FAST-FOOD workers in 270 cities across the United States downed aprons yesterday to press their demand for a $15 an hour minimum wage — and organisers want to spread the campaign worldwide.

Chains including McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King and Wendy’s were paralysed by the action, which prompted solidarity demonstrations urging fast-food workers in Britain to follow US workers’ example by joining trade unions.

Boisterous protests hit central Brooklyn, Boston and Philadelphia at dawn, before marches took place in as many as 700 cities across the United States.

In Milwaukee, a Republican presidential hustings was targeted by thousands of demonstrating workers.

Meanwhile in Brixton, south

London, activists from general union GMB and the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) leafleted staff and customers at the local McDonald’s.

They were calling for a £10 minimum wage, a call backed at the GMB congress in June by Labour MP Tom Watson — who has since won election as the party’s deputy leader.

Speaking to the Star on the picket line, BFAWU general secretary Ronnie Draper said his union’s long-running campaign to unionise British fast-food workers was now catching on.

“If we can recruit in one area, then those workers can help us spread the message elsewhere,” he said.

“And we have members of the public helping us out with this campaign, because they recognise how bad it is” for fast-food workers.

“None of these people will be able to afford pensions, mortgages … and the worst thing is, they won’t be able to afford to bring up a family.

“It’s an economic tragedy.”

GMB southern region political officer Michelle Gordon said the current minimum and living wages were “absolutely” inadequate as they still forced workers to rely on welfare benefits.

“We would like to see the Labour Party being much bolder about pulling people out of poverty pay, and bolder about saying that it’s not OK for highly profitable companies like McDonald’s to be relying on state subsidies,” she said.

“The best way for the Labour Party to achieve this would be to push for a genuine living wage.”