CHICAGO — Airport workers, hospital employees, Uber drivers and more banded together at Tuesday protests to call for a higher minimum wage.
About 100 people gathered at the protest near Northwestern Memorial Hospital Tuesday morning as part of a national "Day of Disruption." The events have been organized by Fight For 15, a movement to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour.
"... What we're here to say is all workers should get at least $15, and we're calling on this hospital ... to pay a living wage of at least $15 an hour," said Keith Kelleher, the president of SEIU Healthcare, a union for Midwest healthcare workers.
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The protesters chanted — "What do we want? Fifteen! When do we want it? Now!" — and marched near the hospital.
Hospital employees were joined by fast food workers and Uber drivers.
Linda Kemp, a patient care technician at Northwestern for 16 years, said she came out to support workers getting "the living wage they deserve."
Others said they would continue pushing Northwestern to raise its minimum wage.
"This is the first of many protests because we're going to get into bargaining with" Northwestern, said Kimberly Smith, who has been a patient care technician at Northwestern for 13 years. "We need to make sure the hospital takes us seriously."
At noon, workers will join employees who are on a one-day strike at O'Hare Airport. Baggage handlers, wheelchair attendants and other airport employees are pushing for a higher minimum wage and more safety measures.
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