McDonald's workers and other fast-food employees around the world staged a protest requesting a wage increase on Thursday, May 15. Workers from 33 countries and 80 cities in the world conducted strikes. The workers in the U.S. were demanding a wage increase to $15 an hour. The national minimum wage in some U.S. cities is currently $7.25, which is the federally-mandated minimum. Fast-food workers in the United States on average make a little over $9 per hour. This amount is far below the $23,000 poverty threshold for a family of four set by the Census Bureau. The workers from other fast-food chains like Burger King, KFC, and Wendy's joined McDonald's workers in protest.

Chad Tall, an employee of Taco Bell, told CNN that the decision to go on protest is to attract attention, as this is the only way fast-food employees can be heard. FastFoodGlobal.org, the website of the campaign, posted pictures of workers from Bandung, Denmark, Hongkong, Indonesia, and Mumbai who pledged to support the strike.

A similar protest from workers of these fast-food chains was held last year; however, they were not able to convince McDonald's and the other food chains to increase their wages.

The U.S. organizers of the strike believe that a worldwide protest should be more effective, as it will put pressure on fast-food companies. Mary Kay Henry, Service Employees International Union president, said the workers of fast-food chains have the same issues all over the world: low wages, zero benefits and no guaranteed hours. Although there was a response in many cities around the world, McDonald's and other fast-food giants have made little comment on the matter except to deny claims that any of their restaurants closed as a result of the strikes. McDonald's also specified that company policy prohibits firing employees or cutting hours as punishment for striking or protesting.

The protest campaign was arranged by the Allied Workers' Association (AWA) and the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, and Tobacco.