Wall Street Journal (11/24/14) Melanie Trottman

Franchise-owners are fighting back against organized labor protests and strikes that are expected to last throughout the holiday season. They are attempting to communicate to employees that they work for small businesses, not large corporations. The International Franchise Association will launch a website and hotline with information for franchisees by Dec. 1.

“We’re seeing the perception of [us] being bottom dwellers, yet we feel like we’re job creators,” said David Jones, who owns three Subway restaurants in the Seattle area and who said an employee walked out to join a strike early this year.