Burger King trying to silence its workers, says Unite Union

Burger King is trying to intimidate and silence its workers and the union from criticising the company says Mike Treen, Unite National Director.

The company has applied to the Employment Relations Authority seeking an injunction to stop Unite from organising teach-ins at its stores about how the company is treating its workers. They also want to shut down the union blog from reporting on BK and its activities. They have told their staff that if any of them speak up at teach-ins outside their stores they face "serious consequences".

This instruction posted in all the stores has simply made the workers more angry. One BK worker in Blenheim has set up a Facebook page to have a silent protest outside his store this Saturday.

BK workers and their supporters also plan a rally in Dunedin on Saturday at 2pm at the Octagon. BK Burnside delegate Julie Tyler was threatened with dismissal last year for saying BK workers were "overworked and underpaid" on her Facebook page. Unite Union now has more evidence that this entire disciplinary process was a set up by the company to try and get rid of a union delegate.

Burger King claims that the union is breaching its obligations of good faith by publicly criticising Burger King rather than use the normal channels available in an employment relationship. This is a particularly ironic statement given that the company has targeted our members and delegates precisely because they have tried to exercise their legal rights.

We will pursue personal grievances and other legal action as required. But we will also hold the company up to the inspection of the court of public opinion until we have broken the climate of fear and intimidation that Burger King has tried to impose on its workers.

ENDS

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