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A union representing food and other workers said last night it wants security of hours included in a new collective agreement with fast food giant McDonald's.
It was commenting on a recent Christchurch Employment Relations Authority decision giving a former employee at McDonald's in Kaiapoi $15,000 compensation.
The authority found that Chantelle Coup was constructively dismissed after joining the union Unite.
Ms Coup, 18, worked for McDonald's from December 2006 until she resigned the following August, two months after she and a number of other Kaiapoi McDonald's employees joined the union.
Unite national director Mike Treen said in a statement tonight the union often had problems with McDonald's franchise operators.
He claimed they often took the decision of their employees to join the union as a personal affront.
Mr Treen noted that authority said the youngsters at McDonald's in Kaiapoi were particularly vulnerable because they had no fixed hours of work and could be disadvantaged easily if their boss wanted to punish them for some reason.
"That is one reason we want security of hours included in their new collective agreement with McDonald's."
- NZPA
