SEVEN DAYS THAT SHOOK THE CORPORATION McLibel Support Campaign c/o 5 Caledonian Road London N1 9DX UK Tel/fax +44-171-713 1269 SEVEN DAYS THAT SHOOK THE CORPORATION--12th - 18th OCTOBER, 1995 12th October 1995, the third anniversary of the death by electrocution of a McDonald's worker, was a DAY OF SOLIDARITY WITH McDONALD'S WORKERS in the UK. On 16th October, there were INTERNATIONAL PROTESTS to mark the 11th annual WORLDWIDE DAY OF ACTION AGAINST McDONALD'S. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DAY OF SOLIDARITY WITH McDONALD'S WORKERS 12th October, 1995 Protests and leafletting at over 15 regional locations around the UK took place on the third anniversary of the death of Mark Hopkins, a worker electrocuted at McDonald's Arndale store in Manchester. During the McLibel Trial, Jill Barnes (McDonald's UK Safety Officer) was challenged by the Defendants over a previously confidential internal Report into Mark's death. The Report had not been disclosed at Mark's inquest and was only disclosed by McDonald's to the Defendants days before Jill Barnes took the stand. The inquest had decided that Mark's death was an 'accident'. But the McDonald's Report had catalogued a number of company failures and problems, and had made the damning conclusion: "Safety is not seen as being important at store level". Parents of Electrocuted Worker Demand New Inquest Maureen Hopkins (Mark's mother) organised a picket at the Arndale Centre store which 40 people attended. The discovery of the Report and other documents also not shown to the inquest jury has lead the Hopkins' family to DEMAND THAT A NEW INQUEST BE HELD. Legal action is now being prepared. "I think the Report should have been put before the inquest. It may have made a difference. It was horrendous to go to the Arndale McDonald's but I needed to do it in Mark's memory. I've always known there was something wrong with the outcome of the inquest into my son's death. We haven't got peace of mind and Mark can't rest in peace while this new evidence, which has come to light during the libel trial, has not been seriously investigated. I won't give up. We want a new inquest. We're not bitter against the company but we want justice for our son and I won't rest until we get it." - Maureen Hopkins Over 25 people joined a picket in Central London, organised by the Support Network for McDonald's Workers. The Network is run by a group of trade unionists in Hackney, aiming to provide advice and information, and to promote solidarity for all McDonald's workers wanting to fight for their rights. In addition, many other stores across the country, and as far afield as Canada, were leafletted with information about employment rights (particularly concerning health and safety) by trade unionists and labour movement activists and supporters. "I want every McDonald's worker to stand up for their rights, which is why I am backing this support campaign 100%. In this way, Mark's death will not have been in vain." - Maureen Hopkins ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WORLDWIDE DAY OF ACTION AGAINST McDONALD'S 16th October, 1995 October 16th 1995 was the 11th annual Worldwide Day of Action Against McDonald's (also UN 'World Food Day'). Many people around the world handed out the "What's Wrong With McDonald's" or similar leaflets, or protested against McDonald's in some other way on or around that day. UK - HALF OF McDONALD'S UK STORES LEAFLETTED There was leafletting and protests outside of approx. half of the 600 McDonald's UK stores. In addition to leafletting the public with "What's Wrong With McDonald's" leaflets, at many stores McDonald's workers were handed special leaflets expressing opposition to low pay and exploitation, and offering solidarity and encouragement to organise for their rights. 1.5 million "What's Wrong With McDonald's" leaflets have so far been handed out on the streets in the UK since the writs were served on the Mclibel Two. McDonald's attempt to suppress freedom of speech has completely backfired. McDonald's European Headquarters, London - This was recently the scene of a residents' victory: McDonald's failed in their attempt to obtain planning permission for an outlet at the HQ following fierce local opposition to their plans. At the demonstration on 16th, the 30 protesters included a person dressed in a 'litter suit' made from discarded items of McDonald's packaging, and a person dressed as a McDonald's worker, who was chained to a large mock-up burger, symbolising McDonald's exploitation of workers. Bags full of McDonald's litter were returned to the company to highlight the problems of waste, pollution and litter caused by the company's excessive packaging. Greater Manchester - 20 to 25 of the 30 stores in Greater Manchester were leafletted. Some people cycled from one store to another, and in Bolton an effigy of Ronald McDonald was hanged. West Midlands - at least 15 of the 30 stores in the Black Country were leafletted over 3 days. In Wolverhampton town centre, people flocked to a stall where activists were giving out free veggie burgers, each one wrapped in a "What's Wrong With McDonald's" leaflet. Greater London - approx. 