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Milwaukee fast food workers join "Fight for 15" protests

Workers seek higher wages, union rights
Posted at 9:26 AM, Nov 29, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-29 17:43:59-05

A group of Milwaukee fast food and retail workers are joining nationwide "Fight for 15" protests on Tuesday.

The demonstrators gathered at a McDonald's restaurant at 9th and North Tuesday morning.

"I'm currently making $7.25 an hour and I feel like I deserve more. I do my job. Blood sweat and tears and all, and as a female. I feel like we deserve more,"  said Jasmine Bell.

The workers are seeking wages of $15 an hour and the right to unionize. The national day of protests was first started four years ago.

Protesters point to $15 minimum wages now in effect in New York, California, Seattle, and Washington D.C. as examples that their protests are working.

In a news release about Tuesday's protests, organizers promised mass, civil disobedience in their efforts to get their demands met.

Airport workers at major U.S. hubs joined in the Fight for 15 today, but most passengers didn't experience any delays.

"Oh no. We didn't notice a thing, " said Susan Spoeri.

The Spoeri family is from Chicago. They flew into Mitchell International from Atlanta and avoided the strike at Chicago's O' Hare International Airport.  Hundreds of workers at O'Hare are not just protesting, they're striking in hopes of better pay.

The workers, employed by private contractors, say many of them work for minimum wage, and are trying to unionize.