Strike Shuts Down Food Stalls in Federal Buildings

Organizers say striking workers shut down some fast-food businesses at a federal office building in Washington as well as the McDonald’s at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

The one-day strikes on Tuesday were the latest in a series of strikes by fast-food workers around the country who say they can’t make ends meet on less than $10 an hour.

The action in Washington was meant to highlight the large number of low-wage workers employed by federal contractors. Workers are calling on President Barack Obama to demand that such contractors increase wages.

Organizers say about 200 mostly food-service and janitorial workers participated in the strike. In addition to the McDonald’s inside Air and Space, four businesses in the food court at the Ronald Reagan Building were forced to close.