Während draußen vor der Chicagoer Zentrale Hunderte McDonald's-Mitarbeiter für eine Anhebung der Hungerlöhne demonstrieren, sagt drinnen McDonald's-CEO Don Thompson, dass seine Firma dafür bekannt sei, "gute Job-Gelegenheiten zu bieten sowie die Chance auf 'richtige Karrieren'".
Fakt ist: In USA verdienen viele McDonald's-Mitarbeiter derart wenig, dass sie nicht mal selber Essen bei McDonald's leisten können - und oft nicht mal eine eigene Wohnung (unten, rot).
Gestern wurden 138 der Lohn-Demonstranten, die sich auf dem Gelände der Zentrale in Chicago aufhielten, von der Polizei verhaftet, nachdem sie sich geweigert hatten zu gehen.
McDonald's CEO Don Thompson sought to address a growing chorus of critics on issues including worker pay and marketing to children at its annual meeting Thursday.
As hundreds of protesters chanted for higher wages outside, Thompson told the audience in the building that the company has a heritage of providing job opportunities that lead to "real careers."
"We believe we pay fair and competitive wages," Thompson said.
A day earlier, McDonald's closed one of its buildings in suburban Chicago, where protesters had planned to demonstrate over the low wages paid to its workers. Organizers then targeted another site on the company's headquarters, and police say 138 were arrested after they peacefully refused to leave the property. ....Although many fast-food chains engage in similar practices, McDonald's Corp. is a frequent target for critics because of its high profile. The criticism is becoming a more pressing issue for the world's biggest hamburger chain at a time when it is fighting to boost weak sales amid heightened competition.... Part of the problem is that people are shifting toward foods they feel are fresher or healthier, which has prompted McDonald's executives in recent months to underscore the quality of the chain's ingredients.
...Still, the issue of worker pay in particular has put McDonald's in an uncomfortable spotlight since late 2012, when protests for a $15 an hour wage began in New York City. Demonstrators were out again before the meeting, chanting, "I want, I want, I want my $15."
Shawn Dalton, who traveled from Pittsburgh, said her daughter is a recent high school graduate who can't afford to go to college right away, so she'll likely wind up earning Pennsylvania's $7.25-an-hour minimum wage.
"That won't get her an apartment, that won't buy a bus pass, that won't buy food," Dalton said. "She'll either have to depend on welfare or depend on me."....
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