Union membership soars (3500 workers in Starbucks, KFC and Pizza Hut nationwide)

[Omaha Steve]

If New Zealand can do this, so can the US!

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/11/story.cfm?c_id=11&objectid=10503596

Union membership soars
12:00PM Saturday April 12, 2008

Unite Union membership has more than doubled to nearly two thousand in Restaurant Brands stores after a union employment agreement was reached last week covering 3500 workers in Starbucks, KFC and Pizza Hut nationwide.

The surge in growth of membership reflects the workers support at the outcome of negotiations for a new union collective agreement, said Unite National Secretary Matt McCarten.

"We have now reached between 50 per cent and 100 per cent membership density in most fast food stores, which is an extraordinary result considering four years ago membership in the sector was less than a paltry one per cent and the union is still growing."

Wage rates moved for Restaurant Brands workers by 75 cents and $2.25 per hour (6.75 per cent - 21.37 per cent), meaning 90 per cent of members wages increased by more than a $1 an hour.

Restaurant Brands says it now pays between 50 cents and $3.00 more an hour for their long-serving and experienced employees than their competitors.

However, Unite and McDonalds are currently in negotiations and Burger King and Wendys negotiations take place later in the year.

Youth rates have also been removed, which will have a significant effect as over half of the workforce in Restaurant Brands is under the age of 20 years.

[Joesunionreview]

1. Either that...

...or we are gonna have to move there ;)

Theres a story in that, feel like writing it?

[saltpoint]

2. Encouraging trend. Great post. Thank you.

[Joesunionreview]

3. Got the story published

Thanks Steve,got the story up at Joe's Union Review as http://anti-union.blogspot.com/2008/04/starbucks-kfc-and-pizza-hut-3500.html">Starbucks, KFC and Pizza Hut, 3500 workers say Union Yes, Mickey D's next, BK and Wendy's negotiations later this year

added a bit about Burger King being the worst when it comes to workers, with references to their hold out to agree to pay 1 cents more a pound for tomatoes, they have also held out in the agreements with the NZ Unite union wanting less than the other chains agreed to.