McDonald's boss grilled over abhorrent workplace abuse at select committee

[@curtistim]

The power imbalance comes from young people on zero hours contracts having to beg managers for shifts.

[@cameronfateweaver2206]

100% older generations taking advantage and abusing the young.

[@ramonscott6045]

Zero hours contracts are evil

[@ChrisM541]

But that's exactly the issue you get in when taking a job with zero hour contracts. Its very nature means that you might have to constantly ask for work. That's not "having to beg managers for shifts". If there are more zero hour staff than positions available for that day, then people are not going to get work, obviously. However, where workplaces have permanent positions constantly/deliberately being filled by zero hour staff...than that BADLY needs tackled by the government. It's clearly wrong. What that scenario does mean is that a position once filled by multiple workers is going to have 'multiple workers'-1 laid off.

[@andrewfrancis3591]

Unionization could bring fair rostering.

[@tomh5094]

Companies like McDonald’s use zero-hours contracts to keep things flexible for themselves while shifting the burden onto workers. Staff often deal with unpredictable shifts, making it hard to plan their lives or manage their finances. One week you might get plenty of hours, and the next week hardly any, leaving your income all over the place. On top of that, these contracts often come with an expectation that workers stay available for shifts at short notice. This can make it nearly impossible to take on another job or commit to other responsibilities. There’s also a power dynamic at play-if you say no to a shift, you might worry about being offered fewer in the future. Another issue is the lack of benefits. Many zero-hours workers don’t get things like paid holidays, sick pay, or pensions, because they’re treated as casual or part-time staff. Companies also use these contracts to avoid some legal responsibilities tied to permanent or full-time roles, like redundancy pay or protections against unfair dismissal. In the end, it’s all about cutting costs for the company while leaving workers to deal with the stress and uncertainty of not knowing how much they’ll earn or when they’ll be working.

[@TippedBalance]

Anything fast and cheap is terrible to society. Stop spending at McDonald's, Amazon and any other "business" that is draining and damaging the country.

[@cameronfateweaver2206]

​@@Whatif623not the point mate.

[@RatluBoogerbag]

Not sure why you've thrown business into quotation marks. Mcdonalds and Amazon are businesses. I would just say that if people stop spending money there, you're not going to hurt the businesses, you're going to hurt the lowest paid workers within that business.

[@natbug3891]

@Tipped Balance I couldn't agree with you more, boycott these dreadful companies.

[@Videomaster89]

@@RatluBoogerbag That's why many have boycotted Amazon due to lack of payment of taxes in the UK, poor service and the fact that workers are badly treated with many strikes and ambulance calls, McDonald's has come into the news following the workplace culture among some people many work their then go on to work in cafes and restaurants, they are low paid zero hours contracts and the food is not health. I'm personally not a big fan of either of these American companies.

[@tomh5094]

​​@@RatluBoogerbagreread the sentence. The implication was that money is being taken under the guise of business but which is actually either a scam or corruption or some other form of this.

[@dropitin]

I wonder why Musk isn’t tweeting about this 🤔

[@dcmastermindfirst9418]

He's too rich to care

[@Videomaster89]

It's a big USA company with very rich people at the head of it, the rich stick together. That's why many have boycotted Amazon due to lack of payment of taxes in the UK, poor service and the fact that workers are badly treated with many strikes and ambulance calls, McDonald's has come into the news following the workplace culture among some people many work their then go on to work in cafes and restaurants, they are low paid zero hours contracts and the food is not health. I'm personally not a big fan of either of these American companies.

[@pppp67567]

​@dcmastermindfirst9418 yes he just pretends to care where it suits him.

[@ryiin]

Because this has no way of making him money. Same how he has no opinion grooming and human trafficking in China?

[@Daisy-yq1gi]

My daughter worked at a McRubbish in Birmingham while at University. She's a Muslim and although she made friends w8th staff he manager was a man who continually made racist and sexist comments. He was a bully and ensured that staff were belittled and abused. Stupid thing is, if the idiots running this company changed its culture they'd have happier staff and better businesses. But as usual the better staff leave and the weaker, less able to defend themselves and speak up, are stuck there. Managers see younger staff as fair game. After my daughter left I had a meeting with the manager responsible and he said that the "needs of the business" trumped "personal issues." McDonald's managers are bullies. End of. Simple as.

