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Fast food workers claim pressured to leave union

Published: 8:13PM Sunday August 19, 2012 Source: ONE News

A workers union is claiming fast food giant Burger King has been pressuring its employees to resign from the group.

Unite union protested outside the Burger King store on Auckland's Queen Street today following reports the company launched a secret campaign to encourage employees to leave the union.

In documents released by the union to ONE News, Burger King managers were congratulated for reducing union membership.

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Some workers claim they have come under pressure in various ways to resign their membership, including one employee who was told they would not be promoted if they were associated with the union.

Burger King worker Lynette Fray said she was confronted after she joined the union.

"I joined the union and got asked to unsign which I said no. Ever since then I've had nothing but trouble."

Unite said 200 members resigned in the three months the alleged campaign took place.

"The way they achieved it was through, again, bullying and intimidation," said Unite national manager Mike Treen.

"We have evidence of that and we'll be providing that to the employment authority in due course."

Burger King released a statement saying the company was committed to being a fair employer who provided a supportive working environment to employees.

"A number of statements were made by Unite today that they have not raised with us, and without specific details, it makes it very difficult for us to investigate.

"We are looking to have a constructive dialogue with the union and would like to meet with them to discuss any issues directly," the statement read.

Unite said the protest today would be the first of many to be held throughout the country over the coming weeks.

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