Independent Women’s Forum says that economic growth, not more restrictive minimum wage laws — or strikes — is real key to progress for workers. The labor movement has organized walk-outs of workers at fast food restaurants throughout the country in order to protest low-wages.
This organized walk out comes amid new calls for raising the federal minimum wage. Union backed groups are pushing for $15 an hour minimum wage and the right for employees to unionize.A petition demanding $15-an-hour minimum wages was carried to fast food restaurants in five cities across the country by Moveon.org members and is addressed to McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Burger King, KFC, Pizza Hut, Papa John’s and Subway.
It has about 50,000 signatures.Striking workers and others are supposed to join a march in 100 cities today. “Americans want low-wage workers to be treated fairly and have the opportunity to earn more,” said IWF’s Executive Director Sabrina Schaeffer.
“But these strikes and a higher mandatory minimum wage won’t help low-wage workers’ prospects, and in fact, could backfire on those workers by reducing employment opportunities. “People often assume that employers have huge profit margins and could easily pay more but don’t because they are mean-spirited.
That’s just not the case. Most franchises operate on very small margins. That’s why we have recently seen fast food restaurants react to new health care mandates by reducing their workforce and cutting back workers hours. “Workers’ interests are not served by laws and regulations that make it impossible for businesses to survive.
That’s why the real key to improving workers’ prospects is making it easier for businesses to grow and create jobs—so that employers are able to pay more and have to compete for workers through higher wages and better benefits.”To learn more about the minimum wage, check out IWF’s policy focus: Minimum Wage.
www.iwf.org Independent Women’s Forum is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) research and educational institution dedicated to expanding the conservative coalition, both by increasing the number of women who understand and value the benefits of limited government, personal liberty, and free markets, and by countering those who seek to ever expand government in the name of protecting women.
