#FightFor15
Origin
November 29, 2012, 200 fast-food workers in New York City walked off the job demanding $15/hour minimum wage and union rights.
The strike was organized by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and community groups. The #FightFor15 slogan and hashtag quickly became the movement’s identity.
Growth
2013: Strikes spread to 60 cities
2014: 150 cities held coordinated walkouts
2015: 270 cities participated, including 19,000 home care workers
Movement expanded beyond fast food to include:
- Airport workers
- Adjunct professors
- Childcare providers
- Hospital workers
- Retail employees
Victories
City/State Level
- Seattle (2014): First major city to pass $15 minimum wage (phased in by 2021)
- San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City followed by 2015-2016
- California (2016): Statewide $15 minimum wage (phased to 2023)
- New York State (2016): $15 in NYC, tiered elsewhere
- By 2021: 40+ cities/counties had $15+ minimum wage
Corporate Concessions
- Amazon (2018): Raised to $15/hour for all U.S. workers
- Target (2020): $15/hour
- Costco (2021): $16-17/hour
- McDonald’s, Walmart raised wages but fell short of $15 in most markets
Political Impact
- Made minimum wage central to 2016/2020 Democratic primaries
- Bernie Sanders championed as signature issue
- Biden platform: $15 federal minimum wage (not passed as of 2023)
Economic Arguments
Supporters:
- Federal minimum wage stuck at $7.25 since 2009 (longest period without increase)
- Adjusted for inflation, 1968’s minimum wage = $12+ today
- 33% of U.S. workforce would benefit
- Stimulates economy (workers spend raises)
Opponents:
- Small businesses can’t afford it
- Would eliminate jobs (automation, reduced hours)
- Regional cost-of-living differences (rural vs. urban)
- Congressional Budget Office estimated 1.3 million jobs lost, 900,000 lifted from poverty
Criticism
From Left
- $15 already outdated - living wage in many cities is $20-25+
- Took too long - phased implementations spread over 5+ years
- Excluded tipped workers in some jurisdictions
From Right
- Job losses in restaurant industry (kiosks replacing cashiers)
- Hurt small businesses vs. corporations
- Better solution: expand EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit)
Cultural Impact
- Normalized $15 as baseline (when it sounded radical in 2012)
- Inspired gig worker organizing (Uber, DoorDash campaigns)
- Showed labor movement could rebuild without traditional unions
- Gen Z/millennial workers more pro-union than previous generations