McDonald’s Italy: reality vs. media hype

In Italy, 80% of McDonald’s’ workers have a part-time contract, which guarantees only a few hours every week and a montlhy wage of about 600€. Yet, as part of a recent media campaign, McDonald’s loudly proclaims its intention to hire 3000 workers over the next three years, underlining that workers are paid on time, that they are hired within the law, and that the National Collective Agreement for the tourism sector is regularly applied to their 16,000 employees.

The quality of employment at McDo is not something the media discuss. The advertising, says Italian union Filcams CGIL, needs to be put in the context of the predominance of precarious/part-time work: “McDonald’s workers need more than media public relations. It’s time to discuss employment quality and perspectives for all workers at McDonald’s Italy”.