On October 16, over 110 workers’ testimonies of sexual harassment were taped to McDonald’s French headquarters. Just prior, 50 McDonald’s workers and supporters demonstrated outside a McDonald’s store in Paris where several workers have been subjected to sexual harassment. Earlier that week, there was significant media coverage of McDonald’s workers in France (available in French only) sharing their stories of harassment by managers, co-workers, and customers and the company’s refusal to take responsibility.
A McDonald’s worker who asked to remain anonymous due to fear commented: “They take advantage of their youth, lack of education, and dependence on their salary to do whatever they want with it.”
Workers around the world have testified to similar situations at McDonald’s, which led the IUF together with EFFAT-IUF Europe as well as its North American affiliate SEIU and Brazilian national trade union center UGT to file an OECD complaint demanding action to address sexual harassment at McDonald’s restaurants.
“The IUF supports these workers in their call for justice and an end to sexual harassment. No worker should experience sexual harassment. We call on McDonald’s to take responsibility without further delay,” urged IUF General Secretary Sue Longley.
See Mediapart’s “À l’air libre” investigation into gender-based and sexual violence at the world’s fast food giant.
