Over 700 current and former McDonald’s employees are suing the company over serious allegations of sexual abuse and harassment.
Birmingham: So, there’s this huge scandal brewing at McDonald’s. Over 700 current and former employees are taking legal action against the fast-food giant. They’re claiming that they faced sexual abuse, especially when they were teenagers.
This all comes just a year after the UK chief, Alistair Macrow, apologized for similar accusations. It’s pretty shocking, right? The allegations include some really disturbing stuff, like “sex for shifts.” In Parliament, McDonald’s was called a “predators’ paradise.”
Despite promising to tackle these issues, it seems like the bad behavior hasn’t stopped. Reports say that one manager even offered a worker extra shifts in exchange for sex. That’s just wild!
There are also claims of discrimination, homophobia, and racism. Some staff say they were asked inappropriate questions about their sexual history. It’s a tough situation, especially since about 90% of these workers are on zero-hour contracts, making them feel really vulnerable.
Last November, Macrow admitted to receiving around 400 complaints but revealed that only 75 allegations were investigated, with just 29 staff members dismissed. That’s not a great track record.
One young woman, Claire (not her real name), shared her experience of being asked for sex by a shift manager when she was just 17. She said it was totally inappropriate. Another worker quit after being sexually harassed and told to “suck it up” when she reported it. Can you believe that?
Macrow did apologize again, calling the testimonies “truly horrific.” But it seems like the culture at some locations is still pretty toxic. One worker even mentioned that older male staff would make bets on who could sleep with new starters. That’s just unacceptable.
Another employee shared that they faced homophobic abuse and were told to leave if they couldn’t handle it. It’s clear that there are serious issues that need addressing.
Leigh Day, the law firm representing these workers, says that since the original investigation, more than 700 young employees have come forward. Macrow insists that there’s no place for such behavior in the company, but many are skeptical.
He claims these incidents are isolated, but others argue there’s a pattern of abuse. It’s a tough situation, and it looks like McDonald’s has a lot of work to do to fix this mess.
