WESH 2 NEWS POLITICAL REPORTER HAS DETAILS ON THE MEASURE AND THE PUSH TO PASS IT. GREG: THEY CIRCLED THE GOLDEN ARCHES IN DOWNTOWN SANFORD TO MAKE A STATEMENT, A VERY LOUD STATEMENT. THEY’RE FIGHTING FOR A $15 MINIMUM WAGE, AND A YES VOTE ON AMENDMENT 2 WOULD DELIVER IT FOR PEOPLE LIKE JAMELIA FAIRLEY, A SINGLE MOM WHO WORKS AT THIS MCDONALDS EARNING $10 AN HOUR. ON THAT SALARY, SHE AND HER DAUGHTER HAVE TO SHARE A HOME WITH A FRIEND. >> IT WOULD BE A VERY BIG DIFFERENCE. I WOULD BE ABLE TO AFFORD MY OWN LIVING, WITH HOUSING AND BE ABLE TO AFFORD MY OWN TRANSPORTATION WITH A CAR AND I WOULD BE ABLE TO SAVE FOR THE FUTURE WITH MY DAUGHTER. GREG: AMENDMENT TWO WOULD RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE TO $15 AN HOUR BY 2026. IT WOULD BEGIN IN A PHASED-IN APPROACH WITH THE MINIMUM RISING TO $10 AN HOUR NEXT YEAR. RIGHT NOW, FLORIDA’S MINIMUM WAGE IS $8.56 AN HOUR. UNIONS AND OTHER GROUPS SUPPORTING PASSAGE OF AMENDMENT 2 SAY 2.5 MILLION PEOPLE IN FLORIDA, NOT JUST AT FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS BUT OTHER LOW WAGE JOBS, WOULD BENEFI CRISTIAN CARDONA IS A RESTAURANT MANAGER EARNING JUST OVER $11 AN HOUR AND WORKS TWO JOBS ALONG WITH MANY OF HIS CO-WORKERS. CRISTIAN LIVES WITH HIS PARENTS. >> THREE OF US WORK, BUT EVEN THE THREE OF US PUT TOGETHER CAN BARELY AFFORD A PLACE, FOOD, BILLS, HEALTHCARE, ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE’RE NOT PROVIDED. THAT WE CANNOT AFFORD WORKING FULL TIME, WORKING HARD. GREG: SOME CUSTOMERS DIDN’T LIKE THE DRIVE-THRU SLOWDOWN, BUT OTHERS SUPPORT THE FIGHT FOR $15. THEY SHOULD MAKE MORE MONEY? >> YEAH. YEAH, I THINK SO. GREG: A ST. PETE POLLS SURVEY RELEASED THIS WEEK SHOWS 65% OF VOTERS WILL VOTE YES ON THE $15 MINIMUM WAGE MEASURE. 23% ARE VOTING NO. 12% ARE UNDECIDED. THAT, DESPITE A STRONG EFFORT BY THE FLORIDA RESTAURANT AND LODGING ASSOCIATION AND BUSINESS GROUPS TO FIGHT AMENDMENT 2. GREG FOX, WESH 2 NEWS. STEWART: A MCDONALD’S SPOKESWOMAN PROVIDED WESH 2 NEWS THIS STATEMENT ON TODAY’S DEMONSTRATION, “MCDONALD’S DOES NOT LOBBY AGAINST OR PARTICIPATE IN ANY ACTIVITIES OPPOSING RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE AND BELIEVES ELECTED LEADERS HAV
McDonald’s workers caravan from Sanford to Orlando in fight for $15
A group of McDonald’s workers formed a caravan Thursday morning, driving from Sanford into Orlando to bring attention to Amendment 2, which would raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour. They circled the golden arches in downtown Sanford to make a statement and encourage a yes vote on Amendment 2. If it passes, Florida’s minimum wage would gradually be increased to $15 an hour. Jamelia Fairley is a single mom who works at McDonald’s earning $10 an hour. On that salary, she and her daughter have to share a home with a friend.“It would be a very big difference. I would be able to afford my own living, with housing and be able to afford my own transportation with a car and I would be able to save for the future with my daughter,” Fairley said. Amendment 2 would raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026. It would be done in phases with the minimum rising to $10 an hour next year. Right now, Florida’s minimum wage is $8.56 an hour. Unions and other groups supporting passage of Amendment 2 say 2.5 million people in Florida, not just at fast-food restaurants, but other low wage jobs, would benefit.Cristian Cardona is a restaurant manager, earning just over $11 an hour, and works two jobs along with many of his co-workers. He lives with his parents.“Three of us work, but even the three of us put together can barely afford a place, food, bills, health care, all these things that we’re not provided,” Cardona said. Some customers didn’t like the drive-thru slow down, but others support the fight for $15.“They should make more money? Yeah! Yeah, I think so,” one customer said A “St. Pete Polls” survey released this week, shows 65% of voters will vote yes on the $15 minimum wage measure. Just 23% are voting no and 12% are undecided.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
A group of McDonald’s workers formed a caravan Thursday morning, driving from Sanford into Orlando to bring attention to Amendment 2, which would raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour.
They circled the golden arches in downtown Sanford to make a statement and encourage a yes vote on Amendment 2.
If it passes, Florida’s minimum wage would gradually be increased to $15 an hour.
Jamelia Fairley is a single mom who works at McDonald’s earning $10 an hour. On that salary, she and her daughter have to share a home with a friend.
“It would be a very big difference. I would be able to afford my own living, with housing and be able to afford my own transportation with a car and I would be able to save for the future with my daughter,” Fairley said.
Amendment 2 would raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026. It would be done in phases with the minimum rising to $10 an hour next year.
Right now, Florida’s minimum wage is $8.56 an hour. Unions and other groups supporting passage of Amendment 2 say 2.5 million people in Florida, not just at fast-food restaurants, but other low wage jobs, would benefit.
Cristian Cardona is a restaurant manager, earning just over $11 an hour, and works two jobs along with many of his co-workers. He lives with his parents.
“Three of us work, but even the three of us put together can barely afford a place, food, bills, health care, all these things that we’re not provided,” Cardona said.
Some customers didn’t like the drive-thru slow down, but others support the fight for $15.
“They should make more money? Yeah! Yeah, I think so,” one customer said
A “St. Pete Polls” survey released this week, shows 65% of voters will vote yes on the $15 minimum wage measure. Just 23% are voting no and 12% are undecided.
