Boycott of McDonald's to begin this week: ‘This is about more than burgers and fries'
'This is about more than burgers and fries, this is about power,' The People's Union USA said in a statement on Instagram. 'When we unite and hit corporations in their wallets, they listen.'
The group, which has previously called for boycotts of Amazon, Nestlé, Walmart, General Mills, and Target, accused the Golden Arches of a litany of unsavory tactics.
Earlier this month, People's Union leader John Schwarz said McDonald's had a record of 'silencing' workers and blocking union attempts, as well as seeking to 'exploit global supply chains and environmental loopholes' and engaging in performative diversity initiatives while the corporation's 'political donations and lobbying often support candidates and legislation that undermine equity, labor rights, and marginalized communities.'
The calls for a boycott come at a delicate time for the fast food giant, following a string of difficulties including a fall 2024 E coli outbreak linked to its Quarter Pounders, as well as decreasing sales and a backlash to its January decision to roll back diversity programs, joining numerous companies that took similar steps with the election of Donald Trump.
The Independent has contacted McDonald's for comment.
Last fall, Democratic senators accused McDonald's of price gouging in a letter to its corporate leadership.
'McDonald's own reports indicate that the company's price increases may be outstripping inflation,' read the October message from Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bob Casey, and Ron Wyden. 'As a result, McDonald's net annual income rose by over 79% — to nearly $8.5 billion — from 2020 to 2023.'
McDonald's has strongly denied price gouging allegations and says its individual franchisees set menu prices, with an emphasis on affordability.
Last year, fast food workers in California across various brands including McDonald's formed a union associated with the Service Employees International Union, a major development in an industry with low union penetration.
The People's Union USA, which began attracting significant attention earlier this year, has quickly racked up endorsements from prominent celebrities for its efforts, including author Stephen King, actor John Leguizamo, and actress Bette Middler.
A GoFundMe for the movement has raised more than $125,000 in the last four months.
Its leader, Schwarz, a father of three and meditation teacher who lives in Chicago, was sentenced to 90 days in jail for alleged exploitation related to a cafe he once reportedly owned.
In 2007, the activist was sentenced by a Connecticut judge to 90 days in jail for disseminating voyeuristic material, The New York Times reports.
Schwarz, 39 at the time of the incident in question, was accused of photographing an unconscious 18-year-old's exposed breast and texting the image to her cell phone, per the paper.
The teen worked at the now-closed Sugar Cube Cafe, which Schwarz owned, according to state records obtained by the Times.
'This whole thing was a big scam,' Schwarz told the paper. 'It's going to be expunged. I passed my polygraph test three times. Three times. I did not take a photograph. I did not do anything inappropriate to anybody.'
The activist responded to the charge using an Alford plea, in which defendants don't technically admit guilt, but acknowledge prosecutors likely have the evidence to convict them, according to the report.
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump administration delves into MAGA distractions in deviation from the so-called Epstein files
President Donald Trump and his administration have been delving into distractions for their Make America Great Again base in deviation from its handling of documents related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein died in his jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal charges related to the trafficking and sexual abuse of dozens of minor girls. His life and death have been the center of conspiracy theories, notably among Trump's base, as the feds have been tight-lipped about the evidence collected. The Trump administration has been facing backlash after the Justice Department and FBI said in a memo released earlier this month there was no client list of Epstein's associates who may have partaken in his crimes and Epstein did indeed die by suicide. Trump announced last week he had requested Attorney General Pam Bondi to release certain Epstein files, 'subject to court approval.' 'Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval. This SCAM, perpetuated by the Democrats, should end, right now!' he wrote on Truth Social. Trump and his administration have instead worked to focus on other issues, from civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination to the names of Washington and Cleveland sports teams, to one of his Democratic foes, former President Barack Obama. The White House denied these moves are a distraction, telling the Independent, 'It's absurdly rich for the media to speculate about attempts to distract the American people when that has been their modus operandi for decades.' On Sunday, Trump took to social media to attack Senator Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, Samantha Power, former administrator of the