[@shlibbermacshlibber4106]

1. He doesn't care 2. He really doesn't care 3. He's above the law The end

[@tyler6539]

When i worked at McDonald's i was doing illegal hours and managers would alter my time sheets, a friend was fired for needing to take extra bathroom breaks (she has Crohn's disease), another manager was fired because a till was down £2, i was cleaning the grills and fry vats when the policy was you had to be 18 (i was 16). I was quite lucky considering the awful allegations described here, but my god mcdonalds have awful business practices

[@AodhanBeag]

I also have Crohns disease and I hope that girl brought them to court and sued the bollox off of Ronald Mcdonald

[@ryiin]

Amen. Finish an overnight shift back in for 12pm

[@AspenDarkfire]

Now that those allegations are public .. we'll "investigate" ... But honestly we couldn't give a f*ck before

[@JanHus-e3z]

If you can't pay your workers a fair wage, your company should not be in business.

[@adrianshute8829]

Sexual harassment...SHOULD BE A CRIME being dismissed just allows a predator to go elsewhere.

[@TheHiddenite]

you fr?💀 IT IS A CRIME!!! it's not like getting points on your driving license(well for billionaires it is, like the corporations and politicians, business men)

[@natey4566]

Harassment is indeed a crime under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. The problem people have with pressing charges is it's very hard to prove. For example, instant messaging, is it harassment if you send x person five messages in said day? You could argue the person needs that amount. But the scope is grey to accommodate instances of intimidation as harassment is an umbrella term. Hopefully said employees will be able to gather witnesses, any paper evidence and CCTV footage!

[@Padraigp]

Im pretty sure it IS A CRIME!

[@BSideWasTaken]

Also trying to solicit sex from someone in exchange for something that is worth money isn't "harassment" now is it, it's something else.

[@Padraigp]

@BSideWasTaken indeed! What is that called?

[@natbug3891]

This is truly disgusting to hear. Companies like Amazon, McDonald's, and others must stop justifying their actions and making excuses. You have a responsibility to support your workers, prioritize their well-being, and ensure their voices are heard. Creating a safe, fair, and respectful working environment isn’t optional-it’s a fundamental obligation. These workers are the backbone of your operations, and failing to protect and value them reflects a lack of integrity and accountability. It's time to take meaningful action and demonstrate that your success is built on fairness and respect, not exploitation.

[@jlewis2890]

The attitude is ‘As long as we capitalists elites and owners of the means of production make obscene profits by any means necessary then tough shit’ but these conditions go on daily in the global south factories for our products but not many care sadly

[@cameronfateweaver2206]

FACTS.

[@nameunavailable-gp3ot]

R u requesting we send freedom democracy to the global south ? Kuz that comes with a side of capitalism

[@Mightypi]

Long as capital is the only goal we are all fucked

[@jlewis2890]

@nameunavailable-gp3ot no I’m saying we shouldn’t export production and have globalised our production to developing countries and exploiting to make the global north rich

[@andymeh499]

Zero hours contracts should be illegal. I work in the construction sector and have been blacklisted for complaining about wage theft and being scapegoated repeatedly by incompetent managers and trades. The police help them, them job centre help them all because the planning and bidding process for new builds is corrupt from top to bottom.

[@kaira9094]

I absolutely agree, Zero hour contracts are not good at all and help no one.

[@blue_red_screen]

Well they help greedy owners maximise profits ​@kaira9094

[@blue_red_screen]

Banning them might put people out of jobs as it will hit profitability

[@somefatbugger]

​@@blue_red_screen so let's allow them all to do abhorrent things and be cool with it cause they employ people. Far out, what a pathetic excuse for criminal behaviour.

[@HT77892]

Yes job centre help them alot

[@MargaretDeakin-d6m]

This CEO needs to take his eyes away from shareholders growth and look closer at shop floor behaviour. Give standard hours and proper contracts and a union rep on each outlet. Exploitation by Mcdonalds in their employment conditions allows workers to excuse their own exploitation of other workers, and those junior to them.

