The Great San Diego Fast Food Strike is now done. Check the results of this much-ballyhooed event, as breathlessly reported by the U-T.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/aug/29/fastfood-mcdonalds-wendys-burgers-cheese-jobs/
In a city of 1.3+ million people, there was ONE well-orchestrated “picketing” protest. But few fast food workers were present in the truly pathetic 100 person San Diego turnout. Indeed, a “pull back” shot would have revealed that there was almost as many media folks there as there were protesters.
The picketers were the usual cabal of aging hippies, young college economic illiterates (“People Over Profits” — when the increased cost would be passed through to the CUSTOMERS), SEIU labor union members (NOT in the fast food business), union-controlled politicians and a handful of OFF-DUTY fast food workers (three claimed to actually be on strike, but likely were not — one who works there only 4 hours a week).
Consider the ill-considered U-T headline of this article — “Fast food workers march for higher pay.” It’s bogus — for two reasons.
1. There was no march. A group of people walked in a tight circle outside Wendy’s, “marching” only to the beat of the SEIU union activist’s instructions.
2. More important, 95% or so of the people protesting were NOT fast food workers. It was a clever hoax that the press mindlessly bought into — and, in this instance, HEADLINED.
And note the U-T headline on the accompanying video — “Fast food strike hits San Diego.” Who writes such crap? There was NO fast food strike!!! Schhheesssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Sadly, the press generally treated this as a major event. But it was DEFINITELY not a “strike.” By any reasonable journalistic standard (if such standards still exist), it was a well-funded, hyper-hyped bust.
Comments 1
Richard, if you think the Union-Tribune was bad, try reading the Daily Breeze and Los Angeles Times stories. I’ve seen major strikes that received less coverage than this. You would think they were written by the organizers, they’re so biased. Only quotes from academics in support of or uncritical of the protest. Only quotes from the protesters and non the customers, non-protesting workers and managers, or owners. Most importantly, no information about what would happen if this SEIU dream came true. Higher prices, fewer workers, restaurant closures.