$7.25 an Hour? US Fast Food Workers Walk Out in Organized Strike Against Low Wages

Continued from previous page

The average fast food worker in New York City earns an annual income of $11,000, according to the campaign, far below the median household income of $48,631. Most are not full-time employees.

Last week President  Barack Obama renewed his call for an improved minimum wage in a speech in Galesburg, Illinois. The president used his state of the union speech in February to campaign for the federal minimum to be raised to $9 an hour, which he said would return the minimum to the same value it had been at the beginning of Ronald Reagan's presidency in 1981.

Burger King spokesman Bryson Thornton said the company's restaurants "have provided an entry point into the workforce for millions of Americans".

"Over 99% of all Burger King restaurants in the  United States are independently owned and operated by third party franchisees. As a corporation, we respect the rights of all workers; however, Burger King Corp does not make hiring, firing or other employment-related decisions for our franchisees."

Reached for comment, McDonalds told the Guardian to contact the National Restaurant Association. Scott DeFife, the group's executive vice-president of policy and government affairs, said the restaurant industry was "one of the best paths to achieving the American dream" and "provides opportunities for millions of Americans ... to move up the ladder and succeed".

"Restaurants operate on very thin profit margins. Significant additional labor costs can negatively impact a restaurant's ability to hire or maintain jobs. The cost of living varies greatly nationwide, while current proposals aimed at doubling the minimum wage would have a significant effect on the private sector's ability to create jobs, especially those typically filled by first-time workers and teens."