1 May 2015

McDonald’s serves up some McHappiness

Unite Union and McDonald’s have given New Zealand a perfect way to celebrate May Day by reaching a settlement that strikes another blow against zero-hour contracts, Labour spokesperson for Labour Issues Iain Lees-Galloway says.

“Earlier this week it looked like Unite and McDonald’s had reached an impasse in negotiations.

“But rather than walking away, both parties remained in talks and worked together to reach a solution. That’s the exact opposite of what the Government has allowed to happen by removing the duty to conclude collective bargaining from New Zealand’s employment law.

“Good employers will always stay at the table until agreement is reached. But there is a real danger that some employers, especially those that aren’t in the spotlight like McDonald’s, will simply walk away when the going gets tough. That will mean workers missing out on kinds of results Unite Union members have achieved.

“McDonald’s’ decision is yet another blow against zero-hour contracts. The Government’s promised legislation to stop the exploitation of vast numbers of working people cannot come soon enough for those who still languish on these exploitative working arrangements.

“Labour will work constructively with the Government to make sure their legislation really does stop such terrible employment practises.

“Today we can celebrate with working people around the world that unions and collective bargaining continue to make a positive difference for workers and their families,” Iain Lees-Galloway says.

ends

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