Local fast-food workers strike for better wages

Joining their colleagues in cities across the country, employees at Las Vegas McDonald’s, KFC, Taco Bell and other fastfood restaurants walked off their jobs Thursday morning to protest low wages and lack of union representation.

Locally, the protests started at 6 a.m. Thursday, and three picket lines were set up at different fastfood restaurants over the course of the morning.

At the McDonald’s at Paradise Road and Sahara Avenue, approximately 30 workers and supporters from unions and other organizations gathered before 10 a.m. chanting and waving signs on the sidewalk.

“No justice, no fries,” the protesters bellowed as some passing cars honked in support while other vehicles dodged the picket line in order to get through the drive-thru.

Mae Vamos, 28, and Eric Bayan,31,acouplewiththreekids athome,bothworkatMcDonald’s and joined the protest. Vamos, a manager, makes $9.30 per hour and Bayan, a maintenance worker, brings home $8.50 per hour. Combined, they estimated they make $28,000 per year after taxes. They lamented they make so little that their children qualify for free lunch at school by a wide margin.

“There were times when Eric would only get a three-hour shift and we would have to go from Chinatown to Green Valley, and by then you’ve practically spent what you’ll earn on transportation,” Vamos said. “We can only afford the bare minimum for our children.”

The workers are asking for $15 per hour.

“That would make such a huge difference for us, but even $10 or $12 per hour would be big,” she said.

Asked for comment, the McDonald’s Corp. referred the Sun to a prepared statement.

“McDonald’s aims to offer competitive pay and benefits to our employees. We provide training and professional development for all of those who wish to take advantage of those opportunities,” the statement reads.

“McDonald’s does not determine wages set by our more than 3,000 U.S. franchisees. At the restaurants run by McDonald’s USA – less than 10 percent of the roughly 14,000 – we pay salaries that begin at minimum wage but rangeupfromthatfiguredepending on the job and employee’s experience level.”

McDonald’s Corp. did not respond to a request to speak to a Las Vegas franchisee.

PHOTOS BY LEILA NAVIDI Local fast-food workers were joined by union workers and sympathizers as they went on strike for higher wages.

At the McDonald’s at Paradise Road and Sahara Avenue, workers like McDonald’s and Burger King employee Matthew Hershberger gathered before 10 a.m.