A group of British trade unions has said McDonald’s has breached international labour standards by failing to tackle sexual harassment in its UK restaurants and franchises.
This follows a BBC investigation which revealed a toxic culture at the fast food chain in 2023. It emerged that employees, some as young as 17, were subjected to indecent touching and insults.
McDonald’s employees told us last year that they continue to face sexual assault and harassment.
Unions complained to an independent unit within the government, which has now offered to step in and mediate between the unions and McDonald’s.
The fast food restaurant chain said it is “reviewing the information and considering next steps.”
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The union’s complaint was referred to the UK’s National Contact Point (NCP), an independent arm of the Department for Business and Trade that includes both civil servants and external staff.
After a preliminary assessment, the UK NCP has decided that the complaint merits further consideration and will now offer mediation to both parties.
Five unions (including the Bakers’ Union and the TUC) and the Coalition for Corporate Justice say: the February 2024 complaint triggered the BBC investigation itself.
The complaint says there is “new evidence of sustained, deep-rooted gender discrimination” at McDonald’s restaurants, in breach of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines.
The document describes “repeated instances” of harassment of McDonald’s workers, “most of whom are teenagers.” Managers are also accused of failing to help stop such behaviour.
The Department of Business and Commerce emphasised that the decision to accept the complaint is not an official finding against McDonald’s. Nor does it mean that the agency believes the company’s actions violate OECD guidelines.
It was stated that the offer of mediation was voluntary and if either party declined to participate, the UK NCP would investigate the complaint further.
‘Appalling’ allegations
Ian Hodson, president of the Bakers’ Union, said the stories uncovered in the BBC investigation were “appalling” and “helped shine a light on the issue of workplace harassment”.
“Their voices must be heard. Everyone deserves the right to be safe when they go to work.”
Louise Schroeter, senior policy director at the Coalition for Corporate Justice, emphasised that harassment at McDonald’s “must stop”.
“Workers and their unions are key to stopping these systemic abuses and must not be sidelined,” she said.
Following the BBC’s first investigation, McDonald’s apologised and set up a new complaints department. But since then, more than 160 people have come forward with new allegations against the BBC and the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has recorded 300 reports of harassment.
Last January, McDonald’s workers told us they were still facing sexual harassment – more than a year after the chain’s chief executive promised tough action against companies. More than 700 current and former junior staff are now suing the firm.
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Kieran Daurka, an employment law partner at law firm Leigh Day, which is representing Int. Heresy employees, says her clients are accusing McDonald’s of failing to protect them.
In November, the equality watchdog organisation said McDonald’s would introduce new training for managers on preventing sexual harassment.
This is part of enhanced measures agreed with the agency to protect employees from abuse. At the time, McDonald’s said it welcomed the measures, adding that they would “build on the significant progress we have already made in this area”.
Commenting on the latest developments, a McDonald’s spokesperson said:
“We are aware of the NCP’s previous assessment and continue to engage constructively through the OECD process. We are reviewing the information and considering next steps.”
For five months while the BBC’s investigation into 2023 was ongoing, journalists approached McDonald’s workers to ask about their experiences of working there.
Of the more than 100 allegations from workers we spoke to, 31 related to sexual violence, 78 to sexual harassment.
We also heard 18 allegations of racism and six people said they were homophobic.