Hundreds of cities around the country witnessed walkouts and rallies by workers in the fast food industry and their allies yesterday. The major coordinated action followed from a similar action in August and comes less than a week after Black Friday labor actions by Walmart employees and a day after President Obama gave a major speech decrying skyrocketing income inequality in the US.

The fast food workers want higher wages – specifically $15 an hour – and the right to form a union. Unions like SEIU and Change to Win have been working behind the scenes to fund the workers’ actions and provide logistical support and guidance.

Here in Los Angeles, workers from various fast food outlets walked off the job and picketed outside a McDonald’s restaurant on Sunset Boulevard, holding signs saying “Fight for $15.” Uprising host Sonali Kolhatkar went down to the strike and compiled this special report featuring a McDonald’s worker, an employee of Office Max who had walked off his job in solidarity, and a union organizer.