McDonald’s Acknowledges “One or Two” Harassment Complaints Weekly; Pledges Vigorous Action
Written by Sanjay Kumar
In a parliamentary committee hearing on Tuesday (November 14), Alistair Macrow, Chief Executive of McDonald’s UK and Ireland, revealed that the global fast-food giant faces “one to two” sexual harassment complaints from workers each week. The acknowledgment comes in the wake of a BBC exposé that shed light on numerous allegations of sexual misconduct, racism, and bullying within the company’s British outlets.
Macrow expressed his commitment to addressing the issue, acknowledging the “truly horrific and hard to listen to” nature of the employees’ accounts. He disclosed that the company also receives approximately five reports of bullying per week.
The revelations follow McDonald’s internal investigations, triggered by the BBC report in July, which detailed claims of routine groping and harassment. The company has taken disciplinary measures against 18 employees and is currently examining 249 cases out of the 157 reported.
Despite McDonald’s proactive measures, union leaders asserted during the hearing that the situation has not improved since the internal probes were initiated. They alleged a historical use of out-of-court settlements, including non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), to handle such allegations.
Law firm Leigh Day has recently launched group legal action against McDonald’s on behalf of affected employees. The company responded by opening a specialist unit to investigate the allegations, based on the accounts of around 100 staff members.
During the parliamentary session, Macrow reiterated his determination to eradicate such behaviors from the company and pledged to identify and remove individuals responsible for harassment.
However, union leaders contested these assurances, claiming that McDonald’s has a track record of using NDAs and settlements to address harassment allegations. The Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union made similar allegations four years ago, stating that over 1,000 female employees were victims of harassment and abuse.
The BBC investigation this year further revealed that female employees under the age of 18 reported instances of sexual or emotional harassment. One former employee, Shelby, shared her experience of constant inappropriate touching by older male colleagues when she started working at McDonald’s at the age of 16.
With 177,000 employees in the UK, many of whom are young workers, including teenagers, McDonald’s faces increasing scrutiny over its handling of harassment allegations and the effectiveness of its internal investigations. The company continues to grapple with the aftermath of the BBC report and strives to rebuild trust among its workforce.
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