A group of McDonald’s Detroit employees quit work to celebrate Monday as part of a national workers’ strike to protest systemic racism and economic inequality.
Across the United States and around the world, workers in the service industry, fast food chains, and the concert economy joined together to demand better treatment of African Americans in the workplace.
Protester David Williams, who had quit the job, explained that he was motivated to participate in the “Strike for Black Lives” amid the coronavirus health crisis, claiming that his employer was not applying the proper health and safety protocol in middle of the ongoing outbreak.
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“I quit my job because we did not receive an essential payment for being an essential worker. We are not getting proper PPE… As I posted here, I didn’t even have a mask on, ”Williams said, as seen in the video obtained by the Associated Press.
“They didn’t even give us masks. We didn’t get a temperature control, none of that. So I’m going to see a change. I demand a change. “
Protesters demonstrated outside a McDonald’s in Detroit on July 20. The national workers’ strike saw people leave work in American cities to protest against systemic racism and economic inequality. (AP Photo / Paul Sancya)
“I need you all to congratulate these four workers who went on strike today!” an organizer exclaimed in the quick clip, as activists cheered outside McDonald’s.
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Jerry Johnson participates in a protest rally outside a McDonald’s in Detroit on July 20. (AP Photo / Paul Sancya)
“The biggest impact is seeing us here demanding change,” Williams continued. “Because if we do nothing, it will continue to happen if we allow it to happen.”
According to the Associated Press, at least 20,000 workers in 160 cities left the job on July 20, inspired by racial calculation after the death of several black men and women at the hands of the police. The events attracted participants whose jobs in healthcare, transportation, and construction, among other fields, did not allow them to work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Strike for Black Lives was supported or organized by more than 60 unions and social and racial justice organizations, which organized a series of events in more than two dozen cities. The support increased far beyond expectations, organizers said.
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In response, McDonald’s expressed support for black communities around the world.
“We believe that the lives of blacks matter, and it is our responsibility to continue to listen, learn and push for a more equitable and inclusive society,” the network said in a statement.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
