KFC and Pizza Hut closed in Nepal as staff threatens to kill branch managers

[Terminator X]

Bravo. Even a few days' worth of no business has a negative effect on the pockets of the owners. :thumbup1: (and I don't want to hear the contrarians complain that the associated costs will be recouped by cutting wages - this is direct action at its finest.)


All four KFC and Pizza Hut restaurants in Nepal shut down on Tuesday saying that staff had attacked and threatened to kill branch managers.

Devyani International, which operates outlets of KFC and Pizza Hut in Nepal and neighbouring India, wrote a letter to authorities announcing the immediate closure of its eateries in the capital Kathmandu.

“In order to disrupt our operations, some staff have physically attacked and threatened to kill the senior managers,” the company said in a letter leaked to local media and seen by AFP.

“These acts have put the life of senior managers at risk. To maintain the safety of our restaurants and the staff, we have shut down our services for an indefinite period,” it said.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/08/14/kfc-and-pizza-hut-closed-in-nepal-as-staff-threatens-to-kill-branch-managers/

[DasFapital]

those KFC Famous Bowls are enough to drive anyone to murder

[Os Cangaceiros]

(and I don't want to hear the contrarians complain that the associated costs will be recouped by cutting wages - this is direct action at its finest.)

Cutting wages? There won't be anymore wages, seeing as how the branch in shutting down completely.

I mean, it's a fun story and all, but the implications for the employees is still pretty grim. Assuming they actually needed their jobs at Pizza Hut/KFC

[Terminator X]

Cutting wages? There won't be anymore wages, seeing as how the branch in shutting down completely.

I mean, it's a fun story and all, but the implications for the employees is still pretty grim. Assuming they actually needed their jobs at Pizza Hut/KFC

Most strikes/walkouts/actions against management end up having grim implications for the workers in the short term. Should we stop? No, because the prospect of shutting down the entire operation indefinitely has an even bigger effect on management. I'm sure these workers were paid absolute shit wages - but it likely had a tenfold effect on profit. (There's also the added bonus of scaring the absolute piss out of the bosses in the process with the death threats and all.)

[The_Red_Spark]

Some people make the point that people in underdeveloped nations are happy to have their jobs regardless of conditions and wages, or that they are better off than they were before Capitalism came knocking. To me that is like saying something as ridiculous as slaves were better off under slavery than before or after slavery. It is absurd and ridiculous to make that a point of contention when they could live much better if the standard work conditions and wages in advanced nations were applied there, just as former slaves lives improved once they received human rights and earned equivalent wages.

Of course the transition in the interim period are tough and a struggle in underdeveloped countries when they wage class war against the Capitalists; but underdeveloped nations work conditions and wages are the modern day equivalent of 19th century conditions under slavery. This fact is lost on modern society the same way as pre-abolitionist society was fairly ignorant and even tolerant of the actual conditions of slavery. That makes us the abolitionists of our time.;)

[Os Cangaceiros]

No, because the prospect of shutting down the entire operation indefinitely has an even bigger effect on management. I'm sure these workers were paid absolute shit wages - but it likely had a tenfold effect on profit. (There's also the added bonus of scaring the absolute piss out of the bosses in the process with the death threats and all.)

The bosses will be able to take this on the chin no problem. Pizza Hut/KFC is a massive international franchise, they've obviously already done the cost-benefit analysis on this matter and simply decided to shut everything down in Katmandu.

The employees may or may not be able to take it on the chin, though. They got paid shit wages, yes, but in much of the developed world the option before you is whether you want to be paid shit wages or no wages. It's depressing, but there you have it.

That's not to say that you shouldn't do anything to fight for whatever leverage you can get in the workplace, but this story appears like some of Pizza Hut/KFC's employees tried to leverage the corporation a particular way, Pizza Hut/KFC called their bluff and went packing, and now Pizza Hut/KFC will continue puttering along like nothing happened, while the workers...well, who knows...

[Ocean Seal]

The bosses will be able to take this on the chin no problem. Pizza Hut/KFC is a massive international franchise, they've obviously already done the cost-benefit analysis on this matter and simply decided to shut everything down in Katmandu.

The employees may or may not be able to take it on the chin, though. They got paid shit wages, yes, but in much of the developed world the option before you is whether you want to be paid shit wages or no wages. It's depressing, but there you have it.

That's not to say that you shouldn't do anything to fight for whatever leverage you can get in the workplace, but this story appears like some of Pizza Hut/KFC's employees tried to leverage the corporation a particular way, Pizza Hut/KFC called their bluff and went packing, and now Pizza Hut/KFC will continue puttering along like nothing happened, while the workers...well, who knows...
As an honest question, because it sounds quite depressing... Is there anything that the workers can do besides bluff?

[The_Red_Spark]

As an honest question, because it sounds quite depressing... Is there anything that the workers can do besides bluff?
I understand the local implications are questionable at best but consider the international implications of such bold action on the part of these workers. It sends a clear message to the franchises, other franchises with similar exposure to such actions, and to the workers of the world in general. These people should be commended and it is terrible that we cannot do something to support them on this matter. If it was to become a trend it would have huge implications.