Atlantic Canada — The Canadian public is furious with Tim Hortons since the company announced several cutbacks to benefits and perks for their employees after the minimum wage hike in Ontario. People are so outraged, in fact, that there has been a movement proposing to boycott the popular coffee chain every Tuesday, while still allowing themselves to indulge for the other six days per week.
“We need to show these big corporations who’s boss around here!” screamed Sharon Melanson, who was picketing outside of a Tim Hortons in Halifax this week. “So, I say we don’t come to Tims at all on Tuesdays from now on. Which really works well for me because Tuesday is a pretty busy day for me anyway.”
The Manatee was on scene at the protest in Halifax where half a dozen people stood outside chanting, “Heck no, we won’t eat your dough…on Tuesdays!” repeatedly while also yelling profanities at anyone choosing to enter the store.
“It’s insane to me that these people don’t care about the same issues that I do,” explained Melanson, who was leading the protest. “‘How do they expect things to change if they’re not part of the movement? It’s so frustrating to see them drinking their hot, satisfying coffee and eating their freshly baked, delicious-looking donuts on Tuesday when I’m here telling them that they shouldn’t.”
Our reporter spoke with one of the protesters in Melanson’s group who said he feels like this protest is finally giving his life meaning and that he’s really proud of the work he’s doing to bring justice to those scorned by the Canadian coffee giant.
“I normally go to Tims every single day, but no more,” gleefully cheered Adam Desroches. “I stopped going on Tuesdays just to stick it to them.”
When asked if he’s experienced any withdrawal as a result of the Tuesday boycott, Desroches claimed that he hasn’t really felt any negative effects at all.
“I’m a little more tired because I’ve been staying up until midnight on Tuesdays so I can hit a Timmy’s at 12:01 Wednesday morning to get my fix in,” he continued, “but, that’s really the only downside I’ve noticed.”
Melanson hopes to see more people jump into this movement soon, and together they’ll “show the company that they can’t have their Timbits and eat them too.”