McDonald's workers vote to walk out in historic strike

McDonald's, photo Mike Mozart/CC (Click to enlarge)

Scott Jones

McDonald's workers balloted at Crayford, south east London, and Cambridge stores have voted by an incredible 95.7% in favour of strike action. The workers, members of bakers' union BFAWU, have now named 4 September as the first strike day.

Ian Hodson, BFAWU president, told the Socialist: "Workers have found themselves living on low wages with no guarantee of hours.

"This has been viewed by some as punishment for joining a union, and has seen employees struggle to meet their rent payments, while some have even lost their homes.

"McDonald's has had countless opportunities to resolve grievances by offering workers a fair wage and acceptable working conditions. This is a call for change.

"Already, just by voting to strike and organising in the union, the workers have gained an impressive shift from McDonald's - who have stated only now after the strike vote that by the end of 2017 they will implement the twice-promised offer of a guaranteed-hours contract to every UK McDonald's worker.

"We want this signed off, but it is a major victory for some 80,000 workers at McDonald's and shows what getting organised, joining a union and taking action can do."

Please donate to the strike fund at fastfoodrights.wordpress.com, send messages of support, and join the #McStrike events and picket lines:

On Saturday 2 September, BFAWU is holding a protest at McDonald's HQ in East Finchley, north London
On the day of the strike, Monday 4 September, workers at the Cambridge site will picket from 6-7am, while workers at the Crayford site will picket from 6-7.30am
The strikers and their supporters will then come together outside parliament at 10.30am for a rally

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