Most of McDonald's 3,200 corporate employees worked from home Wednesday to avoid protest-related issues, upon company request.
According to Bloomberg Businessweek, 2,000 protestors, 325 of whom wore McDonald's restaurant uniforms, swarmed the fast food giant's Oak Brook, Ill., headquarters to fight for individual union formation and $15 an hour wages.
A McDonald's spokeswoman told Bloomberg that the company is collaborating with the Oak Brook Police Department to help ease traffic jams and handle other issues that might stem from the demonstration.
"We've adjusted work schedules for our employees and access to our facilities to assist the Oak Brook Police Department and address the protests and the related traffic congestion," Heidi Barker Sa Shekhem said.
The communications director for Workers Organizing Committee of Chicago told Bloomberg Businessweek the order showed McDonald's ignorance to deal with restaurant employees low wages.
"McDonald's has cleared and closed its corporate headquarters," Deivid Rojas said. "The closing reflects McDonald's refusal to address the growing concerns of workers and failure to take action to raise wages."
According to USA Today, 140 workers, 500 employees from other fast food companies, 50 clergy members and several community activists will congregate again at McDonald's annual shareholder meeting in Oak Brook, Ill., Thursday, to show their disapproval with the company.
The event comes one day before a vote on how much the fast food giant should pay its executives will be cast.
National and international fast food employees previously held protests to fight for pay higher than their current $7.25 an hour, which amounts to $15,000 a year.
One Kansas City, Mo.,worker said she believes executives don't deserve higher pay than employees who keep company restaurant locations functioning.
"They're making billions ... but we sweep their floors, take out their trash and service their customers," Melinda Tope said. "We don't deserve to live in poverty and to worry about our lights being cut off."
McDonald's CEO Don Thompson reportedly earned $9.5 million in 2013.
Sa Shekhem told Today online the company will allow employees to strike in a civil manner.
"We respect everyone's rights to peacefully protest," Sa Shekhem said. "We are focused on welcoming our shareholders to McDonald's annual meeting."
