With more than 36,000 restaurants worldwide and 1.9 million employees working for franchisees, McDonald’s has come a long way from their start in 1955. In the first few years of being in business, employees were paid at a minimum wage basis of a dollar per hour. Some, though, were paid $1.35 after their first five years of working for the fast food chain.

Today, the McDonald’s median minimum wage is between eight and nine dollars. Back in June of 2014, protesters  gathered in Oak Brook, Ill. and demanded that the minimum wage be brought up to $15 an hour and the right to become a union. Some were even arrested for crossing police barricades. They held up signs that read, “We’re worth more.”

“I think it would be a good idea because instead of making $9 per hour I’ll be making $15,” junior Silvia Cavas said.

According to PayScale, the median annual pay for the average McDonald’s cashier is between $15,000- $20,000,  for a fast food worker it’s around $15,000-$19,000, and for a general manager it’s $18,000-$47,000.  Other studies show that nearly a quarter of McDonald’s employees are parents trying to support a family. In order to support a family successfully, the Economic Progress Institute calculated that the annual cost to support a family consisting of two adults and an infant to be around $53,350 a year. Families with children of different ages will vary.

“Half the people that work at McDonalds are adults and they actually have to live off of that,” junior Jacob McGuire said. “So chances are all the kids that are under 18 are going to get laid off and the adults are going to get paid minimum wage.”

In McDonald’s media statements, 90 percent of their U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by franchisees. When it comes to the employees salaries, they set their minimum wages according to the job level and local federal laws.

“I don’t think we get paid enough and we work pretty hard at our jobs,” sophomore Gabe Wengler said.

When people apply at McDonald’s, they look for committed and dedicated people. Individuals who apply don’t need any special qualifications, and there are absolutely no discriminations towards people who wish to apply. They only want people who will provide the best customer service possible.

“When you go to McDonald’s, you want your food fast, ready and well done,” said Cavas.

As of next year, the $15 minimum wage and unionization will take place and will affect many McDonalds employees.

McDonald’s media statements report: “At McDonald’s we respect everyone’s right to peacefully protest. The topic of minimum wage goes well beyond McDonald’s- it affects our country’s entire workforce.”