. The Chicago Teachers Union has charged the bank with failing to disclose the risk of “toxic” interestrate swaps in investment deals involving Chicago Public Schools.

These predatory bank swaps with financial institu­ tions including Bank of America have resulted in losses of over $500 million to Chicago public schools, and re­ sulted in $77 million in profits for Bank of America.

“This is our Global Day of Action,” said rally chairper­ son Angel Mitchell. “But today … is not just about fastfood workers. Other workers, like child-care providers and health-care workers and nursing-home workers, have realized that $15 is the least employers can do.

“With billionaires … and corporations that pay poverty wages to employees all across the world … it’s obvious that McDonald’s is leading a Global Race to the Bottom, the Fourth International.

Zip We support the struggles of those who are specially oppressed under capitalism— women, LGBT people, national minorities, etc. We support the right of self-determination for oppressed nationalities, including Blacks, Chicanos, and Puerto Ricans. We are boundaries, and to build an international revolutionary movement that will facilitate the do so with the understanding that in the final analysis real social change can only come you to join us in the struggle to make the world a better place!

• Buffalo, NY: wnysocialist@google. com • Chicago: P.O. Box 578428 Chicago, IL 60657, [email protected] • Connecticut: (860) 478-5300 • Duluth, Minn.: [email protected]. www.thenorthernworker.blogspot. com • Kansas City: [email protected] (816) 221-3638 • LOUISVILLE, KY: redlotus51@yahoo. com, (502) 451-2193 • Madison, Wis.:

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Dominique Bouie, who does con­ tract hourly work for McDonald’s and is a leader of Warehouse Workers for Justice, described her workday, begin­ ning at 3 a.m., when a large number of workers are “sorted” by management to determine who will be allowed to work the shift starting at 4 a.m. Only selected workers receive the $8/ hour rate for making McCafé cups. “McDonald’s is a multi-billion [dol­ lar] company … they can satisfy their customers but cannot satisfy their workers—the people who make it possible to sell the products. ... We have families. We have lives we need to be able to pay for. You look at your child and you tell them, ‘I can’t afford to get those shoes you need or I can’t afford those books.’”

Striking McDonald’s workers reached out to other low-wage workers during early-morning activities. Beginning at 6 a.m., striking McDonald’s workers stood with adjunct professors at Loyola University and with workers from Sheridan Shores Nursing Home. In Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood, McDonald’s strik­ ers also joined with child-care workers, Chicago teach­ ers, and warehouse workers.

“It’s not just fast-food workers who are getting hurt. All of us are suffering,” said Mitchell, as she concluded her remarks at the rally. “By striking today we are all col­ lectively, from all various work industries, holding Mc­ Donald’s accountable.

“Today, we are making history. We made history with Chicago teachers a couple of weeks ago [April 1] by raising our voices and standing up for funding. We just won the biggest raise in history with $15 for millions of workers in California and New York statewide. And Pennsylvania nursing home workers have also won $15 in contract negotiations.

“We know that we can win this! … Until we have re­ spect on the job, safe working conditions on the job, and until we get $15 on our paycheck and union rights, we will not stop until we win!” n For info about Socialist Action and how to join: Socialist Action National Office, P.O.

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