Joining the Hordes
It's great to see so many people supporting workers' rights. I have some ambivalent feelings about the boycott.* But I won't be buying anything from Subway until this is resolved, so I might as well add my name.
*I believe that boycotts should be lead by the people directly affected by them to be meaningful collective action.
Y'know, it is illegal for a union to call for a boycott - they can face hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages. So it was kind of impossible for workers or their unions to call for a boycott.
ReplyDeleteJames in my role as union organiser I called a boycott. Perhaps you're thinking about American law rather than NZ law.
ReplyDeleteA union can be injuncted for the costs incurred due to a boycott. As far as I know the AWU never asked for one. More interestingly, the man behind George Street Subway is an ex(?) loan-shark (I've had this confirmed by someone who knows him) http://www.ascendfinance.co.nz/net/meet-the-team/team.aspx?id=5 - kind of ironic considering your first post on subway eh?
ReplyDeleteMike it may be possible to injunct unions for calling a boycott. But I'm fairly sure that it's not always possible.
ReplyDeleteThe loan shark information is fascinating thanks.