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| More than 700 McDonald’s workers join legal action over harassment claims | More than 700 McDonald’s workers join legal action over harassment claims |
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| Hundreds of UK restaurants cited in allegations of discrimination, homophobia and sexual harassment | Hundreds of UK restaurants cited in allegations of discrimination, homophobia and sexual harassment |
| More than 700 junior McDonald’s workers have joined legal action against the fast-food chain after allegations of widespread discrimination, homophobia and sexual harassment at its restaurants across the UK. | |
| Hundreds of current and former crew members – some as young as 19 – have instructed the law firm Leigh Day to take action on their behalf, in a move that has implicated more than 450 of its outlets in Britain. | |
| Complainants have been coming forward after an investigation a year ago by the BBC, which on Tuesday claimed that workers at the chain were still facing sexual abuse and harassment despite a promise from McDonald’s to address the concerns after they were first raised. | Complainants have been coming forward after an investigation a year ago by the BBC, which on Tuesday claimed that workers at the chain were still facing sexual abuse and harassment despite a promise from McDonald’s to address the concerns after they were first raised. |
| The fresh allegations and legal claim are likely to be front and centre when the UK boss of McDonald’s, Alistair Macrow, faces MPs on the business and trade committee on Tuesday afternoon. McDonald’s is one of the UK’s largest private sector employers, with 168,000 people working at more than 1,400 restaurants. | The fresh allegations and legal claim are likely to be front and centre when the UK boss of McDonald’s, Alistair Macrow, faces MPs on the business and trade committee on Tuesday afternoon. McDonald’s is one of the UK’s largest private sector employers, with 168,000 people working at more than 1,400 restaurants. |
| McDonald’s said: “We have repeatedly asked the BBC to provide details of the deeply troubling cases they have outlined, to allow us to carry out full investigations, which we have not received. We understand the majority of these cases took place more than 12 months ago.” | McDonald’s said: “We have repeatedly asked the BBC to provide details of the deeply troubling cases they have outlined, to allow us to carry out full investigations, which we have not received. We understand the majority of these cases took place more than 12 months ago.” |
| One of Leigh Day’s 19-year-old clients said they had been subject to homophobic comments from managers and other crew members. | One of Leigh Day’s 19-year-old clients said they had been subject to homophobic comments from managers and other crew members. |
| “I feel as though I can’t speak to any managers about it,” he said. “My manager said if I can’t deal with it, I should just leave the job. Things said to me shouldn’t be said to anyone, I’ve been called names like ‘faggot’. These comments make me feel really uncomfortable – I hate working there.” | “I feel as though I can’t speak to any managers about it,” he said. “My manager said if I can’t deal with it, I should just leave the job. Things said to me shouldn’t be said to anyone, I’ve been called names like ‘faggot’. These comments make me feel really uncomfortable – I hate working there.” |
| Another client, who left his job at a McDonald’s branch in the Midlands last year, told the BBC he was bullied for having a learning disability and an eye condition. He also said he had witnessed managers and staff being racist to other employees, and that managers had tried to “touch other staff up”. | Another client, who left his job at a McDonald’s branch in the Midlands last year, told the BBC he was bullied for having a learning disability and an eye condition. He also said he had witnessed managers and staff being racist to other employees, and that managers had tried to “touch other staff up”. |
| Leigh Day said other examples of harassment included a young worker repeatedly being pestered for sex, and another being asked sexual questions including how many people they had slept with. | Leigh Day said other examples of harassment included a young worker repeatedly being pestered for sex, and another being asked sexual questions including how many people they had slept with. |
| One manager is said to have preyed on young female workers, while another allegedly made racist comments such as whether staff would steal from the company because of where they were from. | One manager is said to have preyed on young female workers, while another allegedly made racist comments such as whether staff would steal from the company because of where they were from. |
| Ongoing complaints about harassment and discrimination have also caught the attention of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which said it had received complaints about 300 reported incidents of harassment since the BBC’s original investigation in 2023. | |
| The EHRC said it was ramping up its intervention. “We are actively working with McDonald’s to update our ongoing legal agreement in light of serious allegations raised by our work with the company, and the BBC investigation,” the watchdog told the news broadcaster. | |
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| A McDonald’s spokesperson said: “Ensuring the 168,000 people that work in McDonald’s restaurants are safe is the most important responsibility for both us and our franchisees, and we have undertaken extensive work over the last year to ensure we have industry leading practices in place to support this priority. | A McDonald’s spokesperson said: “Ensuring the 168,000 people that work in McDonald’s restaurants are safe is the most important responsibility for both us and our franchisees, and we have undertaken extensive work over the last year to ensure we have industry leading practices in place to support this priority. |
| “Any incident of misconduct and harassment is unacceptable and subject to rapid and thorough investigation and action.” | “Any incident of misconduct and harassment is unacceptable and subject to rapid and thorough investigation and action.” |
| McDonald’s said it had hired its first head of safeguarding and had rolled out company-wide programmes to improve safeguarding, awareness and training. That includes a digital whistleblowing channel called Red Flags, and an investigations handling unit “dedicated to rooting out any behaviour that falls below the high standards we demand of everyone at McDonald’s”. | McDonald’s said it had hired its first head of safeguarding and had rolled out company-wide programmes to improve safeguarding, awareness and training. That includes a digital whistleblowing channel called Red Flags, and an investigations handling unit “dedicated to rooting out any behaviour that falls below the high standards we demand of everyone at McDonald’s”. |
| The spokesperson added: “We are confident that we are taking significant and important steps to tackle the unacceptable behaviours facing every organisation. | |
| “We are encouraged that our latest anonymous employee survey showed that 92% of our and our franchisees’ people are now comfortable speaking up, and 93% believe management will act. However, we know that we must be constantly vigilant, and we will challenge and confront any behaviour that falls below those standards.” | “We are encouraged that our latest anonymous employee survey showed that 92% of our and our franchisees’ people are now comfortable speaking up, and 93% believe management will act. However, we know that we must be constantly vigilant, and we will challenge and confront any behaviour that falls below those standards.” |