Following a successful picket on Monday, the Pret a Manger Staff Union received has received a write-up from Morning Star daily paper. Continuing to build on the success and energy of that picket, PAMSU has created a short YouTube video which explains the reasons behind the action, interviews supporters of the union, and shows members and supporters marching into St. Pancras Station and confronting management about their union busting and victimization of workplace activists.
SolFed again wishes thank everyone who came out to the picket as well as giving a shout out to the other organisations who have also been supporting PAMSU: Bloomsbury Fightback, The Alliance for Workers Liberty, and Industrial Workers of the World.
Sacked Pret organiser vows to keep up the fight
By Rory MacKinnon, Corporate affairs reporter for the Morning Star
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/news/content/view/full/126288
Dozens of workers rallied outside a Pret-A-Manger cafe in London's St Pancras station today to demand the firm reinstate a sacked union organiser.
The sandwich chain prides itself on "good jobs for good people" but protesters said that the company had "smashed" a new union by disciplining its two founders.
The worker told the Morning Star he had worked at the St Pancras shop for two and a half years before launching the Pret-A-Manger Staff Union to raise complaints of bullying by bosses.
But he was called to a disciplinary hearing shortly after launching the union and sacked for non-attendance - although The man said he had been given the wrong date and had taken sick leave in the original incident.
"They kicked me out of the shop and the other guy was transferred to another shop and given a written warning.
"I've been back but they won't even serve me as a customer."
He said he was appealing against the decision but was determined to keep recruiting members in the meantime.
Staff across the country had told him they had anonymously pinned his emails to staff noticeboards.
"We have eight members now - but it looks like we'll be increasing our numbers very soon," he said.
A Pret-A-Manger spokeswoman declined to say whether they had recognised the Pret-A-Manger Staff Union, but said management had "a free and open relationship" with staff.
"Pret-A-Manger staff are free to form a union if they wish," she said.