17 September 2004
Call to Support Young Workers at Reading Cinemas
“The Council of Trade Unions is calling on members to support the young UNITE union members at Reading Cinemas in
Wellington in their fight to get a fair deal from their Australian-based employer,” CTU president Ross Wilson said
today.
Almost 80 UNITE members - most of the Reading workforce - have been trying to get a rise in their minimal wages.
“This large Australian company is treating these young workers appallingly and I am calling on all CTU unions,
representing 300,000 union members, to get in behind them,” Ross Wilson said.
“The CTU is not going to stand by and watch young workers be ripped off and treated with disdain by their employer.”
UNITE is starting its public action at Reading Cinema today with what it calls a “pop-corn protest” - movie-goers will
be offered free popcorn to discourage them from buying from the Reading candy bar which the union says makes more profit
than the sale of theatre tickets.
The protest is planned to continue over the weekend and into the first week of the school holidays.
ENDS