Why go on strike April 15? An Asheville fast-food worker shares her story

FIGHT FOR 15: Actions by fast-food workers have been increasing throughout the country over the past year. About 100 protesters were arrested at the McDonalds headquarters in Oak Brook, Ill., during a labor action on May 21, 2014. Rev. Dr. William Barber II, leader of North Carolina’s Moral Monday movement and head of the NAACP’s N.C. chapter, is pictured leading a prayer vigil during the protest. Barber will join protesters on April 15 at Shaw University in Raleigh. In Asheville, protesters will gather at 71 Hendersonville Road. Photo by Pat Barcas

http://mountainx.com/news/why-go-on-strike-april-15-an-asheville-fast-food-worker-shares-her-story/

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Pat Barcas

Yes, they’re striking for an increase in wages, but it’s not just about that, and the issue goes beyond conditions at fast-food chains.

On Wednesday, April 15, Johaunna Cromer will be walking off her job along with other Asheville fast-food workers who are mobilizing through the national Fight for 15 movement, which aims to send a message: Fast-food workers should earn a living wage in America and be treated better on the job.

Cromer, a single mother who has participated in four similar strikes in the Southeast, has worked at a fast-food franchise in Asheville for eight months. She says she enjoys the friendly customers and her co-workers but that the policies at her job make it difficult for this single mother to handle family matters.

The telephone policy at her restaurant states that no employees can use their telephones while on the clock, says Cromer. In January, her 8-year-old son had a seizure while at school, and Cromer was unreachable at work, even though the school called the restaurant’s phone number as well. Finally, the school sent someone to her workplace to get a message through. The experience, she says, left a lasting impression.

FULL story at link.

About Pat Barcas
Pat is a photojournalist and writer who moved to Asheville in 2014. He previously worked for a labor and social rights advocacy newspaper in Chicago. You can email him at pbarcas@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @pbarcas.