Northwoods picketers will join a national day of action as workers ask to raise their pay to $15 per hour.
The "Fight for 15" will be seen in 200 cities across the U.S. and 35 countries.
Jackie Cody of the Northern Wisconsin Center for Working People in Rhinelander says the national minimum wage is about 25 percent below it's level in 1968 in equivalent dollars. She says they will gather at 11 a.m. April 15 at the Guild Hall next to St. Augustine's church in Rhinelander then head out...
"....we will be moving from there out to Lincoln Street as there are several fast foods in the area, plus Walmart. From there we're moving from the corner by Burger King, another fast-food franchise, and then finally to McDonald's on Stevens Street...."
Cody says the goal is to show that low-wage workers work hard every day, but still can't make ends meet.
Seven states also extend minimum wage benefits to workers who get tips.
Recently McDonalds said they would begin phasing in higher pay for some of its company-owned stores, but that wouldn't apply to franchises not owned by the company. Business interests say any wage increase would be passed on to customers and might make them less competitive. Others say it could lead to layoffs.