U.S.A.I.D., and he also posted a bizarre AI-generated video of Obama being arrested and thrown in jail. Regarding the fake Obama video he posted, Trump appeared to have been referring to comments made by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who told host Maria Bartiromo on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures Obama had orchestrated a 'years-long coup' to keep Trump from the White House. On Friday, Gabbard announced she was referring Obama administration officials, including ex-FBI Director James Comey, to the Justice Department for prosecution over allegations they had 'manufactured' intelligence to substantiate the idea that Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election to help Trump beat former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Trump won the election over Clinton and became president in 2017. House Intelligence Committee ranking member Jim Himes, a Connecticut Democrat, rebuked Gabbard's claims. 'It's a day that ends with 'y' and Donald Trump desperately wants to change the subject, so Director Gabbard is rehashing decade-old false claims about the Obama Administration,' Himes said in a statement Monday. Himes said every 'legitimate' probe into the matter found 'no evidence of politicization and endorsed the findings of the 2016 Intelligence Community Assessment.' Trump has also called for the Washington Commanders and the Cleveland Guardians to revert their names to the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians, respectively. He even went as far as to threaten the Commanders' new Washington, D.C. stadium deal, writing on Truth Social Sunday: "I may put a restriction on them that if they don't change the name back to the original 'Washington Redskins,' and get rid of the ridiculous moniker, 'Washington Commanders,' I won't make a deal for them to build a Stadium in Washington.' On Monday, the Trump administration released more than 230,000 pages of federal documents related to Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1968 assassination. Former Illinois congressman Adam Kinzinger, a Republican who has been critical of Trump, called out the irony. 'Trump releases MLK Jr files…. Didn't limit it to 'pertinent' and 'grand jury.' So do the same for Epstein,' he wrote on X late Monday. Also on Monday, the Justice Department announced it honored Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley's request for information related to the FBI's handling of its probe into Clinton's emails. The FBI had investigated Clinton's use of a private email server for official communications during her time as secretary of state under Obama. No charges were filed against Clinton. When asked if the administration is trying to distract from the Epstein drama, Harrison Fields, special assistant to the president and principal deputy press secretary, told the Independent, 'It's absurdly rich for the media to speculate about attempts to distract the American people when that has been their modus operandi for decades, which is why no one believes the garbage being spewed at them. The only distractions are the media's continued obsession with non-stories and their refusal to report on what's actually happening: the execution of the most consequential six months of any administration and the success of the President's agenda.' House Democrats have also criticized their Republican colleagues for blocking efforts to force the release of the Epstein files. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told progressive political YouTuber Jack Cocchiarella Monday, 'For years Republicans promised to release the Epstein files…now they have the opportunity…and they refuse to do so,' adding, 'I have a simple question for the Speaker and Republican leaders and members of the House of Representatives on the GOP side: What are you hiding from the American People?" Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, wrote on X late Monday, 'Ummm so let me get this straight: Republicans have ground Congress to a halt and are considering adjourning the entire House for 6 weeks to avoid releasing the info they have on Epstein? What is going on here?' She was responding to an X post from Politico's Meredith Lee Hill, in which she wrote, citing unnamed sources, the House Rules Committee will likely not meet at all this week amid the Epstein drama and other issues. Congress will recess for August. Hill said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, a Louisiana Republican, 'confirms to me it's 'not likely' Rules return - meaning House would leave without advancing immigration and several other bills.' Most Americans think the Trump administration is covering up evidence in the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's federal case, according to a new poll. A poll conducted by The Economist and YouGov from July 11 to 14 found 67 percent of Americans believe the government is hiding evidence related to the late financier. Only 8 percent of respondents believe the government is not covering up evidence about Epstein, while 25 percent are unsure. When asked if the government should release all documents relating to the feds' Epstein case, 79 percent of respondents said it should. Only 5 percent said the government shouldn't release the files, and 17 percent were unsure.
