Employees of fast food chains including McDonald’s and KFC will hold a global day of protest on 15 May in a bid to improve their pay and working conditions. 

Strikes are expected to hit 150 US cities and protests are scheduled to take place in 33 countries.

Organisers at the International Union of Food said in a statement:

“Workers from dozens of countries on six continents announced they were joining the growing movement for higher pay and rights on the job at restaurants like McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s and KFC,” reports The West Australian.

The union represents 396 unions and 12 million workers from 126 countries.

Workers in the US are pushing to have their rate of pay raised to $15 an hour, which is more than double the nation’s minimum wage of $7.25.

According to Berlin Rosen, the public relations firm representing the workers, international demonstrations planned for 15 May include restaurant protests, national strikes and flash-mobs, reports Business Insider.

Countries set to take part include the UK, Japan, Hong Kong, India, Thailand, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, Morocco and the US.

This is not the first time US fast food worker demonstrations have gained traction – at the end of 2012 around 200 people initiated protests in New York, a move that saw workers residing in 100 US cities follow suit.

“We are facing the same challenges, we are facing the same problems, the same struggles. We’ll continue until we reach our goal,” said Massimo Fratini, the union’s coordinator.