Writing that “Real jobs don’t underpay and overwork people like BK does” she is facing the wrath of her multinational employers. Simply, they don’t like public criticism of the way they treat their employees, even if it appears on social media like Facebook. It’s also a sign that other workers, besides Tyler, are disgruntled with their wages and conditions and that the company isn’t listening. After all, four fellow BK workers signalled that they liked Tyler’s posting.

Personally I would advise Tyler to have been more cautious with her posting. Employers in this day and age will look for any sign of disloyalty and if they get handed information about a worker dissing them on Facebook or other social media, then they are out. I haven’t read the full details but I do know that as a Facebook user, you can control who sees your Facebook page and postings. If Tyler had her Facebook page set to viewable by all users, then she would have been vulnerable.

Still Burger King is going over the top. I would like to point out that if consumers have complaints about BK, then doesn’t BK have to take them seriously? It’s a different story when it comes to worker complaints though. In some businesses, worker complaints about conditions are sometimes ignored. I wonder if that has happened in Tyler’s case. Nontheless, Tyler has a human right to vent her frustrations about her employers, even if it’s on Facebook. Some internet and employment law experts say that Tyler and others who vent their employee grievances on social media do so at their own risk as, in their view, it’s the equivalent of a public noticeboard.

However, I agree with Unite Union national director Mike Treen who told the Otago Daily Times that Facebook discussions are the equivalent of a ‘pub discussion’. Workers throughout New Zealand should be concerned about their right to criticise their employer in a private space. People’s Facebook pages should be regarded as just that, their private space. It’s also been pointed out that BK operates it’s own Facebook page and they are able to freely spout their company propaganda.

So, as the old saying goes, if it’s good for the goose, it should be good for the gander. It’s time for Burger King to stop it’s disciplinary proceedings and listen to workers like Tyler. All power to her and the BK workforce!