Simon Oosterman

Simon Oosterman
Simon Oosterman speaking at an Auckland protest against the 2007 New Zealand anti-terror raids
Born	1980 New Zealand
Known for	Social and political activism

Simon Oosterman is a New Zealand political activist, trade unionist, and anarchist. He is best known for co-ordinating the Unite Union campaign Supersizemypay.com which targeted the fast food industry and advocated for the abolition of youth rates and a $12 minimum wage, and the world's first Starbucks strike, and for his involvement in the World Naked Bike Ride on which he was arrested for indecent exposure.

He also previously worked as a media liaison in Auckland for the National Distribution Union and the ShelfRespect.org supermarket pay campaign.

Oosterman grew up in Ramarama, an area south of Drury, and on a farm in Rerewhakaaitu, south of Rotorua. Simon and his siblings, twin brother Paul, older brother Jonathan and sister Kate, were put through private schools by their mother Allison, a journalist and now lecturer of communications at AUT University in Auckland. She told Metro magazine that she wanted the best education for them and "remarkably" was able to send them to King's School (Jonathan), Southwell School (Paul & Simon) and King's College (Jonathan, Paul & Simon) and St Cuthbert's College (Kate) despite being on her own after she and her husband separated when the twins were nine months old.

Oosterman studied for a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Women's studies but pulled out of a Masters in Environmental sociology to join an anti-war protest (below).

He has been a prominent animal rights and anti-genetic engineering activist, and has been involved in climate change issues. Simon Oosterman is credited with organising the 'Supersizemypay.com' campaign for the world's first Starbucks strike, as well as coining the name and designing its website.