Sanders to rally with McDonald’s workers demanding $15 minimum wage

Presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) will rally with McDonald’s workers in Iowa this weekend as they demand a $15 minimum wage and a union.

After the rally in Sunday in Cedar Rapids, Sanders will lead a workers’ march to the Iowa Democratic Party Hall of Fame Celebration, his campaign said.

Sanders has cast himself as a staunch advocate for labor movements and workers’ rights and has made policies like a $15 an hour minimum wage the centerpiece of his White House bid. 

He attended Walmart’s annual shareholders’ meeting Wednesday to demand a pay bump for the retailer’s employees. 

“Walmart can afford to pay its employees a living wage of at least $15-an-hour and that is not a radical idea,” Sanders said at the meeting. “Despite the incredible wealth of its owner, Walmart pays many of its employees starvation wages.”

Sanders also pushed for the company to add an hourly employee to the company’s board, allow workers to work at least 40 hours a week and provide “decent” health care. 

“We are here to fight for the dignity of Walmart employees and make sure that every employee at Walmart has at least a living wage,” Sanders told employees at an impromptu rally outside the meeting. “The entire country is watching.”

Bernie just told the Waltons to end their greed inside the Walmart shareholders meeting and then held a rally with workers outside. #EndWalmartGreed #BernieAtWalmart pic.twitter.com/Sit3ksbTTB

— Armand Aviram (@armandaviram) June 5, 2019