Around 400 fast food employees in New York are expected to walk off the job Thursday as part of a rally to increase their minimum wage salary.
New York State minimum wage is currently $7.25. Workers want their wages to $15, according to Reuters.
Employees from restaurants such as McDonald's, Wendy's and KFC are expected to participate in this year's rally. Previously, a smaller group of employees rallied together in November 2011.
"It's going to be difficult for these businesses to operate this time," said rally organizer Jonathan Westin, director of Fast Food Forward, an organization backed by labor, community and religious groups.
Seeking an increase in salaries will be an arduous task since low-wage, low skill workers lack political backing and face higher unemployment rates than college graduates.
The $200 billion a year fast food industry has long been known to employ large numbers of teenagers and students, but due to the 18-month "Great Recession" that began in 2007, thousands of middle-income jobs evaporate causing middle-class adults picking up part-time employment.
In February, during his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama proposed raising the federal minimum wage in order to help families out of poverty. New York State has already passed legislature to raise the minimum wage salary by 24 percent to $9 by the end of 2015.
"But even with that 24 percent hike, New York's minimum wage would remain below the roughly $11 hourly pay needed to lift a family of four above the poverty line," Reuters reported.
One 22-year old, Joseph Barrera, who is currently stuck in the financial crisis, commented on the situation and talked about the amount of money he needs in order to pay rent for his basement apartment which has no heat or windows.
"Anywhere where the cost of living is very, very high, $9 is not enough," he said. "Everyone should be able to make a living wage."
