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\f0\fs24 \cf2 \cb3 BY KERRY LEARY\ \
Several fast-food workers walked off the job in New York Thursday. {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK
"http://www.myfoxny.com/story/20216614/fast-food-workers-protest-for-higher-wages"}}{\fldrslt \cf4 \ul \ulc4 Here\'92s WNYW with more details.}}\
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\b \cf2 \'93Hundreds of workers at popular fast food restaurants are threatening to go
on strike this morning. It is a food fight over wages, will they join the unions? That
is the question. \b0 \
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{\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.wwmt.com/"}}{\fldrslt \cf4 \ul \ulc4 WWMT reports\ulnone }}employees
are looking for a raise\'97up to $15 and hour.\ \
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\b \cf2 \'93And they want to form a union without interference. It's estimated the fast
food business brings in 200 billion a year... the employees say they earn minimum wage and
are on welfare.\'94 \b0 \
\ The campaign is known as \'93fast food forward\'94
and its believed to be the nation\'92s biggest drive ever to unionize fast food workers.
{\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/29/nyregion/drive-to-unionize-fast-food-workers-opens-in-ny.html?pagewanted=1"}}{\fldrslt \cf4 \ul \ulc4 The New York Times reports:}}\
\
\b \'93The first walkout took place at 6:30 a.m. at a McDonald\'92s at Madison Avenue
and 40th Street, where several dozen striking workers and supporters chanted: \'91Hey, hey,
what do you say? We demand fair pay.\'92 An organizer of the unionizing campaign said
that 14 of the 17 employees scheduled to work the morning shift had gone on strike.\'94
\b0 \ \
The workers\'92 efforts are backed by community and civil rights groups, as well as religious
leaders and a labor union. Salon Magazine spoke with one of the workers.\
\
\b \'93Lopez, a 21-year-old who\'92s been at McDonald\'92s for two years, said he makes
$8.75 an hour as a shift manager ... He works at McDonald\'92s and at two other jobs \'96
catering and doing leaf work \'96 while paying off student loans, pursuing an acting career,
and helping to support his family.\'94 \b0 \
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{\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/11/29/1254521/nyc-fast-food-strike-wages/"}}{\fldrslt \cf4 \ul \ulc4 ThinkProgress suggests}} workers
have every right to be upset, citing a report released this year that shows some of the
largest employers of low-wage workers are making huge profits.\
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{\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.ibtimes.com/new-york-fast-food-workers-strike-higher-wages-908496"}}{\fldrslt \cf4 \ul \ulc4 But the International Business
Times reports,\ulnone }}the fast food workers have an uphill battle as they\'92re fighting
against large corporations. Striking employees risk losing a contract with the national restaurant
chain.}