As Democratic Candidates Gather in Iowa, Sanders Marches Alongside McDonald's Workers to Demand $15 Minimum Wage

The senator spoke with workers at a rally at a local McDonald's store before marching with them to a state Democratic meeting

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) marched alongside McDonald's workers and the national labor rights group Fight for $15 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Sunday at a rally for a $15 minimum wage and a union. (Photo: @AriRabinHavt/Twitter)

Rallying McDonald's workers in the same way he worked alongside Disney and Amazon employees in their fight for fair wages and union representation, Sen. Bernie Sanders marched alongside workers at a rally Sunday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

The 2020 Democratic presidential candidate addressed workers outside a local McDonald's store before marching with them to the DoubleTree hotel and convention center where 19 primary candidates were gathered for the Iowa Democratic Party Hall of Fame Celebration.

Sanders highlighted the past successes he has helped workers achieve, working alongside the national grassroots group Fight for $15. Together, Sanders and the organization recently helped pressure Amazon and Disneyland to guarantee their employees a $15 minimum wage and the right to form a union.

"I want you to understand the enormous progress that you have made in the last few years," Sanders told the crowd. "Five years ago when we talked about $15 an hour and a union, people said it was an impossible dream. But because of the determination of workers at McDonald's and all over this country in the trade union movement, seven states in this country have passed a $15 minimum wage."

Watch:

On social media, some praised Sanders for marching side-by-side with workers and calling on his supporters to do the same.

Join Us: News for people demanding a better world


Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place.

We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference.

Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today!

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.