McUnion: Fast-food employees get wise

[Omaha Steve]

Full story: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20060729TDY04004.htm

McUnion: Fast-food employees get wise

Masaki Sayama / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

Employees of two foreign-affiliated fast-food companies based in Japan have formed unions to boost their pay and improve their working conditions.

About 200 branch managers and part-time workers of Tokyo-based McDonald's Holdings Co. (Japan) notified the company at the end of May that they had established a labor union named McUnion.

They have demanded that the company look into the long hours branch managers have to work; pay the managers for working overtime; reveal the assessment criteria for promotion and pay rises; discuss retirement allowances with the union; and make it easier for branch employees and part-time workers to take paid vacations.

A spokesman for McDonald's Japan said it recognized the union and its members' rights and would negotiate sincerely.

The company will seek the union's opinions on improving working conditions for employees, and will look into the possible establishment of an in-house team to meet their demands, the spokesman said. However, he refused to reveal the assessment format or criteria for promotion and pay rises.

McUnion has the full support of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo), which helped it to become established.

McUnion, which is not affiliated to any particular industrial sector, belongs to and is based in the office of Rengo Tokyo, a local chapter of Rengo.

[demosincebirth]

1. That easy, huh?

Do our labor laws suck compared to other first world countries, or what? I worked years organizing in the teamsters, and the fucking obstacles that this govenment puts in front of us just amazes me.

[proud patriot]

2. way to go Japan

:-) I hope for the same here