Five arrested in Houston fast food wages protest

People protest the wages at fast food restaurants on August 15, 2014 at the corner of Richmond and Fountainview where are McDonalds and a Burger King are located in Houston, TX. Four people were arrested when they laid down in the street at the corner of Richmond and Fountainview. less People protest the wages at fast food restaurants on August 15, 2014 at the corner of Richmond and Fountainview where are McDonalds and a Burger King are located in Houston, TX. Four people were arrested when ... more Photo: Thomas B. Shea, For The Chronicle Photo: Thomas B. Shea, For The Chronicle Image 1 of / 71 Caption Close Five arrested in Houston fast food wages protest 1 / 71 Back to Gallery

Five protesters were arrested Thursday afternoon in front of a McDonalds in Southwest Houston as part of a one-day protest in 150 cities to boost the minimum wage of fast food workers to $15 an hour.

In a scene that has become increasingly familiar, Houston police were standing nearly with an armful of handcuffs and as soon as the protesters flooded into the intersection and sat down in the middle of the roadway, the police began making the arrests.



The intersection of Richmond and Fountainview was cleared in less than 10 minutes.

The five protesters who were arrested will be charged with blocking traffic, a Class B misdemeanor, according to several police officers on site. The penalty for a Class B misdemeanor is up to 180 days in jail, a fine up to $2,000 or both.

The national campaign, which is known as "Fight for 15," is led by the Service Employees International Union. The union blocked traffic several times during its Justice for Janitors campaign in Houston.

The campaign annouced its plans in advance for civil disobedience in Houston, according to a press release distributed to Houston media. On Thursday morning, police arrested protesters in Detroit and New York for blocking traffic.

In Houston, the 45-minute rally attracted about 100 protesters at noon.

It was the group's second protest of the day. In the pre-dawn hours on Thursday, about 40 protesters gathered in a parking lot and marched to a Jack in the Box restaurant in southwest Houston.

The workers said they cannot survive on wages of about $8 an hour that many of them earn. Beatrice Saldana said she's worked in the industry for 28 years to raise her four children, who are now grown.

She said her low wages have made it difficult throughout her life. She hopes to help other people in the fast-food industry have something better.

"I'm fighting to get $15 an hour for the families," Saldana said, adding that she would do whatever is necessary to increase wages, including getting arrested for civil disobedience.

The restaurant kept its drive-through window open, but a deputy on the scene refused to open the doors.

Carlton Warren, 24, said he's a single dad of a small boy and has a hard time making ends meet. He said he came out today to help other workers who don't make enough money to get by.

"If I can't make it with one child, how can others with more kids make it?" he said.

Rev. Ronnie Lister, of the Center of Hope and Empowerment, said he was at the rally to help call attention to the plight of fast-food workers.

Lister said he knows first-hand what it's like to earn low wages. As a student, he worked at a fast-food restaurant. Once, he said, high schoolers and college students primarily worked fast-food jobs. Now, he added, single parents and other adults are taking the positions but can't earn a fair wage to raise their families.

"We have a critical issue of financial injusitce," Lister said. "We're gathered here today to ensure we're being heard."