Workers who bore the brunt of the Covid pandemic at billion-dollar companies such as Dollar General, McDonald’s and Wendy’s are leading a surge in action
By Michael Sainato, The Guardian
Workers in America’s fast-food and retail sectors who worked on the frontlines through the dangers of the Covid-19 pandemic are continuing a trend of strikes and protests over low wages, safety concerns and sexual harassment issues on the job.
The Covid-19 pandemic has incited a resurgence of interest and support for the US labor movement and for low-wage workers who bore the brunt of Covid-19 risks.
The unrest also comes as corporations have often reported record profits and showered executives with pay increases, stock buybacks and bonuses, while workers received minimal pay increases. Workers at billion-dollar corporations from Dollar General to McDonald’s still make on average less than $15 an hour while often being forced to work in unsafe, grueling conditions.
On 2 May, Dollar General workers at a store in Marion, North Carolina, walked off the job over low wages.
Ashley Sierra has worked at Dollar General for two years and makes just $11 an hour, while only receiving part-time hours. A mother of three, she relies on family members to barely make ends meet. “My weekly paycheck is no more than $200, $260 at the max. I have three children, I cannot survive on $260 a week, it’s just not working. It needs to get upped to at least $15 an hour, the bottom is $15, because we work so hard for so little,” said Sierra.
Dollar General reported a profit of $3.2bn and their CEO was paid over $16.4m in 2021, 986 times the median pay of the company’s workers.
Recent Posts
We’ve Officially Entered the Twilight of Late-Stage Trumpism
Take Action Now It’s all there in a new CNN poll, and it’s heartening to see: Large majorities are sick of Donald Trump’s vanity, venality, and…
Socialist Francesca Hong Could Be Wisconsin’s Next Governor
Take Action Now Currently leading in the polls in a major swing state, democratic socialist Francesca Hong has a good shot at becoming Wisconsin’s…
The Wars Are Still Based on Lies
Take Action Now Major lies that have gone largely unquestioned include the lie that, despite so many horrible and unpopular wars, there may be a good…
Gaza: This is not a ceasefire. It is structural violence by another name.
Take Action Now Nine months into this so-called ceasefire, the wounds of war are not only unhealed — they are still being inflicted.By Doctors…