A National Labor Relations Board ruling Tuesday could pave the way for fast food workers to organize jointly across multiple franchises. The decision holds that McDonald's can be held liable as a single employer for all of its many franchises, meaning workers can bargain for better wages and working conditions as a larger group, rather than on a franchise by franchise basis. The NLRB's ruling provides a major boon to the Fight for 15 movement to raise the minimum wage industry-wide to $15 an hour. McDonald's is expected to appeal the decision.
See "McDonald?s Ruling Could Open Door for Unions", Steven Greenhouse, The New York Times, July 29, 2014