Fast food workers from across New York City rallied Wednesday morning outside the New York State Department of Labor, where Gov. AndrewCuomo’s wage board was meeting for the first time. The rally came one day after Los Angeles, the second largest city in the country, voted to raise the minimum wage to $15 from $9 over the next five years. Organizers said hundreds of fast food workers and activists rallied in Lower Manhattan, joined by City Comptroller Scott Stringer and Lieutenant Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Cuomo announced earlier this month that he directed Acting State Labor Commissioner Mario J. Musolino to assemble a wage board to consider raising the minimum wage for fast food workers and hear public testimony. The board will hold public hearings in New York, Buffalo, Long Island and Albany through the end of June, and present findings to the governor within three months. Their recommendations to raise the minimum wage would not require legislative approval. Thousands of fast food workers also rallied in Chicago on Wednesday outside of McDonald’s headquarters for the company’s annual meeting.
Fast food workers rally outside wage board meeting in Manhattan
Courtesy Jenna Pope
