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McStrike

Winning better by forming a union and taking action together, in McDonald's, fast food and hospitality.

Workers Win Wetherspoons U-Turn

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Immediate Release

Reacting to news of Wetherspoons U-turn [1] and agreement to pay ‘furloughed’ staff before receiving funds from the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, Alex McIntyre, BFAWU Branch 101 Secretary and Wetherspoons worker said: 

“Wetherspoon’s U-turn is welcome. We should never have had to wait till the end of April to be paid. We’re still waiting for confirmation that we’ll be paid 100% of our wages as this is not yet clear. Even on 100% of our wages we struggle to get by because they’re so low. Nobody should have to worry about paying bills, rent or buying food when they work for such a profitable company.  Instead the company has cruelly caused enormous stress and anxiety to its 40,000+ employees. This was an active decision by the company in the midst of a crisis that is affecting the entire world.  

“It is only by coming together to support each other that we can make sure it is not workers who suffer whilst our employers look after their profits. We will not forget this abandonment by the company of its workers. There’s power in a union. Solidarity”

Notes to editors: 

For further information call Owen Espley [oespley[@] waronwant.org / 07861 362797]  

  1. Jo Stevens MP Tweeted; After a session in front of @RachelReevesMP @CommonsBEIS Wetherspoons have u-turned on decision not to pay 43,000 staff while pubs are shut. Staff to be paid on April 3 and weekly after that. Good news, but people won’t forget political pressure forced your hand Tim Martin”. 
  2. Over 12,000 people signed a  BFAWU petition to Tim Martin asking him to ensure  1) Pay their laid off staff immediately, whilst the government money is still coming through.2) Shoulder the extra 20% to make up the difference in wages from the 80% the government have pledged to cover. 3) Pay all bonuses that staff are due in full.
  3. #SpoonStrike: JD Wetherspoons workers were inspired by the McStrike and joined the BFAWU. 

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Wetherspoons workers have rent to pay…

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Wetherspoons workers have rent to pay and food to buy

Immediate Release 24 March 2020

Reacting to the news that 40,000 Wetherspoons workers, including BFAWU Members,  were notified yesterday that their weekly pay will cease immediately and only resume when Wetherspoons is reimbursed by the government, Ian Hodson President of the BFAWU said: 

“Tim Martin’s actions are shocking. He is ignoring the advice of the government to stand by your workers and instead abandoning them in their time of need. They need to pay rent, buy food and because of the low wages he’s always paid them will not have savings to depend upon. His selfish approach says unless the government puts money into my bank account today he’ll let the workers who have made him rich suffer. It is completely unacceptable.

“This country will not forget the way in which employers have treated their staff during this crisis. Now is the time for all workers to come together and oppose greedy inaction by millionaire bosses.” 


Tim Martin sent a video message [1] to all staff announcing the news in which he suggested staff look for work in supermarkets. BFAWU members reacted on-line releasing their own statement. [2]

A Wetherspoons worker, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “To be told the company won’t pay you until the government grant is enacted at the end of April is hard enough. I’ll be homeless in 2 weeks with no income. Getting told it by Tim Martin, drink in one hand, ending with a half-hearted and sadistic “Good luck!” Is another thing all together. I feel so let down and so, so scared.”

Notes for editors: 
For further information contact oespley[@]waronwant.org / 07861-362-797 
1] The video has been posted online here; https://twitter.com/Dittomoogle/status/1242177322213662730
2) BFAWU members put out their shocked response to the video here: https://twitter.com/SpoonStrike/status/1242198691840172032
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“McDonald’s workers shouldn’t be facing poverty as well as the corona virus.”

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Immediate Release:  23 March 2020
Responding to McDonald’s announcement of closures, Melissa Evans, 32, who works at McDonald’s in Wandsworth Town said: 


“We’ve still not heard anything from our franchise about the closure. There needs to be communication, clear advice and we need to be told about our pay. McDonald’s needs to make sure all its workers are secure. They need to step up. 

“We were already getting poverty wages, and we are still having to pay 100% of rent and 100% of  bills, so McDonald’s needs to pay us 100% of wages. They need to reassure staff who’ve been off sick or worked less than normal over the last 12 weeks.  

“It’s time for McDonald’s to put back into the communities that they’ve taken out of for so long. McDonald’s workers shouldn’t be facing poverty as well as the corona virus.”

Notes for editors: 
For further information please contact: Owen Espley oespley[@]waronwant.org /   Mobile: 07861-362-797 

McDonald’s has said it will close all 1,270 of its restaurants in the UK by the end of Monday which employ around 135,000 people in the UK, the majority of which are on zero-hours contracts.The chain has said staff directly employed by the company will receive full pay for the next two weeks and 80% of wages (calculated on previous 12 weeks) after that.

Despite announcing a closure to all restaurants, McDonald’s claim franchises (82% of restaurants) will make their own decisions on pay saying they ‘expect franchises to follow suit’.  

The McStrike campaign is spearheaded by The Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU). They aim to ensure fast food workers have the right to a fair wage and decent working conditions across the country.

ENDS

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