retail and food
News and articles about work, policy and workers' struggles in retail and the food industry around the world.
Precarious and pissed off: Lessons from the Montpelier Downtown Workers' Union, 2003-2005
An account and analysis of the Vermont Workers' Center's innovative but ultimately failed attempt to set up a geographically-based union in the state's capital.
By Sean West
Beginnings and Endings
Mali: Butchers strike against government price-fixing
Butchers in the capital of Mali, Bamoko, launched wildcat action after the government ordered prices to be lowered.
The wildcat action was linked to increases in the price of meat in the Bamako district over the last few months. Local butchers blamed the price increases on a lack of livestock that had been caused by a poor supply of animal feed. It is also linked to the loss of value of the CFA Franc, the currency used in many former french colonies.
Paris: Migrant workers occupy Buffalo Grill
Undocumented workers at the fast food chain in Paris have occupied the Buffalo Grill in Viry-Chatillon after being sacked and reported to the authorities.
The migrants, mostly of African origin, many with years of employment at the chain, face expulsion from the France of Nicolas Sarkozy to their country of origin.
Wakefield: Coca Cola workers may strike
Workers at Coca Cola's bottling and distribution plant in Wakefield may strike over pay.
The Unite union balloted over 500 workers at the plant for strike action on Friday, after arbitration talks with ACAS on 6th June failed to improve on Coca Cola Enterprises pay offer of 2.5%.
1,000 Vietnamese shrimp processing workers on strike
Nearly 1,000 workers have gone on strike to protest a wage cut at a Singaporean shrimp processing factory in Vietnam.
According to wire agency AFP, the workers at Amanda Foods are protesting against the company's decision to cut salaries to S$37.50 (600,000 dong) a month. Manual labourers in Vietnam typically earn around S$50 a month.
Scotland Tesco drivers suspend strike after talks
The second strike of Tesco truck drivers has been suspended pending negotiations.
A second strike in the dispute at the Tesco distribution depot at Livingston near Edinburgh over changes to job contracts and union representation has been suspended after management offered to open talks with the T&G section of Unite - the union.
Tesco truckers' strike: 25% of normal loads going out
Only 25 per cent of normal truckloads of groceries and supplies are getting out of the Tesco distribution depot at Livingston near Edinburgh as the strike by drivers takes effect (reported previously on libcom), according to reliable inside information given to the T&G section of Unite - the union.
Tony Trench, T&G section of Unite regional industrial organiser, said in spite of the 'Fort Wapping' style security clampdown it was clear all was not well.
Scots truckers strike against Tesco
Eddie Stobart drivers have refused to scab on their Tesco counterparts and deliver supplies to Scottish supermarkets this bank holiday weekend.
The 150 Tesco drivers - who supply nearly 100 stores in Scotland - are on strike against the company's seeking to derecognise the drivers' union (UNITE), a move the union says would have cost many drivers £3,000 or more per year. The drivers voted 126 to 6 for strike action from Thursday 24th to Saturday 26th May.
Asda: part of the Wal-Mart spy ring
Following an admission from US supermarket giant Wal-Mart that the company has employed some of its estimated 400 investigators to spy on groups who stand against them, enquiries by Freedom have uncovered a similar story at UK subsidiary Asda.
During the most recent major conflict between Asda and an outside body, a dispute between the company and the GMB led to bug detectors being deployed by unionists during negotiations to avoid surveillance by managers.
