Employees of a Pizza Hut in southeast Topeka have walked off the job for the day as part of a national strike to seek higher wages and union protection for fast-food workers.

Eight employees gathered before the lunch hour Thursday to make their demands known. The action was part of a nationwide day of striking by fast-food workers seeking an increase in the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour and the right to form unions for better working conditions.

The employees were joined by several Topeka union organizers, who encouraged the workers to fight for their rights.

Joseph Cordero, who works in the restaurant and also delivers food, says the $7.25 an hour he earns isn’t enough to pay for his gas for his vehicle or college costs.