Around 15 people were out on strike, protesting in front of the Burger King in Missoula today, August 29. Protestor Bryan Carey said he's worked at Burger King for three years and that wages and unionization issues had motivated the strike.

"We're striking for higher pay, higher wages, and the right to organize without retaliation," Carey said. "It's something that we lack in that industry. Corporations feel like they can push us down and do whatever they want."

Carey said that fast food workers deserve a pay rate of around $15 per hour, and that the lack of full-time jobs in the industry is hurting local workers.

"They won't give us, you know, full time hours," Carey said. "Any benefits that are available are only available if you work full time. The works not there, the hours aren't there, the money is not there. The fact of the matter is that we work just as hard as people making twice as much as us, and we deserve better pay."

Burger King workers are not unionized. However, much of the coordinating for the strike in Missoula was done by Montana AFL-CIO District 2 Board Member Jaquie Helt.

Bryan Carey:

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