Digital Tradition Mirror

Minimum Wage Strike

Minimum Wage Strike
(David Rovics)

When I awoke one morning,
There was a feeling in the air.
Everything was quiet.
Things were different everywhere.
The Wobblies were back again,
With Joe Hill at the mike,
When all the minimum-wage workers went on strike.

There was no one flipping burgers.
All the grills were cold.
Onion rings were in their bags.
Fries were growing mold.
There were no baristas at Starbucks
Asking, "How many shots would you like?"
When all the minimum-wage workers went on strike.

There was no one pumping gasoline,
No one driving from town to town,
No one at the registers.
All the highways were shut down.
The cars were stuck in their garage,
Businessmen on bikes,
When all the minimum-wage workers went on strike.

The fruit was falling off the trees.
No one to load the trucks.
Corn was rotting on the stalk,
No farm hands to shuck.
The workfare workers were hanging at home,
Spending the day with their tykes,
When all the minimum-wage workers went on strike.

Yuppie parents were housebound.
Their nannies left the job.
Wal-Mart workers said, "Enough
Of our labor has been robbed."
The FootLocker was locked up.
The boss had to take a hike,
When all the minimum-wage workers went on strike.

(Repeat first verse.)

XX

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!