Boston, April 12, 2016, — In the wake of historic victories in California and New York that will bring a $15 minimum wage to millions of Americans in these states, workers in Massachusetts will join underpaid workers across the globe for the largest-ever day of strikes and protests on April 14.
Members of Chinese Progressive Association (CPA) joined a parade for $15 minimum wage(file photo).
Healthcare, transportation, education, airport, retail, fast food and human services workers will come together to demand $15/hour and union rights during a comprehensive day of action in Boston that will be highlighted by a rally outside the Massachusetts State House at 3:30 p.m. Following the rally, workers and their community allies will march to the doorsteps of McCormick & Schmick’s and McDonald’s – two of the area’s worst purveyors of poverty wages and poor working conditions.
Other actions will take place throughout the day. Fast food workers plan to strike, while students and faculty will rally for a fair contract at Boston University. Early educators and human service workers will hold a lobby day at the State House to put a spotlight on poverty wages in their industries. Healthcare workers and advocates will also host a panel on the impact of the Fight for $15, prior to joining the grassroots lobbying efforts on Beacon Hill. Throughout the day, workers will highlight legislation pending in the state legislature that would bring a living wage to tens of thousands of Massachusetts employees in a variety of industries.
These actions are part of a global wave of strikes and protests, which are expected to take place in hundreds of cities in more than 40 countries around the world. While workers have made major advances in the Fight for $15, many challenges remain. Too often families are struggling to scrape by, even as they foot the bill for big corporations that manipulate the rules to avoid paying fair wages and their fair share of taxes. As a result, workers are faced with near impossible choices about how to care for their families and afford basic necessities. Nearly 64 million Americans – 46 percent of the country – are paid less than $15/hr – including nearly 1.2 million workers in Massachusetts, equaling approximately 36 percent of all workers in the state.
WHO: Fast-Food, Human Service, Transportation, Retail, Airport, Restaurant, Educators, Nursing and Home Care, Construction Workers and more. Elected leaders. Community and clergy allies, including groups affiliated with the Massachusetts-based #WageAction Coalition.
WHAT: Fast-food strike in Boston, followed by early educator event, healthcare panel, Boston University action. Later in the day, workers will rally outside the State House and march to doorsteps of McCormick & Schmick’s and McDonald’s with workers to demand $15/hr., union rights
WHEN: Thursday, April 14, 2016
WHERE: 6 a.m. Worker Strike (Location TBD)
11 a.m. Early Childhood Educators Action & Lobby Day (outside Governor’s office, Room 280 at State House, 24 Beacon Street, Boston)
11 a.m. Healthcare workers gather at 1199SEIU & 12 p.m. panel with Healthcare Workers on Fight for $15 Impact (150 Mt. Vernon Street, Dorchester)
12:30 p.m. Standout at McDonald’s as activists demand $15 (350 Burnett Rd., Chicopee)
12:45 p.m. #WageAction Community Activists visit St. Luke’s Hospital to advocate for higher wages (101 Page St., New Bedford)
2:00 p.m. Healthcare workers will deliver information on key homecare and nursing home legislation pending in the state legislature (Massachusetts State House)
2:00 p.m. Students and faculty to rally for fair contract at Boston University (BU’s Marsh Plaza, 735 Commonwealth Ave., Boston)
3:30 p.m. Fight for $15 Rally and March at the Massachusetts State House (outside State House, 24 Beacon Street, Boston)