Alliance Party says a good result for young workers in McDonalds case

Alliance Party media release for immediate release Tuesday 9 September 2008

The Alliance Party has congratulated young worker Chantelle Coup and the Unite Union for gaining $15,000 compensation following her constructive dismissal from a McDonalds restaurant in Kaiapoi.

Alliance Party Co-Leader Andrew McKenzie says organising in the fast food and takeaway food industry is a difficult challenge as many workers are young, inexperienced and unsure of their rights.

He says the decision by the Employment Relations Authority was the correct one, as Ms Coup had clearly been victimized by management for exercising her right to join a Union.

Mr McKenzie says there has been obvious pressure put on staff to not join unions and this was a breach of the basic rights of workers, as the Employment Relations Authority had found in this case.

"In this case, there has been some kind of justice, but how many times is this happening to young workers elsewhere?"

Mr McKenzie says the Alliance aims to support the goals of unions like Unite and low-paid young workers by pushing for an increase in the minimum wage and stronger protections for casual workers.

ENDS

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