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FAST-FOOD outlets across Britain were targeted by protesters yesterday calling for decent wages and an end to zero-hours contracts.
Demonstrations took place outside fast-food businesses such as McDonald’s in a dozen towns and cities.
Britain’s Fast Food Rights campaign was launched earlier this year prompted by a campaign in the United States, where fast-food workers are organising after decades of low pay and exploitation.
In Britain the campaigners staged a national day of action on May 15 in solidarity with strikes by thousands of workers in the US, where a convention of fast-food workers drew 1,200 delegates from across the country. Solidarity action took place in more than 30 countries.
In Britain fast-food workers are being recruited by the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU).
National president Ian Hodson said: “The campaign is against the likes of McDonald’s where people are employed on age-related minimum wages which have no relevance to the skills they possess or their workload.
“We are calling for a £10 minimum wage. These companies make billions of pounds in profits.
“We also want an end to zero-hours contracts. Workers should not have to hope they will get some work — they should know they have got some work.
“A recent poll showed that one in five people in Britain cannot afford a holiday at the seaside. People cannot pay their rent or their fuel bills. That should not be happening in Britain in 2014.”
Activists demonstrated in Manchester, Glasgow, Newcastle, Sheffield, Leeds, Wakefield, Pontefract, Bradford, Grimsby, Huddersfield, Chester, Liverpool, Leicester and Brighton yesterday.
KFC in Barnsley will be targeted tomorrow.
In London fast-food campaigners plan to link up with others such as the living-wage campaign by Ritzy cinema workers.
Britain’s fast-food and takeaway industry employs 168,000 workers and has a combined revenue of £5 billion.
Minimum wage rates from October will be £6.50 an hour for adults, £5.13 for ages 18 to 20, £3.79 for under-18s and £2.73 for apprentices.
Contact fastfoodrights@mail.com or ian.hodson@bfawu.org or call/text 07795 412-932 / 07739 326-003.
