One of the worst positions you can be in as a business owner is having to hold firm on costs, especially where employees are concerned. Many franchise owners in big cities across the U.S. now find themselves in this unenviable spot.
Since last November, when more than 200 fast-food workers engaged in a one-day strike at roughly 20 restaurants in New York City, some owners have experienced similar walkouts and others have followed the events anxiously. Yet another strike this Thursday–this time involving workers in 100 cities and coordinated protests in 100 additional cities–is expected to be the biggest yet.
Fast-food workers are teaming up with labor groups, including the Service Employees International Union, and retail workers at companies like Walmart to ask employers for a “fair wage” of $15 an hour, up from the federal minimum wage of $7.25. That represents a $15,000 annual raise for a fulltime worker.