Youth Fight for Jobs protesters outside Starbucks, Regent St, 14.3.13, photo Suzanne Beishon

Youth Fight for Jobs protesters outside Starbucks, Regent St, 14.3.13, photo Suzanne Beishon   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

‘Sick of your boss?’ activists target Starbucks

The Starbucks in London’s Regent Street was targeted by protesters today (14th March) over exploitative working practices that are typical of much of the retail and catering industries.

The campaigners, part of the Youth Fight for Jobs campaign, were taking up the issue of underemployment.

Claire Laker-Mansfield a spokesperson for the campaign said:

‘When Starbucks bosses were caught red-handed for tax avoidance their response was to take money straight from the pockets of their workers.

They attacked holiday pay and maternity rights, proving that when it comes to a choice between treating their workers with dignity and boosting profits, the latter always wins.

Today’s protest was the start of building a campaign to demand decent jobs for young people. We’re not prepared to put up with evermore insecure, low-paid work.

It’s high time the government stopped attacking the rights of young workers and started taking action to create secure, socially useful jobs for the millions on the fringes of employment.’