The IUF (International Union of Food, Agricultural and Hospitality Workers) organises the day. It hopes that unions worldwide will organise protests outside local, national and international fast food restaurants to highlight workers’ concerns, and it is particularly targeting McDonalds.
Social media will play a big part in building awareness and engagement, so the IUF is asking unions to take photos with solidarity messages on the day and tweet them to #FastFoodGlobal.
The IUF global action day has grown in strength since it was first held in 2014. It tackles issues such as wage theft, zero-hour contracts, low wages, precarious employment and the right to join or form a union.
IUF general secretary Ron Oswald said: “IUF members around the world will be on the march on April 14, and we are pleased that the ITF is once again backing our day of action so wholeheartedly.
“Protests supporting fast food workers’ efforts to organize and improve their lives are being organized in Indonesia, the UK and in several other countries. In the USA a national strike is scheduled that day for the ‘FightFor15’ campaign for a USD15 hourly wage.”
ITF general secretary Steve Cotton added that the day was important to draw attention to the generally poor working conditions of fast food workers around the world, and hoped that there would be a big response from ITF unions – especially those with members in the fast food sector.
The IUF expects activities to take place in 40 countries and is asking unions planning actions on 14 April to let it know by emailing massimo.frattini@iuf.org.
