Back the McStrike - Protest 1 May

On September 4th McDonald’s workers in Cambridge and Crayford made history. They went on strike for the first time ever in the UK. A whopping 95% voted for action against the use of insecure contracts, low pay and unacceptable working conditions. And they got results. McDonald’s were forced to commit to improvements on safety and working conditions.

Now, workers in the Bakers, Food & Allied Workers Union (BFAWU), which organises fast food workers to fight for better pay and fairness at work, are preparing to go on strike again. This time the action will have spread. As well as Crayford and Cambridge, workers in London, Manchester and two Watford stores will all be taking part. Central to their demands is the call for a minimum wage of £10 an hour.

McDonalds is well known for refusing to work with trade unions and for exploiting workers with zero hour contracts. In the US, workers have fought back and won a $15 an hour wage in many cities and states. We can fight for £10 an hour here and win!

The “gig economy” is growing with companies like Deliveroo, Uber and many more exploiting workers with insecure jobs. If we organise in trade unions like BFAWU and fight we can beat the bosses and get decent jobs and decent pay. Young Socialists gives its full support & solidarity to McDonald’s workers! We support building BFAWU in every McDonald’s and every other fast food outlet. If you work in fast food then you should join BFAWU at www.bfawu.org or ring 01707 260150.

Corbyn’s manifesto in the general election called for a £10hr minimum wage. Policies such as this, which would have dramatically improved people’s lives, won the support of hundreds of thousands of low paid workers in the election.

Why should people struggle to get by while big business makes millions in profits? We shouldn’t even have to wait till the next election for decent wages. Let’s make Corbyn’s manifesto a reality now and fight for an end to poverty pay and super exploitative contracts.