Tecoma takes fight to Chicago

The residents of Tecoma, in the Dandenong Ranges, are still fighting against an attempt by McDonald’s to open an outlet in their suburb. In recent weeks, they have taken serious steps forward in their David vs. Goliath struggle against the global hamburger giant.

Representatives of the campaign travelled to Chicago to visit the McDonald’s corporate headquarters and present a petition demanding that the company respect the wishes of the town. Their petition has to date gathered nearly 100,000 signatures from around the world. More than $40,000 was raised in donations to fund the trip and pay for a half-page ad in the Chicago Tribune.

People around the world, aware of the destructive impact McDonald’s has on workers and communities globally, have found inspiration in this battle.

While in Chicago, the Tecoma representatives met with the Workers Organizing Committee of Chicago, which has been making headlines with its Fight for 15 campaign. Fight for 15 is organising low wage workers in the fast food and retail industries to campaign for a $15 an hour minimum wage. The US federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 an hour. McDonald’s pays most of its workers at this rate while raking in billions in profits.

In Melbourne, eight activists are tied up in the courts as McDonald’s lawyers scramble for a means to shut down the ongoing protest at the Tecoma site. The Supreme Court has upheld an injunction banning the eight from the site, and has directed the parties to seek mediation. If this fails, they’ll be back in the Supreme Court.

One glimmer of hope is that McDonald’s has dropped its claims for damages against the protesters, and is now pushing only for legal costs and a permanent injunction. This is still a major attack on the ability of Tecoma residents to resist corporate invasion. But it shows that McDonald’s isn’t immune to public pressure and that there is still potential to shut down the McDonald’s site for good.