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The Dunedin woman who became an international cause celebre after being fired from a Subway restaurant says there's no way she'd work there again.
Jackie Lang was sacked from her full-time job at George St Subway in March for sharing a soft drink while consoling an upset friend on a break. She told the Herald on Sunday : "I wouldn't want to go back there after all that has happened."
She's also spurning subs from now on. "After working there for two years there's plenty of other food I'd eat first. I used to make my own sandwiches to take to work anyway and I still do."
Police dropped a theft charge against Lang last Thursday after a week of international pressure.
Lang's story ricocheted around the internet, gaining media coverage as far away as Germany and sparking online blogger petitions to boycott the multinational filled roll chain.
Meanwhile, Subway rushed to distance itself from the independent George St franchise.
At home, the Otago Univerity branch of Young Labour organised a protest march last Thursday and collected more than 200 signatures for a petition.
Lang was flabbergasted by the attention. "I thought that people I knew would probably support me but I wasn't expecting so much feeling from complete strangers from around the world. I certainly wasn't expecting it to end up on TV in Germany...
"It was a shock to see people were doing small protest stuff in California and that people are donating money for legal fees, and blogging about this."
She wants to thank her supporters. "It's been overwhelming and I appreciate the support very much. It's been such a pleasant surprise."
She supported the boycott call for the George St branch, but not for the whole chain.
"There are probably good Subway owners out there and I don't think they should be punished for what [my ex-managers] have done."
Lang has taken a personal grievance action against her former bosses. She said the ordeal had taken over her life for the past two months, interrupted her studies and put her deeper in debt - though bringing her closer to her bank manager.
"My bank manager rang me and told me she was proud that I'd stood up for myself."
Now in a new job, she's been trying to maintain her normal life. "I'm just getting on with things."
