Fight For $15 Protesters Gather At McDonald's Shareholder Meeting
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Protesters hoped to make an impact on McDonald's shareholders on Wednesday, as they brought the "Fight for $15" campaign to the fast food chain's corporate headquarters.
A big turnout was expected in Oak Brook for the protest outside the annual McDonald's shareholders meeting, as activists continued their push for a $15-an-hour minimum wage.
"Fight for $15" activists also rallied in downtown Chicago on Tuesday, meeting at Daley Plaza and marching to Trump Tower and then the Rock N Roll McDonald's in a driving rain, seeking to pressure the world's second largest employer to, in their words, lift workers up instead of dragging them down.
On Wednesday, protesters expected thousands to turn out for a rally in Oak Brook as shareholders from around the world gather for their annual meeting. Protest organizers said it's likely to the largest protest ever for the fast food giant.
The first protesters began arriving around 7 a.m. At past protests, activists have set up tent cities outside McDonald's headquarters.
The activists said, since the "Fight for $15" campaign began five years ago, more than 22 million low-wage workers have gotten raises. They also said New York, California, Seattle, and Washington, D.C., have approved gradually raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour.