Upworthy's book GOOD PEOPLE, now available - take a look!

Shop
 Explore 

fightfor15

Wages are on the upswing, and we've got fast food workers to thank.

In November 2012, a group of New York City fast food workers walked off the job. They wanted higher wages, the right to form a union, and better working conditions. Many laughed.

They wanted $15 an hour. This was more than twice the city's then-minimum wage of $7.25, and such a demand seemed ridiculous at the time.

Fast forward to today, and the movement they helped start just scored a couple major victories.

A striking worker protests outside a Wendy's on Nov. 29, 2012. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images.

Over the course of the next three years, New York City's minimum wage will jump to $15 an hour, and it's thanks in large part to the Fight for 15 movement.

The movement, which really took off following the New York protests, has been relentless in its work. A coalition of low-paid workers, unions, and supporters has forced the issue with protests across the country, turning what seemed like the impossible into reality.

Last year, Seattle became the first major city to announce a $15 minimum wage, followed by Los Angeles and San Francisco. Yesterday, California Governor Jerry Brown announced plans to expand that wage to the whole state, followed just hours later by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's announcement.

Low wage workers and supporters protest for a $15 an hour minimum wage on November 10, 2015. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images.

Why is $15 an hour such a big deal? Because in most cases, it's above what's called the "living wage."

A living wage is what an individual has to make in order to cover basic expenses like food, housing, transportation, and medical care. In Manhattan, for example, the living wage is $14.30 an hour.

By raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, workers will finally be able to afford to live in the same area they work. This is a huge deal.

Obviously, the living wage varies across the country, but the point is this: Nobody is getting rich off $15 an hour. These are the wages people need to be paid to survive in our world.

People protest in front of a McDonald's on Sept. 10, 2015 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images.

In response to the movement to increase the minimum wage, MIT developed a "living wage calculator." It's pretty cool.

You can visit their website, type in what county and state you live in, and find out in just moments what they've calculated to be the living wage in your area. The number might surprise you!

Protesters stand outside a McDonald's in Miami, Florida. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images.

If we believe in the American dream, upward mobility, or whatever you'd like to call it — we need to believe in a living wage for all.

Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that people who begin work at the low end of the income scale have a hard time moving up in the world. When people working full-time can't afford basic necessities like food and shelter, there's no amount of hard work that can help. Working will always keep them broke because they don't have money to save up.

If we want to believe the world is a fair and just place and if we want to believe that all it takes is a bit of hard work to move up in the world, then we need to believe in a living wage.

And, finally, for these cities and states taking action, we're getting there.

Protesters stand outside a McDonald's in Miami, Florida. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images.

And just to think that less than three years ago all of this seemed impossible. Looks like we've got some fast food employees to thank.

We asked 15 people why they're fighting for $15 and this is what they said.

Why do you think we need to raise the minimum wage?

True

Around the country, people are marching to raise wages.

The federal minimum wage is just $7.25. Protesters are pushing to more than double it to $15 an hour.

A popular misconception is that minimum-wage employees are just college kids looking for extra spending money. But 89% of people who would benefit from an increased minimum wage are age 20 or older.

Upworthy asked people at the 2015 New York #FightFor15 protest why it's so important to them that we raise the minimum wage. Their responses remain true today.

Like this man, many others believe that people who work full-time shouldn't still end up in poverty.

It reads: "I'm fighting for $15 and a union because no one should work full-time and still live in poverty."

Another common concern was the rising cost of living. This woman puts it clearly:

It reads: "I'm fighting for $15 'cuz the rent won't wait."

Others, like this woman, want to help make the world a better place for future generations.

It reads: "My son just graduated from college. He and all the sons and daughters need a living wage. I hope this movement jump starts a new, vital labor movement."

And to this woman, it's about respect.

It reads: "I'm fighting for $15 to raise America and the economy. I believe we can win for us all. Workers just want to be respected. #FightFor15 #RaiseAmerica"

Home health care workers, adjunct faculty, child care professionals, and others joined in solidarity.

It reads: "We're home health aide workers and we're fighting for $15 because life is expensive."

And like this man says, paying a living wage is the humane thing to do.

It reads: "I'm fighting for $15 because people deserve to live like people, not like animals!"

This home care worker knows how rough it can be trying to support your family on low wages.

It says: "I'm a home care worker. I'm here to fight for a better salary because life is difficult at $10 an hour. I cannot pay all my expenses. I'm a single mom, and it's hard every single day. I think it's very good to be a union member cause I feel support in my life. Thanks."

A plumber chimed in, echoing the comments about supporting a family.

It reads: "I'm a union plumber. I'm here supporting workers for a fair wage of at least $15 per hour. We all have families to support."

And this group from Belgium doesn't think $15 is so much to ask.

It reads: "I'm from Belgium, and the American people deserve $15!"

For many, however, it's as simple as wanting to be able to take care of your family.

It reads: "I #FightFor15 for me and my 6 kids."

It's no surprise that workers everywhere are asking for a living wage. When you adjust for productivity, the minimum wage has actually decreased by 23% since 1968.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, if the minimum wage kept up with the rate of worker productivity, the minimum wage should actually be closer to $18 an hour.

But these protests can't really change anything, right? Wrong.

If it weren't for these efforts in cities like Seattle and San Francisco, it's likely that things would have stayed how they always were. Both cities have recently boosted their minimum wages to $15 an hour — and on April 4, 2016, the governors of California and New York followed suit by raising their states' minimum wages to $15. Because people got out there and made their voices heard, two of the most populous states now sport two of the best worker wages in the country!

Who's to say we can't make this happen nationwide?