The Fight for 15 came to a McDonald’s on Broward Blvd. in downtown Fort Lauderdale Tuesday.
Fast food workers drove by and honked, joining workers in other states trying to spread awareness about calls to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour.
The workers also planned car rallies and strikes Tuesday in Atlanta, Charleston, Chicago, Detroit, Durham, Flint, Houston, Milwaukee, Oakland, Orlando, Raleigh, Sacramento, St. Louis and Tampa, according to the event organizer.
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Daniella Marmontel was at the car rally. She said she works at a Wendy's in Miami and that every month she feels the pressure of trying to catch up — especially now during the pandemic.
"It's not just me, there's plenty of other people in the same box feeling the same way, feeling like 'When am I ever going to make more money here?'" Marmontel said. "And it doesn't even matter how many hours you work, you still just can't, it just … it doesn't add up."
Marmontel pointed to the high cost of living in South Florida when it comes to things like rent.
"This is hard, and for families I know it's very hard. Take it from me it's hard. I barely sleep at night. I barely see my kids," said another participant in the rally.
Florida voters approved an amendment last November that would gradually increase the state's minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026.
However, a proposal sponsored by Republican Florida Senator Jeff Brandes, of St. Petersburg, would reduce that minimum wage for certain workers such as state prisoners, employees with felony convictions, workers younger than 21 and other so called "hard-to-hire" employees.
The annual legislative session in Tallahassee begins early next month.
