Kent News - Burger bosses want ban 'McJob' from UK dictionary

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Thursday, March 11 2010, 9:46

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Burger bosses want ban 'McJob' from UK dictionary

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Not Lovin' It.... campaign to end McJob

More thanb a McJob says Matthew Howe, left

Bosses at fast food giant McDonald’s chose Canterbury to launch a nationwide bid to get rid of the term ‘McJob’, which they say insults thousands of honest workers across Britain.

The company has organised a national petition calling for UK dictionaries to drop the existing definition of the word “an unstimulating low-paid job with few prospects, esp. one created by the expansion of the service sector”.

The term “McJob” was invented by Canadian author Douglas Copeland in his 1991 novel “Generation X: Tales Of An Accelerated Culture”.

McDonald’s Vice President Matthew Howe - the man behind the company slogan “I’m lovin’ it” said he felt the term was an insult to the 67,000 employees.

“It’s about time the definition was changed,” said Mr Howe.

“It is offensive not only to McDonald’s staff but also to the whole service sector which supplies many people with a start to their working lives and helps develop there skills, espe-cially in relation to working withy members of the public.”

Today’s launch took place in Canterbury, with an audio-visual display on a portable big screen and staff from the restaurant presenting the petition to passers by.

Paul Crocker runs the franchise in the city along with five others in Kent.

He said: “I enjoy the buzz of the job - it’s almost a cliche within McDonald's but we do have a busy, vibrant atmosphere with plenty of interaction between staff and customers.

“I feel most members of the public do not regard the people serving their food as having ‘McJob’s’ - in fact they show their appreciation in words and by leaving tips.

“To my mind the whole ‘McJobs’ thing is outdated and long gone.”

Lindsey Shaw spent today in Canterbury High Street, asking people to sign her petition and giving away purple balloons.

“Most people have been great,” she said. “I has one rude woman going on about ‘Ameri-can companies’ but she was certainly the exception.”

POSTED: 24/05/2007 13:26:20

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