McDonald's consulting with franchisees over wages

5 November 2008 Media Release

McDonald's consulting with franchisees as part of wage negotiations

McDonald's New Zealand is consulting with its franchisees this week in relation to wage proposals put forward by the Unite union, and has agreed to respond to the union as soon as possible once consultation is finished.

"We are meeting with our franchisees today and have already committed to responding to Unite as soon as possible after this meeting, so their ongoing strike action today is unnecessary and beyond the good faith bargaining process we are working within," says McDonald's New Zealand's Managing Director Mark Hawthorne.

"McDonald's is 80 per cent owned and operated by franchisees, and wage negotiations should be considered by the whole McDonald's community. Unite are aware we are meeting with our franchisees today to discuss their most recent claims, and protest action isn't going to alter our commitment"

McDonald's and the Unite union have been in wage negotiations since February after the union reneged on a conditional collective employment agreement with McDonald's.

Around 17 per cent of McDonald's 7500 staff are members of the union.

ENDS

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