—ON THE PICKET LINE—

NY Teamsters strike beer distributor over wages, pensions

MELVILLE, N.Y. — Some 130 drivers and warehouse workers struck the Clare Rose beer distribution company on Long Island April 23 against boss plans to end pension fund payments and cut wages. The workers are members of Teamsters Local 812, which organizes more than 3,500 beverage workers around the New York area.

The company has frozen the pension plan and intends to replace it with a 401(k) defined contribution system. These require deductions from workers’ paychecks and leave retirees insecure.

The pay cut is aimed at the drivers. Patrick Waryold, who has driven for the company for 14 years, explained that the drivers are paid strictly on commission, as well as getting bonuses from the beer companies.

“It’s hard work, sometimes 10 to 12 hours a day, but we make out pretty well,” he said. “We’re not asking for more pay. We just want to keep what we have.”

Now the company plans to hire a separate sales staff, so drivers would be paid by the day with a small commission. The union calculates this would cut take home pay by 30 percent.

The company is attempting to fill beer orders with management and the strikebreaking Strom Engineering Corp.

The Teamsters are picketing distribution centers here and in East Yaphank 24 hours a day. They’ve been receiving support and publicity for their strike from the local and national Teamsters union, as well as other unions.

On May 6 they got support on the picket line from Teamsters Local 210 members from the Sims Municipal Recycling plant in the Sunset Park neighborhood in Brooklyn, Teamster members from a warehouse in the Bronx and workers at area Coke and Pepsi processing plants.

— Candace Wagner

Rail workers in UK rally to oppose cuts in train crews

LONDON — Some 200 members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union and supporters rallied outside Parliament April 26 to mark the first anniversary of the start of a series of strike actions against Southern Rail. The company, with government backing, is seeking to remove guards (conductors) from trains and impose driver-only-operation on passenger trains.

Rail, Maritime and Transport members have participated in 31 work stoppages over this year. Rail workers employed by Northern Rail and Merseyrail, facing similar moves by the bosses, have also taken action.

— Jonathan Silberman

KFC workers strike and rally in New Zealand

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — Some 100 workers and supporters rallied here April 22 outside the Balmoral branch of the Kentucky Fried Chicken fast-food chain. The action was part of a two-hour nationwide strike by Unite Union members at KFC that saw similar rallies in five other cities.

“We are fighting for a living wage,” Swastika Nair told the Militant. She was one of four workers at the St Lukes branch of KFC who shut the restaurant and joined the rally. “We put a handwritten note on the door saying, ‘Store is temporarily closed due to industrial action,’” said Nair, who is a union delegate (shop steward) at the store.

Placards said, “Overworked and underpaid” and “On strike!” And chants rang out, “Never cross a picket line!” Cars and trucks honked support as they drove past the inner city intersection.

Most of the predominantly young workforce at KFC is on the minimum wage of 15.75 New Zealand dollars per hour (US$10.90). The Unite Union is asking for 10 cents an hour wage increase over each of the next three years.

KFC in New Zealand is owned by Restaurant Brands, which also owns Carl’s Jr., Starbucks and Pizza Hut. Workers there also struck and joined the rallies. It was the first strike at Restaurant Brands in New Zealand since 2006. The Unite Union is trying to get the company to reopen negotiations on the union contract after talks broke down. About half of the company’s 4,000 workers are union members.

— Mike Tucker