In recent news, the boss of McDonald’s in the UK, Alistair Macrow, has confirmed that 29 employees have been dismissed over sexual harassment allegations in the past 12 months. He also addressed the recent allegations of sexual abuse and harassment faced by workers at the fast-food chain, describing them as “abhorrent” and assuring that there is no place for such behavior in McDonald’s.
Liam Byrne, chair of the Business and Trade Select Committee, confronted Macrow with the figures and suggested that McDonald’s may have become a “predator’s paradise.” Macrow emphasized that each allegation needed to be investigated to ensure appropriate action is taken and disclosed that the company had implemented measures to provide a “secure, safe workplace where people are respected.” He added that while the measures have seemingly been successful, he cannot guarantee that there won’t be harassment claims at the firm in the future.
Macrow was also questioned about the prevalence of zero-hours contracts at McDonald’s, with 89% of the chain’s workers in the UK on such contracts. However, only 50 workers interviewed by the BBC claimed that they weren’t given a choice to switch to minimum guaranteed hours. While some staffers said the lack of job security fosters an imbalance of power, Macrow claimed that such allegations weren’t widespread. He nevertheless acknowledged that the issue must be eradicated from the company.
The media first investigated the working conditions at McDonald’s in the UK in February 2023 after the fast-food chain signed a legally binding agreement with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to protect its staff from sexual harassment. McDonald’s later apologized after the investigation’s publication and established a unit to investigate complaints. The EHRC set up a dedicated hotline for abuse claims and is now taking stronger action against the fast-food chain. ============================================================================
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