LONDON – More than 700 young workers are suing McDonald’s UK after widespread harassment claims were exposed in the media in 2023, law firm Leigh Day said on Tuesday.
“Clients have described experiences of discrimination, homophobia, racism, ableism, and harassment,” the legal firm said in a press release, saying more than 450 restaurants were involved.
It follows a BBC investigation in July 2023 highlighting the testimonies of those affected.
The fast-food chain is one of Britain’s largest employers with around 170,000 staff, many of whom are young workers, including teenagers.
“Those allegations described are abhorrent, unacceptable and there is no place for them in McDonald’s,” Alistair Macrow, chief executive of McDonald’s UK and Ireland, told British MPs on Tuesday when questioned about the claims during a hearing over the separate issue of employment rights.
He added that 29 workers have been dismissed over sexual harassment allegations in the past year.
Macrow told a parliamentary committee in November 2023 that he was “absolutely determined to root out any of these behaviours” and the firm opened a specialist unit to investigate the allegations.
But unions told the same parliamentary committee it had not improved the situation.
The fast-food giant also said it had set up an online system to allow employees at company-owned and franchised restaurants to speak up confidentially.
“I’ve had to deal with homophobic comments from managers and crew members,” said a 19-year-old unnamed employee quoted in Leigh Day’s statement.
“My manager said if I can’t deal with it, I should just leave the job,” he added.
The law firm said another young worker claimed to have been repeatedly pestered for sex, and another claim involved a manager touching young staff inappropriately during shifts.
McDonald’s UK faced harassment claims in 2019 when the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union alleged that more than 1,000 female employees had been victims of sexual harassment and abuse. – AFP
