fast food

retail and food

News and articles about work, policy and workers' struggles in retail and the food industry around the world.

An Account Of The JJ Fast Food Worker's Strike Tottenham 1995-6. This pamphlet looks at the problems the JJ workers faced: of working within the current union structures, of police and State harassment, the bureaucracy of industrial tribunals and the participation of the organised left. It also attempts to draw some positive lessons as to how workers can improve things for the better through direct action and working class organisation

When workers take strike action, things start to change. It is a time when people very quickly start to organise, communicate and think in a different and more positive way and when solidarity becomes more than just a slogan.

New Zealand McDonald's workers escalate campaign

1300 McDonald's workers, members of the Unite union, are escalating their campaign in the wake of yesterdays conference of McDonald's bosses refusing to lift pay rates or offer real security of hours.

The world's biggest fast food corporation, McDonald's, is facing a summer of strikes, pickets and a boycott as 1300 union members escalate their campaign in the wake of yesterdays conference of McDonald's bosses refusing to lift pay rates or offer the same security of hours that Restaurant Brands union members get.

Subway picketed in Belfast to support sacked worker

Organise!, WSM, trade unions and various political activists picketed a Subway restaurant in Belfast today in support of sacked Polish worker Natalia Szymanska.

The protest at the Subway restaurant on Great Victoria Street in central Belfast was, despite the poor weather, attended by around 60-70 people, during what should have been the fast-food outlet's busy lunch-hour, all showing their solidarity with Natalia.

Low-paid workers strike and protest at multiple stores

Strike at Hamilton, New Zealand, McDonald's in October '08

In Auckland and Hamilton low-paid workers at McDonald's and the Farmers department store are striking and protesting for better pay and working conditions.

The strikes started on September 19th with workers working out of Otara McDonald's, to be accompanied on the picket line by a giant inflatable rat. October 3 saw staff at six different McDonald's walk out, five in Auckland and one in Hamilton.

Starbucks Global Day of Action - Belfast picket

Organise! and the WSM picketed Starbucks in Belfast city centre today from 12 to 1 pm. Despite the miserable weather around 12 people joined the picket and leafleted passers by and potential customers outside the coffee shop.

At the start of the picket 3 people had gone inside to leaflet customers and staff. There was a very positive response to the picket however one person was falsely accused of assaulting a Starbuck's member of staff after leafleting staff and customers inside.

Starbucks fires another barista for union activity

Grand Rapids firing comes in the midst of Unfair Labor Practice charges being investigated by the NLRB against Starbucks.

Grand Rapids, MI (06/06/2008) - Starbucks terminated a barista active in the IWW Starbucks Workers Union today as part of its ongoing effort to combat a growing movement of employees pushing for a living wage and secure work hours. The barista, Cole Dorsey, was fired after two years of service while he was coordinating a union recruitment drive at Starbucks stores in Grand Rapids.

Illegal immigrants win unpaid wages in Stockholm

Blockade of the Lilla Karachi restaurant by SAC members

The syndicalist SAC union in Sweden has been campaigning for fair wages for illegal immigrants in the last few months, resulting in thousands of pounds in unpaid wages being paid to migrant workers.

The increasing organisation of illegal immigrants within the syndicalist union SAC have lead to more and more blockades to force the payment of unpaid wages, mainly from employment agencies in the restaurant, cleaning, hotel and building industry. Millions Kronor in unpaid wages have been have been won by the SAC.

Hamburgers vs value - Kämpa Tillsammans

Article by Swedish communist group Kämpa Tillsammans, examining the relationship between informal workplace activity in a hamburger restaurant, and the broader communist movement.

By Marcel, member of the communist group Kämpa Tillsammans! 1

1. Kämpa Tillsammans! means "Struggle together!" and shall be understood as an imperative.

Super Size My Pay - Fast food workers in New Zealand organise for better pay and conditions, 2005-6

In New Zealand, hundreds of fast food workers waged an innovative campaign called Super-Size My Pay during 2005-06. This is one worker's overview and analysis of the campaign.

This text is taken from the December 2006 issue of the Industrial Workers of the World Australia's newsletter, Direct Action.

retail and food

Up against the odds