Strike Spreads to Call Center, Burger King, Wgtn

Strike Action Spreads to Call Center, Burger King, Wellington

Press Release: SuperSizeMyPay.Com/Unite
Saturday, 25 February 2006, 12.00am

Month of Strike Action Spreads to Call Center, Burger King, Wellington

The Pizza Hut and KFC national call center, the first Burger King stores and the first Wellington fast food store, joined the SuperSizeMyPay.Com month of industrial action last night.

SuperSizeMyPay.Com campaign co-ordinator, Simon Oosterman, said that the actions were a part of an escalating month of industrial action in the fast food industry leading up to the ‘BigPayOut.co.nz’ demonstration and free concert on Saturday, 18th of March.

“In central Auckland, 60 call center workers, who take delivery orders for KFC and Pizza Hut nation-wide, went on strike. The striking workers called on customers who were ordering pizzas on the 0800 83 83 83 number to say a message of support, and kept the strike to an hour to minimise disruption to customers,” he said.

“The call center workers, who are a part of the SuperSizeMyPay.Com campaign, but who have a different contract to the fast food stores, are asking for a training rate of $11 and $12.50 after 3 months as well as a 50% discount on Restaurant Brands food.

“In west Auckland, workers from two fast food stores became the first ever striking Burger King workers in New Zealand. The workers took action despite a memo sent from their head office falsely claiming that they would be fired if they took industrial action.

“In true ‘westie’ style, the strikers and supporters drove from store to store, revving and beeping and spreading the strikes to two west Auckland KFC stores.

“Meanwhile, in Porirua Wellington, one of the highest volume KFC stores in New Zealand was closed when the entire crew walked off the job. The workers were joined by 20 of their non-rostered workmates and 50 supporters, including a brass band and local city councilors,” he concluded.

Fast food workers from McDonalds, Burger King, Restaurant Brands (KFC, Pizza Hut, Starbucks) and Wendy’s are calling on their companies to give them the SuperSizeMyPay.Com campaign demands of a $12 minimum wage, an end to youth rates and secure hours. (Wendy’s and Starbucks do not pay youth rates.)

The workers are also calling on the government to legislate these demands for all low paid and minimum wage workers in Aotearoa/New Zealand..

ENDS

For more information visit: http://www.SuperSizeMyPay.Com

(Cellphone and digital video footage and photos will be uploaded to the website over the next 24 hours.)

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