Hiding Behind the Trade Associations

 
The National Restaurant Association (NRA) bills itself as, “the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which is comprised of 945,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a work force of 13.1 million employees - making it the cornerstone of the economy, career opportunities and community involvement.”  Major fast food transnationals are among their most influential members.[1]

It might sound distasteful to the public to hear that McDonald’s regularly lobbies national and local government to keep costs low and profits high.  Instead, the National Restaurant Association puts forth their mom-and-pop members, or owners of small chains, as spokespeople for the industry.  For instance, Washington, D.C. restaurateur Geoff Tracy represented the association when they testified to Congress about the impact of high food prices on the restaurant industry in May, 2008.  But Mr. Tracy’s half-million customers per year are nothing compared to McDonald’s billions.  Mr. Tracy testified that grain prices need to remain low to keep restaurants profitable - much of that grain is used to cheaply feed livestock in the factory farms that are the life’s blood of the fast food industry.[2]

What else are the National Restaurant Association and its state chapters lobbying for, as they represent the interests of Burger King and KFC?  To keep costs low, fast food restaurants need to squeeze their low-wage employees for every penny they can.  Paid sick leave, labor union organizing rights, minimum wage increases and health insurance employer mandates are all top priorities for defeat, each and every legislative cycle.[3]

1. National Restaurant Association Press Room, News Release, "Boilerplates," (December 19, 2008) National Restaurant Association. http://www.restaurant.org/pressroom/social_media_forecast.cfm  (accessed August 30, 2008).  

2. National Restaurant Association Press Room, News Release, “National Restaurant Association Member Testifies on Food Price Increases at Congressional Hearing,” (May 15, 2008) National Restaurant Association. http://www.restaurant.org/pressroom/pressrelease.cfm?ID=1608 (accessed August 30, 2008).

3. David Farkas “Restaurant Chains Face Political Challenges in 2009,” Chain Leader (November 10, 2008), http://www.chainleader.com/article/CA6613314.html?nid=3458&rid=649892257 (accessed December 8, 2008).