Politico
an hour ago
- Politico
Bove moves ahead in confirmation process despite Republican opposition
John Thune's approach to the midterms is a shaping up to be a mix of Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell. In an interview previewing his 2026 strategy, the South Dakota Republican told POLITICO that he's already 'coordinating closely' with Trump, including giving recommendations on potential candidates. The majority leader's goal is to make sure that the Senate GOP campaign wing is 'rolling in the same direction' as Trump and Trump's political arm. But Thune said he's willing to intervene in contested GOP primaries where he thinks a candidate would be doomed in the general election — an old McConnell tactic that sometimes annoyed others in the party. 'We're all about preserving and protecting and expanding our majority,' Thune said. 'So we want the best candidates on the field.' Thune has three states so far where GOP senators are retiring: Alabama, Kentucky and North Carolina. Each is likely to have a competitive primary that pits factions of the party against each other. In North Carolina, Thune said in Wednesday's interview that he had spoken with Lara Trump about the seat being vacated by GOP Sen. Thom Tillis. Thune said the president's daughter-in-law 'would be great' before dropping the caveat, 'if she were to decide to do it.' Thune hinted we could hear more soon. Four GOP senators granted anonymity to speak candidly said Wednesday evening they didn't expect her to jump in. On Thursday, POLITICO broke the news that Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley was entering the race and that Lara Trump had opted out. Thune's potential primary problems aren't limited to seats where Republicans are retiring. They're facing a likely jam-packed primary field in Georgia, where Gov. Brian Kemp passed on challenging Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, whose own party is bullish about keeping his seat. Thune said he believes the state is a 'real pick-up opportunity' but that Republicans 'need a good candidate.' Thune also has work to do in Iowa, with some of his members concerned that GOP Sen. Joni Ernst might retire. Thune believes she'll run, and in the meantime has 'encouraged her to, and told her we'll do everything we can to help her' if she does. Then there's Texas. Thune said it 'remains to be seen' if Trump will get behind Sen. John Cornyn, who is facing off against MAGA favorite Ken Paxton. Thune said Trump 'wants to see how the race plays out.' The majority leader said he believes Cornyn would be 'by far the best general election candidate.' Asked about Paxton's recently-announced divorce — with his wife citing 'biblical' reasons for the breakup — Thune said voters will realize 'there's a real contrast between these candidates, both in terms of experience and accomplishment, but also I think that those character issues are always a factor.' That's not all Thune told us. He made news on Mike Johnson and Jeffrey Epstein , his CR strategy and more that POLITICO Pro readers got in an exclusive Q&A . What else we're watching: — About that shutdown deadline: Thune said Congress will need to pass a short-term funding bill to prevent a shutdown in October. His plan is to get signed into law as many of the 12 appropriations bills as possible, then use the patch to fund the rest of the government. — Epstein issue poised to resurface: Speaker Mike Johnson has been putting out fires in his conference related to the Jeffrey Epstein files and sent the House home early for recess. Some of his members have warned that they'll try to force votes upon their return if the administration doesn't deliver more documents. — Cooper watch: Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is expected to announce a campaign for Senate as soon as Monday, according to two people familiar with his decision. The announcement would be enthusiastically welcomed by state and national Democrats as North Carolina represents one of the few offensive opportunities for the party. Meredith Lee Hill and Elena Schneider contributed to this report.
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
Swing state Dem gov bows out of 2026 race, insists he'd win if he ran: 'No question'
Two-term Democratic Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announced Thursday that he will not be running for a third term, choosing to close out five decades in public service. Evers shared a video message on social media with the announcement. He said there was "no question" he'd win if he ran again, but Evers said he owed it to his family to step down so that he can focus more on them. "I began my run for governor as a proud Plymouth progressive and that's still who I am today. I'm a science teacher at heart who ended up running for office and winning five straight statewide elections," Evers said in his video announcement, titled "A love letter from me to Kathy and my family – and to you, Wisconsin." "Would I win if I ran a sixth time? Of course, no question about that. But whether I'd win or not has never been part of my calculus about running again," Evers continued in his video announcement. During the video, Evers also thanked his wife and family for supporting him through his five decades of public service, adding that he "owe[s]" it to them to spend time focusing on "all the things we enjoy and love doing together." "Here's the truth Wisconsin: the only thing I love more than being your governor, is being a husband, a dad, and a grandpa," Evers said. In response to Evers' announcement, Democratic Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin called the move a "well-deserved retirement." "The governor's commitment to every kid's education, our teachers, and public schools will undoubtedly shape our future for the better," Baldwin wrote in a formal response to Evers' announcement. Baldwin praised Evers' response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and added that the governor has "faced tough headwinds to progress." Evers, however, was criticized for his response to the pandemic at the time by Republicans after he repeatedly tried to implement statewide mask and stay-at-home orders. Ultimately, the state Supreme Court struck down his orders, citing overreach of the governor's executive authority. Evers did not elude to any potential next steps in his video announcement shared online Thursday, aside from being with his family.
