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Union leadership to meet today on KFC boycott

Bermuda Industrial Union members make a second stand to protest outside KFC on Saturday morning, calling on residents to boycott the restaurant due to a dispute with management. (Photo by Akil Simmons) April 14, 2012

The Bermuda Industrial Union is due to have a meeting today about an ongoing dispute with Kentucky Fried Chicken.The news came after the union handed out flyers outside the fast food restaurant on Friday and Saturday.Asked what will happen next, union President Chris Furbert said: “We will be having our executive board meeting on Monday and will assess what we will do.”The BIU is calling on customers to boycott KFC due to a dispute with management. Mr Furbert was joined by five other members in handing out leaflets next to the Queen Street premises on Saturday morning.The flyer alleges that “after 40 years of a good working relationship with KFC, management now says the benefits that the workers have earned will be reversed”.Mr Furbert told The Royal Gazette: “For the next couple of hours we are going to be handing out flyers to the public about the situation here at KFC.“If the public has any questions they would like to ask us, we will give them the information that’s needed to support the boycott.”Mr Furbert alleged last week that KFC management terminated a collective bargaining agreement with the union and refused a request to send the dispute to arbitration.KFC has been seeking legal advice over the matter. Director Jason Benevides said the company “remains willing to sit down with the BIU”.He also commented: “KFC was disappointed to learn of the flyers distributed by Mr Furbert which were seemingly intended to defame the company with vague accusations and half-truths.”There was a steady stream of customers at the restaurant on Saturday, dispute the protest. Asked if that disappointed him, Mr Furbert replied: “People have choices. People are going to choose support it or not. They still have freedom of choice.”