National Distribution Union members at Cambridge decided to strike after rejecting the company’s offer of a two-year contract, with a 2.2 percent pay raise for the first year, and a second-year increase to be solely determined by the company. Strikers held placards saying “5% for us,” a raise above the 4 percent current rate of inflation. The contract would also remove the present long-service entitlement of an annual week’s vacation, replacing it with one day off on a worker’s birthday. Strikers hailed from Pacific Island nations, India, Fiji, the Philippines, China, Cambodia and Korea, as well as from New Zealand.

—Colin Parker  
 
 
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