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The protest began outside with a press conference, against a backdrop of banners and punctuated by bullhorn-led chants like "Hey, hey, ho, ho--this applications has got to go!" and "America runs on justice!"
Applicants to Dunkin' Donuts must sign a form that says in part: "I understand and agree" that "Dunkin' Donuts may end the employment relationship at any time, for any reason…" The applications of other area businesses include similar language.
But such forced acknowledgements are factually incorrect, since state and federal anti-discrimination and other laws prohibit employees from being fired on account of their race, gender or religion; because they belong to the National Guard or try to form a union, and for other reasons.
"Asking workers to sign away all their rights is a blatant example of arrogant employers attempting to turn back the clock to 19th century labor practices, when the employer had all the power and workers had no rights," said Food AND Medicine (FAM) director Jack McKay.
McKay added: "Obviously, federal, state or local laws would trump Dunkin Donuts' bogus contract, but the damage is already done. Dunkin Donuts is aiming at workers' sense of rights, self-worth and expectation of fair treatment at work. This behavior totally flies in the face of Maine values."
The protest was covered by TV station WABI-Channel 5 and the Bangor Daily News. A story (with photo) appeared the next day on the front page of the News' business section. FAM representatives used the press conference to announce the launching of the Worker Center's new worker rights hotline (1-866-933-WCEM) and to promote FAM's May Day celebration, being held a few days later. An op-ed by FAM secretary William Rice raising the application issue appeared in the News the morning of the protest.
FAM intern Martin Chartrand said, "This contract is a subtle way to train young workers to believe that businesses hold all the power, and as employees we are at their mercy. Dunkin' Donuts' [application] policy looks very authoritative, and if I needed a job I probably wouldn't question it. But being part of a group challenging it, I can see that it is a violation of basic rights."
In addition to FAM and its Worker Center project, groups represented in the protest included the Eastern Maine Labor Council, the United Steel Workers union, the Maine Women's Lobby and the Maine People's Alliance. Several of the groups had representatives speak in the press conference.
According to the News account, Dunkin' Donuts issued an email statement after the protest, claiming that it and its franchisees followed all relevant employment laws. The News quoted a representative of the Maine Department of Labor noting that workers can't sign away their rights.
After leading the march into the restaurant, McKay handed letters to the receptive-looking employees behind the counter, explaining the grounds for the protest and offering support for any worker seeking justice on the job. A manager then emerged from the back, ordering the protesters out of the building and her workers into the back room.
She also apparently called the police, because soon after a cruiser pulled into the parking lot, which she greeted. By that time, the protest was over and the protestors had dispersed.
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