Patricia Cruz
Fight for 15
Patricia Cruz has been in the fast food industry for 26 years. She is currently employed at a Whataburger franchise is downtown Houston. Working with the Fight for 15 campaign for a $15 minimum hourly wage and the freedom to unionize, the 53-year-old single mother of three engaged in a national day of civil disobedience on September 4, 2014.
Presentations from Facing Race 2014
Hard Labor: Inside the New Movement for a Higher Minimum Wage and the Freedom to Unionize
Over the past two years fast food and other low-wage workers have been staging high profile protests to demand a higher minimum wage and the right to unionize. Businesses such as IKEA and The Gap have responded by raising their minimum wages as did the federal government. This panel will put this bustling movement into historical context, explore why workers are willing to strike now, and explore key moments in the fight.
Speakers: Colby Harris, Douglas Williams, Patricia Cruz