New York Times (07/27/13) Steven Greenhouse

U.S. low-wage workers have been using one-day strikes to draw public attention to the difficulties they face, which they attribute to earning only minimum wage. Companies such as McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Macy’s, and Walmart have kept their wages low, while their chief executives’ pay has significantly increased. Many Walmart locations in particular are allegedly hiring only temporary workers to fill openings, in order to save on wages and benefits. While strikers have been calling for a $15-an-hour minimum wage, a more realistic outcome is to push the low-wage work problem onto the national agenda. More walkouts are expected at fast-food restaurants in seven cities today.