To: New York State Wage Board

End Taxpayer Giveaways to McDonald’s!

American taxpayers spend $7 billion every year on public assistance for fast food workers because the fast food giants refuse to pay their workers enough to survive. New York State alone spends a whopping $700 million – the most of any state in the union. It’s time for mega-profitable companies like McDonald’s to raise wages so their people can pay rent and feed their families.

I call on the New York wage board to support a $15 wage for fast food workers – and end taxpayer giveaways to fast food companies.

Why is this important?

McDonald’s makes $5.5 billion in profit annually, while the cooks and cashiers who do the hard work struggle every day to pay rent or support a family. It’s not right.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo just launched a wage board with the power to raise wages for the 180,000 fast food workers in the state, but it's possible they'll miss this opportunity to raise wages where they need to be – $15 an hour – and settle on a wage that doesn't go far enough. L.A. just passed $15 an hour, and it’s time for $15 in New York and across America.

It’s a massive opportunity, but time is short – we need to deliver this petition to the wage board by June 22, before they make their decision. We need to send them a clear message: It’s time to end taxpayer giveaways to megacorporations. It’s time for $15 an hour for fast food workers.