"Seeking to increase pressure on McDonald?s, Wendy?s and other fast-foo d restaurants, organizers of a movement demanding a $15-an-hour wage for fa st-food workers say they will sponsor one-day strikes in 100 cities on Thur sday and protest activities in 100 additional cities.
As the movement struggles to find pressure points in its quest for substant ially higher wages for workers, organizers said strikes were planned for th e first time in cities like Charleston, S.C.; Providence, R.I.; and Pittsbu rgh.
The protests have expanded greatly since November 2012, when 200 fast-food workers engaged in a one-day strike at more than 20 restaurants in New York City, the first such walkout in the history of the nation?s fast-food in dustry.
?There?s been pretty huge growth in one year,? said Kendall Fells, on e of the movement?s main organizers. ?People understand that a one-day strike is not going to get them there. They understand that this needs to c ontinue to grow.?
The movement, which includes the groups Fast Food Forward and Fight for 15, is part of a growing union-backed effort by low-paid workers ? including many Walmart workers and workers for federal contractors ? that seeks to focus attention on what the groups say are inadequate wages.
The fast-food effort is backed by the Service Employees International Union and is also demanding that restaurants allow workers to unionize without t he threat of retaliation.
Officials with the National Restaurant Association have said the one-day st rikes are publicity stunts. They warn that increasing pay to $15 an hour wh en the federal minimum wage is $7.25 would cause restaurants to rely more o n automation and hire fewer workers.
Industry officials say that only a small percentage of fast-food jobs pay t he minimum wage and that those are largely entry-level jobs for workers und er 25.
Backers of the movement for higher pay point to studies saying that the ave rage age of fast-food workers is 29 and that more than one-fourth are paren ts raising children.
Simon Rojas, who earns $8.07 an hour working at a McDonald?s in South Cen tral Los Angeles, said he would join Thursday?s one-day strike.
?It?s very difficult to live off $8.07 an hour,? said Mr. Rojas, 23, noting that he is often assigned just 20 or 25 hours of work a week. ?I h ave to live with my parents. I would like to be able to afford a car and an apartment.?
Mr. Rojas said he had studied for a pharmacy technician?s certificate, bu t he had been unable to save the $100 needed to apply for a license.
On Aug. 29, fast-food strikes took place in more than 50 cities. This week ?s expanded protests will be joined by numerous community, faith and stud ent groups, including USAction and United Students against Sweatshops."