Striking Fast food workers are inviting members of the public to join them at Britomart this Saturday the 18th at 1pm for a protest march up Queen St to the free Big Pay Out concert in Myers Park.

The protest and concert is in support of the SupersizeMyPay.com campaign for a $12 minimum wage now, an end to discriminatory youth rates and for secure hours and will be led by fast food workers who will be striking at selected stores across Auckland.

The protest will begin at Britomart at 1pm at the bottom of Queen St with speakers and hip hop duo (and Unite union members) MC Fyzykl and DJ Manufacture.

See also: Big Pay Out infringes Big Day Out

“McDonald’s is using their position as a powerful corporation with great financial resources to intimidate their workforce which is made up of young and vulnerable workers. They have orchestrated a systematic campaign to obstruct their employees from joining their union. The company has circulated a written proposal circulated to all stores and that an increase will only be paid to non-members. Some Unite members have been told that they will get the early increase if they resign from the union." said Unite spokesperson Simon Oosterman.

McDonalds has responded by claiming that Unite's actions so far have been damaging to their brand and that they have no intention of rewarding such behaviour in their employees.

Over 100 Unite workers and supporters are expected at a protest strike tonight. [Press Release]

UPDATE: 200 rallied on Queen Street with striking McDonalds workers on Friday night, declaring that they were proud to be union. [ Press Release]

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Update: Photos from the Wellington rally.

Thirty minutes before the workers took industrial action, they sent out a txt calling for support and in half an hour the workers were joined by 40 supporters, customers and members of the public. Workers from Queen St McDonalds, who were also striking for the SuperSizeMyPay.Com demands of $12 minimum wage, secure hours and an end to youth rates, walked down and joined the Starbucks picket.

220 Queen St Starbucks delegate, Hayley Rawhiti, a shift supervisor who has been working at Starbucks for 6 ½ years, said that support from other workers and her regular customers who chose to buy coffee elsewhere for the day, was encouraging. “New Zealand workers have accepted low pay for so long that they don’t think they deserve better. Most of the workers in my store can’t afford to buy Starbucks overpriced coffee on their current wages,” she said.

SuperSizeMyPay.Com | Unite! | Action at KFC Whangarei | Starbucks Strike in Nov 05

The three activists had secretly scaled the concrete wall during the night, evading regular security checks and an unexpected late night visit from cleaners. The next morning a protest began outside, with security puzzled at the interest by the film crew present with the top of the building. They were soon answered as the first of two banners came rolling over the top of the building. Shortly after, a second banner came down alongside two of the activists. [Press Release]

The rooftop door had been barricaded during the night and so police had difficulty reaching the trio. They eventually destroyed the door with a crowbar and sledgehammer, and brought them down 90 minutes after the protest first began. [Press Release]

More information about the Save Happy Valley campaign can be found at www.savehappyvalley.org.nz