Workers Solidarity Movement

Congratulations to workers at McDonalds and their union, Unite in New Zealand/Aotearoa who have won their battle with the employer and ended zero hour contracts at the fast food giant!

The workers were due to strike today 1st of May, but McDonalds backed down at the last minute. From 1 October 2015, all McDonald's employees will be offered 80 per cent security of hours, up to a 32 hour weekly cap, based on the average of the previous fixed quarterly worked hours.

Unite union organiser, Joe Carolan told Workers Solidarity:

"As May Day begins in New Zealand, so does a new era for low paid workers. I have never been more proud of our little fighting Unite Union than I am on May 1st, 2015."

"In beating these fast food multinationals through the threat of workers action today, the Union has shown that organisation and a commitment to struggle can beat precarity and end zero hours. This was the work of Connolly and Larkin a hundred years ago, and we need a new fighting union movement for this century that will get in and unionise the unorganised. Solidarity with the Dunnes Workers of Ireland from your brothers and sisters in Unite, Aotearoa".

Victories like this will come as an inspiration for precarious workers around the world and show that with militant action, workers organised in unions can win. And what better day to win than May 1st?

Workers of the Unite union, we salute you.