TimHortonsfranchiseessay companywon’tmeetwiththem

A coalition of rebellious Tim Hortons franchisees is accusing the fast-food giant’s parent company Restaurant Brands International Inc. of trying to sideline the group by refusing to recognize it and stonewalling efforts to meet and mend their relationship.

In a letter obtained by The Canadian Press, the Great White North Franchisee Association told its members it has sent emails to Tim Hortons President Alex Macedo requesting a meeting, but has found Macedo has “no interest” in sitting down with them. GWNFA’s letter said its attempts to meet and work together have also been rebuffed by the company’s advisory board, which is elected by secret ballot and meant to represent all Tim Hortons franchisees.

On Thursday, GWNFA spokesperson Patti Jameson said the company has so far only been open to meeting with association president David Hughes as an individual restaurant owner and not as a leader of the organization.

“We are very disappointed and surprised,” she said. “We continue to have well over 50 per cent of franchisees as part of the association and yet they still seem to want to exclude one half of the chain by refusing to recognize the association and we find that very disappointing and perturbing.”

Tim Hortons’ chief corporate officer Duncan Fulton told The Canadian Press that GWNFA’s claims are “false” and “disappointing” and said that Macedo and Hughes spoke on the phone recently for 45 minutes — a call that Jameson also confirmed but refused to share details about.

“Mr. Macedo offered to clear his entire afternoon to give Mr. Hughes, as a restaurant owner, as much time to raise any issues that he wanted and Mr. Hughes declined to raise any issues at that time,” said Fulton.

“Every effort continues to be made by the company and certainly by the advisory board to take any issues raised by owners, so the suggestion that that is not happening is categorically and completely untrue.”

Tensions have been flaring between Tim Hortons and GWNFA for months.

The two sides have sparred publicly over everything from alleged misuse of a national advertising fund to cuts to employee benefits after Ontario’s minimum wage hike, but their spats had quieted after Macedo vowed to improve relations back in May and criss-crossed the country to meet with franchisees in a bid to regain their trust.