75 of the 150 stores were leafletted. Scotland - there were pickets in Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh (a 40 strong demonstration), and Stirling. USA & CANADA There were several protests that we know of across North America: in Chicago, State College (Pennsylvannia), Montreal, Denver and Boulder (Colorado), Huntington Beach (California), Guelph (Ontario), Ashedille (North Carolina) and Keaau (Hawaii) Rock 'N' Roll McDonald's, Chicago - the demonstrators were demanding that the life-size statues of the Beatles in this outlet be removed on the grounds that Paul & Linda McCartney have donated money to the McLibel Campaign, and that both Paul McCartney and George Harrison are vegetarians. Guelph, Ontario - trade unionists, environmentalists and animal rights activists (including ex-McDonald's workers) distributed anti-McD flyers, information for the workers, and info on vegetarianism for 3 hours outside a store. The protesters lowered the Canadian and McDonald's flags to half-mast to mark the third anniversary of the death of Mark Hopkins and in memory of the millions of animals slaughtered by the fast food giant every year. AOTEAROA (NEW ZEALAND) Dunedin - 12 protesters made their presence felt at the Dunedin store, and found support from McDonald's customers and staff. They passed out leaflets critical of McDonald's global operations and called attention to the impact of its operations in Dunedin, soon to be expanded with two new outlets. There were also protests in Auckland. NORWAY Oslo - 15 people demonstrated on 14th outside McDonald's and handed out 4,000 leaflets. Trondheim - On the opening day of the second store in Trondheim (October 10th), 17 activists blocked the drive-thru with a big banners saying "Boycott McDonald's" and "McDollars". On 14th October, a demo was held at Trondheim's other store. A person dressed as Ronald McDonald with a big "McProfit" poster on his back. He handed balloons painted with "McMurder", "McDollars", "Boycott McDonald's" etc. to children, and flyers with information about McDonald's to passersby. There was also a protest in Bergen. FRANCE Champs Elysees, Paris - 16 people picketted the Champs Elysees McDonald's for 3 hours on 13th Oct with banners highlighting the links between meat eating and starvation in the third world, and the company's exploitation of workers. The managers were so incensed that they called the Chief Executive of McDonald's France and threatened to sue the protesters! They handed out over 1,000 leaflets. McDonald's are now planning to erect fences around the store! IRELAND Dublin - 7,000 leaflets were handed out by activists wearing "McGarbage" T-shirts outside the two main stores in the city centre on 16th. Local radio stations broadcast details of the demonstration throughout the day. AUSTRALIA There were benefit concerts and protests in various cities, including Sydney and Brisbane. Other demonstrations that we know of occurred in: Italy (Turin), Brazil (Sao Paulo), Portugal (Lisbon, Oporto, Aveiro), Germany (Stuttgart, Munich), Netherlands (8 actions in Amsterdam, Njmegan, Utrecht, Omlow), Greece (Athens), Belgium, Denmark (Copenhagen), Spain (Madrid, Malaga, Valencia), Finland, and various countries in Eastern Europe. If you know of any further protests against McDonald's in October (or at any other time), we would be grateful if you could let us know about them. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. McLibel Support Campaign Press Office PO Box 62 Phone/Fax 802-586-9628 Craftsbury VT 05826-0062 Email dbriars@world.std.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.interlog.com/eye/Misc/McLibel http://student.uq.edu.au:80/~s002434/mcl.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To subscribe to the "mclibel" listserve, send email To: majordomo@world.std.com Subject: Body: subscribe mclibel To unsubscribe, change the body to "unsubscribe mclibel"