September 15 was an international day of action with Dominos pizza drivers from GTWA in Australia (affiliated to the AnarchoSyndicalist Federation). The drivers' had their salaries slashed by 19% and decided to fight back, demanding, among other things, reinstatement of their wages.
Although all the reports are not in, we know that various types of actions occurred in about 35 cities across the globe. The actions ranged from informational pickets to stickers, posters and banners being put on the restaurants.
The ZSP participated with an informational picket in Warsaw and distributing leaflets about the situation. (See text below) We chose the most centrally located Dominos, on al. Jerozolimskie, hanging banners over the restaurant. The owner showed up and took photos to send in to Dominos; we suppose that people were asked to report on the actions. He then invited the protesters and police in to have pizza. We know that at another picket (in Berkeley, California), the owner went so far to offer free pizza to the customers.
(At this restaurant in Warsaw there didn't seem to be any street traffic, so information went to passersby, rather than people trying to visit the restaurant. But it shows a tactic that the bosses can try to take against such pickets.)
Reports are slowly coming in from. Comrades from the IWA protested in Australia, Brazil, France, UK, Norway, Russia, Spain and Germany. There was also a good mobilization in the United States organized by people from the WSA and the IWW. Dominos Pizza is headquartered there and that is where it has its largest market.
Individual reports of actions from the IWA Sections can be found here:http://internationalworkersassociation.blogspot.com There are also reports on FB:http://www.facebook.com/dominos.workersolidarity A list of most (but not all!) of the actions can be found here: http://gtwa.org.au/
Leaflet (Polish)
English translation of leaflet distributed in Warsaw:
In Solidarity with the Dominos Pizza Drivers!
For better working conditions in restaurants around the World!
September 15 is an international day of solidarity with the Dominos pizza drivers Australia. A couple of months ago, this it was announced that their salaries would be reduced by 19%. The drivers started to fight back and formed the General Transport Workers Association.
Supporters of the union have held pickets in Australia. Today there will be dozens of pickets at Dominos Pizza in places such as the US, UK, Brazil, France, Spain, Germany and Norway. Thanks to pressure on the company, the drivers have won back part, but not all of their salaries. They are determined to fight not only for the return of their old wages, but for other demands, such as getting paid for overtime they are required to spend at work or that employees who only work part-time get extra payment for work on holidays, like full-time employees.
The example of our colleagues is a very good one since only by organizing and fighting we can stop the bosses' attacks against our rights and ensure our good working conditions. Remember that all the working conditions and benefits we take for granted these days, like an 8-hour workday or paid vacation, were also results of struggles made by the workers.
Nowadays, around the world, our working conditions are under attack by those who want to make more money and have economic power. But we still have our own organizational power, if we just use it!
In Poland we see that the working conditions in food services are completely awful, which many people working illegally or in semi-legal conditions, facing constant abuse from employers. We need to be aware of this and start fighting back and we call on consumers to support the workers where they struggle to improve their conditions.
If you are working in this industry, don't think that you are along with your problems and can do nothing. ZSP also has an initiative for restaurant workers of all sorts, ranging from cooks to dishwashers to people giving out flyers. If you are interested in raising awareness of the problems in this sector, or of organizing for better conditions, please contact: info@zsp.net.pl
