McDonald's accused of failing to tackle staff harassment

Five trade unions have reported McDonald's to the UK's National Contact Point alleging repeated harassment of mostly teenage staff; the NCP has said the complaint warrants further consideration and will offer voluntary mediation.

Fast food firm McDonald's is facing a formal grievance from five trade unions that says young staff have been subjected to repeated harassment at UK restaurants. The unions first lodged their complaint in February 2024 after press reporting and investigations raised concerns about workplace treatment. The UK's National Contact Point (NCP) has determined the grievance warrants further consideration and will offer mediation to the parties. McDonald's has acknowledged issues publicly, apologised, and said it is reviewing complaints while also noting most UK outlets are franchised. Key points: - Five trade unions, including the Bakers Union (BFAWU) and the Trades Union Congress (TUC), reported McDonald's to the NCP under OECD guidelines, supported by the Corporate Justice Coalition and other international unions. - The unions allege repeated gender-based harassment and discrimination affecting junior staff, many of whom they say were teenagers, with concerns raised from reports dating back to 2019 and media investigations. - The NCP has not made a finding against McDonald's but ruled the grievance should be considered further and will offer voluntary mediation to all parties. - McDonald's has said franchised restaurants make up the majority of UK branches and raised limits on the NCP process because franchises are not named parties; the NCP noted the issues were reported in both company-owned and franchised sites. - More than 700 current and former employees are separately pursuing legal action, and McDonald's has said it has apologised, set up a unit to investigate complaints, and introduced new manager training on sexual harassment. Summary: The NCP's decision means the unions' complaint will move into a process where mediation is offered, but this is voluntary and is not a formal finding against McDonald's. If mediation is declined, the NCP has said it will re-examine the initial complaint; the longer-term outcome is undetermined at this time.