Canadians Do Canadian Thing, Boycott Tim Hortons Over Labor Practices

By  Kate Bernot

It's hard to wrap one's American brain around the scenario playing out in our northern neighbor this week: Some Canadians are staging a boycott of beloved homegrown coffee franchise Tim Hortons over reports that a few franchisees have rolled back benefits and employee breaks following Ontario's minimum wage hike, according to the CBC.

Imagine Americans giving enough of a shit about wages or labor laws to stop buying McDonald's? Unfathomable. Case in point: Remember the Chick-Fil-A "pushback" in 2012 following the chief operating officer's public opposition to gay marriage? America is still scarfing chicken sandwiches.

Canadians' affection for Tim Hortons runs deep, but that didn't stop some from calling for a #NoTimmysTuesday on social media yesterday.

The CBC reports that labor activists have organized demonstrations at multiple Tim Hortons locations today, continuing yesterday's momentum. And while some on social media are mocking the campaign as sissy liberal outrage, the CBC quotes a retail analyst who says the backlash could spell real trouble for the coffee chain.

Here in the U.S., The Fight For $15 campaign has united thousands of McDonald's employees across the country who demand a $15 minimum wage for their work. While most Americans are undoubtedly aware that burger-flipping jobs don't pay a living wage, we're unlikely to see a #NoMcDsMonday here anytime soon.

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