Hundreds of people gathered in Oak Brook Wednesday for the third consecutive year for a demonstration and march for a $ 15 an hour minimum wage and rights to form a union for employees of fast food restaurants.
Oak Brook has been chosen for the protest because it is home to McDonald’s headquarters, said representatives of the Service Employees International Union, which has organized the demonstrations.
The 2016 protest was scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday when McDonald’s is hosting its annual shareholders meeting.
Oak Brook police said they were expecting about 8,000 people Wednesday afternoon/evening and about 3,000 Thursday morning. A severe thunderstorm that came through shortly after the rally began at 5 p.m. appeared to keep those numbers down to fewer than 1,500.
But some protesters weren’t driven away by the wet weather.
Antoinette Brown, 62, came from St. Louis for the protest. She is paid minimum wage and works 40 hours a week as a janitor.
“We really need to make more money,” she said. “My husband is disabled, and it’s hard to make it between his check and mine.”
“It shouldn’t be harder now when I’m 62,” she said.
Greg Haddox works with the Service Employees International Union and came from Columbus, Ohio for the protest.
“I’m here because my 8-year-old daughter needs a future,” Haddox said. “This isn’t just about fast food workers; a lot of health care workers aren’t making anywhere near $ 15 an hour, and any industry should be at $ 15 an hour.
He said he hears criticism that people should get better jobs if they want to make more, but questions where those jobs are and whether they exist.
For Sheila Turner, 28, of Chicago, this was her second consecutive year to participate in the Oak Brook protest march.
“It’s still a big struggle for me,” she said. “I have three young kids I’m trying to take care of, and that’s so hard to do when I’m working fast food jobs for barely more than minimum wage, no matter how many hours I’m able to get.”
She said she works hard and wants to make $ 15 an hour so she can provide for her family.
“Right now, my kids go without a lot, and I get some help from family and friends to get by,” Turner said.
Angel Mitchell, 26, of Chicago, has worked the past four years at a McDonald’s for minimum wage, while she attends college hopes of becoming a psychiatric nurse.
She didn’t let heavy rain prevent her from setting up her tent to spend the night with others planning additional demonstrations.
“I’m drenched, but I’m staying because this important,” she said. “We need to have a $ 15 an hour minimum wage, and I think it’s realistic.”
Mitchell said she knows some places say they will replace employees with kiosks, but that doesn’t mean customer service.
“Kiosks can’t say good morning or ask someone how their day is going,” she said.
Oak Brook Police Chief James Kruger said there has been about five months of planning and preparation for the protest, involving Oak Brook’s department and more than 300 law enforcement officers from nearly 100 agencies on site during the event.
“We’re here to protect the rights of our residents and the protesters and to keep people off private property,” Kruger said.
He said Oak Brook’s bill for the department’s is $ 15,000 to $ 20,000.
Nobody was arrested at the 2015 protest. In 2014, after police charged 138 people with trespassing.
Oak Brook will close westbound 22nd Street between York Road and Jorie Boulevard from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Wednesday. The intersection of Jorie Boulevard and 22nd Street will remain open until about 5 p.m., the start of the demonstration march. Eastbound 22nd Street will remain open.
The march will begin on 22nd Street near York Road and travel west on 22nd to the McDonald’s restaurant parking lot at 1120 W. 22nd St. The march will then travel through the parking lot onto McDonald’s Drive.
On Thursday, northbound Jorie Boulevard will be closed between Kensington Road and 31st Street from 6-11 a.m. Police said about 3,000 people are expected on buses, which will stage on eastbound Kensington Road.
The Thursday march will move southbound in the northbound lanes of Jorie Boulevard to Forest Gate Road. Participants are expected to march back to their buses about 9 a.m.
Longtime Oak Brook resident Harry Peters questioned closing streets for the protest.
“So, why close streets and cause people who are not interested in protesting to be inconvenienced?” he asked. “Tell the protesters to stay off the street or face arrest and a $ 500 fine.
“Then follow through with 20 school buses at the ready to hold them and take them for processing. America will love our not letting these people disrespect or misbehave in our world-class village.”
Sgt. Ben Kadolph of the Oak Brook Police Department said Illinois law allows protesters to be on the street.
Check back for updates on the protests.
cfieldman@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter @chuckwriting
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