fast food workers protest today

http://www.raisetheminimumwage.com/facts/entry/amount-with-inflation/

"Fast food workers today plan to mount one-day walkouts against nearly a thousand stores in over fifty cities — the largest-ever mobilization against their growing, low-wage, non-union industry, which until last fall had never faced a substantial U.S. strike. The work stoppage comes four weeks after a four-day, seven-city strike wave in which organizers say thousands walked off the job.
Today, the strikes – which started with a single-city November work stoppage in New York — are expected to hit several cities. In each city – from Los Angeles to Peoria – workers are demanding a raise to $15 an hour, and the chance to form a union without intimidation by their boss."

Minimum wage if kept up to inflation should be $10.74 today;

http://www.raisetheminimumwage.com/facts/entry/amount-with-inflation/

It's impossible to pay for rent, food, and other essentials on the current minimum wage. That means for those who don't have family support, they must rely on government support.  And that means you and I are paying for the right of businesses to sluff off their actual costs to us, the tax payers.

McDonald's seems to manage higher minimum wages in other countries just fine.