Global Fast Food Rights Day of Action

On Tuesday evening, young people, trade unionists and campaigners protested against zero-hour contracts and for a £10/hr minimum wage. The protest was held from 3-6pm outside McDonald’s in Leicester city centre.

The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC), a new electoral challenge standing in a fifth of the parliamentary seats supported this global fast food rights day of action. In Britain the action is headed by the BFAWU union and the Fast Food Rights/Hungry for Justice campaign that it initiated.

Despite the Labour Party’s alleged commitment to scrapping zero-hour contracts, two local Labour MP’s decided to ignore the protest. BFAWU regional organizer, George Atwall, had actually invited Jon Ashworth (Leicester South) and Keith Vaz (Leicester East) to the planned protest over two weeks ago, but despite both being in town, they refused to even respond to the  union’s request for help.

The main demands on April 15th are also TUSC demands: scrap zero-hour contracts, join a union and £10 minimum wage with no exemptions ($15 in the USA). Michael Barker, Leicester East TUSC candidate said:

“I am supporting the day of action today because I am a trade unionist who has spent years fighting against poverty pay. The trade unions have to fight all the mean attempts by bosses to reduce workers’ share. Sadly nearly third of people within my constituency earn less than the current already inadequate living wage, while in some areas of Leicester up to 48% of children are growing up in poverty. How can a young person start to organise their lives? How can parents plan to provide for their children?

“The only case for maintaining zero-hour contracts is to appease the low-paying bosses. That’s what Labour are doing. We know that’s what the Tories are about. Labour has moved its pledge of an £8/hr minimum wage forward to 2019 -– it shows that there is pressure on wages but they don’t offer a real solution like TUSC does — £10 now with no exemptions.

“In the US city of Seattle this month thousands of workers received a major pay increase as the $15 minimum wage is phased in. That was won by workers – in the unions, the workplaces and in the city council where socialist council member Kshama Sawant has led the battle. That’s our model -– a struggle for decent living conditions in the unions, in the workplaces and by being workers’ representatives on worker’s wages fighting for all working class people.”

During the protest Tessa Warrington, who is standing as a TUSC candidate for Abbey ward, dropped into BBC Radio Leicester to be interviewed. The excellent eight minute interview starts at 2hr 24 min here.