Are Senate Democrats splintering over the fight for $15? Salon 2/17/2021 Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and Kyrsten Sinema Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images On Tuesday, fast-food workers in 15 different cities across the U.S. went on strike to demand $15 an hour wages from McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's. In the midst of a pandemic and ensuing unemployment crisis, Democrats are poised to meet that demand and increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour — a move that would boost incomes for 32 million workers across the country, many of whom work in jobs deemed essential and front-line during the pandemic — but a couple of Democratic senators look to be standing in the way.