A
small group of McDonald's workers has today made history.
Forty
of them, in two McDonald's restaurants in Cambridge and Crayford, south east
London, have voted to stage the first ever strike in Britain in the history of
this fast food multinational.
By a whopping 96% in the ballot, conducted by the
Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU).
They
are striking against bullying; cuts to their hours that has left some of them
unable to pay the rent, leading to the loss of their home; and against zero
hours contracts, for a £10-an-hour wage, with union recognition.
Braving
the Bullyboy Bosses
Imagine
the bravery of these workers. Small in number, but incredibly courageous,
considering the vicious anti-union record of McDonald's. Living on the derisory
national minimum wage, with no nest eggs to fall back on, but prepared to walk out
on strike for justice, decent wages and union rights. Striking against bullying and cuts to hours which they regard as punishment for joining a union.
They
deserve our unqualified, active solidarity. Including donations to the BFAWU
union's strike fund, via...
Zero
Hours Contracts Hell
This
strike hasn't dropped out of a clear blue sky, however.
It's
the result of years of being underpaid, undervalued, harassed, treated without
dignity. And the insecurity and poverty pay that go together like burgers and
chips under the use of the infamous zero hours contracts. Contracts which remain despite recent promises - under trade union campaign pressure - to concede more secure hours.
With
over 90% of McD's workers on them, the fabulously wealthy multinational can dish
out Big Mac starvation wages, preying on the fear and insecurity that go with
the hell of zero hours contracts.
The
Fight for $15
From
the opposite side of the class divide, these workers have also been inspired to
take action by the heroic struggles of workers across the opposite side of the
Atlantic. Strikes, pickets, demos and political campaigning around the Fight
for $15 also started out with a tiny minority of McDonald's workers going out
on strike - in New York City, back in November 2012.
As I
explain in more graphic detail in Break the Chains, this movement has
won massive breakthroughs in several cities and states, with over ten million
workers now on the road towards $15-an-hour! Workers primarily in fast food and
retail, (but also other low-paid sectors), challenging the claims in the UK
that "it'll never happen in the likes of retail", which some of us
face from union leaders as well as company bosses.
A
Million Times More
Contrary
to the squeals of anguish from the top bosses of McDonald's, they can easily
afford $15 now, or its equivalent £10 now. After all, their Chief Executive
Officer, Steve Easterbrook, just awarded himself almost double the annual
income he scraped by on in 2015 - now a modest $15.4million!
McDonald's
condemn the unions and their members for fighting for $15 whilst this corporate
dictator is on over a million hours' worth that rate. The reason they
ferociously resist unionisation of 'their' workers, whether in the US or UK, is
plain for all to spot: the right to be in a union is the only guaranteed means
to prevent bullying, end zero hours contracts, and win £10-an-hour. All of
which would curb the multinational's insatiable hunger for profit!
£10
Now! and a 16-hour Minimum Contract
It's
to the eternal credit of the Bakers' union that they've turned fine words into
active deeds - unlike, unfortunately, the leadership of too many other
unions.
The
BFAWU moved the motion for "a £10 minimum wage for all workers", way
back three years ago at the September 2014 TUC congress. It was passed -
unanimously!
To
their shame, many union leaderships have done nothing in the three years since
to actively pursue this policy.
The
SSP has fought for action within our own unions for £10 now, alongside
relentless campaigning on the streets for an immediate £10 for all over 16. In
fact that's been our central demand since September 2014 - not the welcome, but
feeble, promise of £10 in 2020 (and then only for workers over 18), recently
pledged by Jeremy Corbyn's Labour.
The
SSP has also consistently called for a total ban on all zero hours contracts,
and pioneered the policy of a legally guaranteed minimum 16-hours-a-week
contract for all part-time workers, except where a worker requests lesser
hours, in the presence of their union rep.
The
BFAWU have conducted the Hungry for Justice campaign among fast food workers,
demanding "£10 and a union". That's what has emboldened these workers
to throw down the gauntlet, striking against a multinational.
Solidarity
With the Strikers
Readers
should send messages and donations to these brave McDonald's strikers, and help fan a
spark into a flame across the UK. A movement that can hopefully help erase the
curse of poverty pay, zero hours contracts and bully-boy bosses getting away
with it in the absence of organised union rights.
Stand
up for these brave McDonald's strikers. Demand £10 and a union, secure jobs and
an end to bullying.
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