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Birmingham IWW Solidarity Picket with IWW Pizza Hut Union

IWW West Midlands | 06.02.2012 09:46 | Workers' Movements | Birmingham

On Saturday 4th February, members of IWW West Midlands General Membership Branch picketed Pizza Hut on New Street, Birmingham,"] in Solidarity with Sheffield workers who are fighting for improved pay and conditions. This was part of a national day of action, with pickets also held in Sheffield, London, Bristol, Liverpool and Hull.





IWW has been organising amongst Pizza Hut workers and delivery drivers in Sheffield with the following demands:

“In drivers conditions we are demanding regular updates of all moped drivers safety gear. We are also demanding an increase to deliver drivers per-delivery commission, which now stands at 60p, which clearly does not cover costs.

Over pay we are demanding pay increases in line with inflation, as currently our pay is seeing regular decreases. We also that we deserve time and a half for working Bank and National Holiday days. This is industry standard, we are not demanding the earth!

Lastly on the subject of Union Recognition, we believe it is only right as the workers that make the Pizza Hut company what it is we deserve to be talked to on an equal footing to management and have the right for our union to be recognised, giving us all stronger voice.”


With Pizza Hut management not budging on these issues, a national day of action was called with IWW branches around the UK demonstrating outside their local restaurant.

In Birmingham, 10 members picketed the New Street branch of Pizza Hut, during the busy lunchtime period, leaving as the snow began to fall to ensure a safe return home. With the cold and predicted snow, the city centre was quieter than expected for a Saturday afternoon, but there were still plenty of people around, and many customers heading for Pizza Hut stopped to listen to our reasons for being there. We had some success in turning people
away and many who still entered expressed sympathy with the demands, particularly of the delivery drivers' rates.

Our picket was noticed by management of the branch who asked us to move and took a photo, presumably to send on to Pizza Hut HQ.

You can find out more about the Pizza Hut workers union, and the other pickets that took place from this article by Sheffield Pizza Hut union workers, about their picket on Saturday.
 https://www.northern-indymedia.org/articles/2426

Solidarity

IWW West Midlands
- e-mail: WestMids@Iww.org.uk
- Homepage: www.iww.org.uk


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  1. get in! — .
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