[@geordiedog1749]

Do CEOs like this individual and those from Amazon uk go to special classes on how to ‘spout utter bullshit’ when asked difficult questions? If they do they need to get their money back ‘cos it isn’t working. Fair shout to the committees who pin them down and not allow them to squirm out of the difficult questions. Perhaps if we, the people of the UK, focused on issues like Union Membership instead of things like ‘pronouns’ we might get somewhere. I think pronouns ARE important but personally I think we have our priorities wrong. Let’s get the meaningful stuff that effects millions of us right first? Chomsky said we are only ever allowed to debate the things that don’t threaten the establishment. Maybe he’s right?

[@tea.topzone]

Yes managers attend these courses. NHS springs to mind....very bad people managers!

[@MrZazzles94]

Of course they do. There are PR companies who offer coaching for these kind of individuals in the art of spin doctoring.

[@davidclark1545]

I think they just watch MPs being interviewed and learn from them…

[@philswaim392]

They actually do. PR. They actually do mock testimonies and take much more heated questions than this in their mock sessions. Im actually impressed this ceo said as much as he did. And one point i agree with him on. Theres likely to never be a time when mcdonalds is abuse free simply because people abuse other people and mcd cant control everyone. BUT mcd can control imbalances of power, confidence in being able to report abuses, actually ivestigating and dealing with people who commit abuses by firing them and even terminating franchise agreements when abuses continue to not be handled. They can operate in a way that they can speak publicly about the matter without opening up liability to themselves from abusers they fire

[@MarkSuckerburg-dt6yo]

The situation at MC Donalds is just disgusting if you read the quotes from the BBC article this morning, it describes 17 year old having been forced to have unwanted "relations" with 30 year old managers to get shifts at the MC harassment. I hope the UK government would hold these people accountable but the last few years the British government does not seem interested in really almost anything imho.

[@johnberwyn23]

Thankfully we have a new government now. Let's hope they do what's necessary.

[@gregoryjames165]

Ban corporation owned chain stores, restaurants and pubs. Ban big landlords. Decrease inequality by encouraging small independent businesses and drive out the rentier economy.

[@charlottecarter2748]

I live in Gravesend. The main McDonald’s seems to be fronted by strong energetic women. The McDonald’s in Asda looks so packed with staff. Mostly young people working there with visible amount of more mature staff. I hope there isn’t abuse in my local area.

[@dwaynewrighton8547]

Sounds like a grooming gang........er grooming corporate entity?

[@blobrana8515]

I would never order anything from McDonald's again.

[@anthonybyrne5641]

Lies, worked for McDonalds for 15 years, left just after Covid, awful place to work

[@anilasharma2371]

The accountability starts at the top , unfortunately this sounds like nothing more than lip service.

[@tersecwalsingham5778]

Pantomime season is over. We all know there will be no consequences for big corporations.

[@darklighter66]

I'm not loving it.

[@wendyfollett8099]

Aah, yes. Brings to mind what happened to one of my granddaughters. When she met with their human resources, she was dismissed as exaggerating. In my opinion, this happens because of the franchise system they operate. In fact, it was someone related to the franchise owner who abused my granddaughter.

[@Padraigp]

I mean if it wasn't a franchise it would be a small chipper and the friend of the owner could still attack your grand daughter but you. Wouldn't have any franchise to interrogate...just some bloke. I don't know anyone been treated badly in mc Donald's but i know people been assaulted by private small business owners and there is no higher up ceo to go to in that case.

[@wendyfollett8099]

@Padraigp I understand your point, but if the franchise management doesn't do anything except sweep it under the carpet, then you are still unprotected as happened to my granddaughter. None of it is good, and there needs to be greater punishment for offenders but franchise owners are protected by those they lease the franchise from.

[@Padraigp]

@wendyfollett8099 im going to assume you said that ass backwards because of course they would and thats not unreasonable .so im going tí assume you meant to say the franchise is protecting its managers..not itself cos of course it would protect itself.

[@johnburrows3385]

People really shouldn't be eating their shite.

[@neil5877]

It's about time all these overpriced fast food places who treat workers like shit got shut down

[@dodondave]

Tell me lies tell me sweet little lies

[@fburton8]

Surely the most important thing is that McDonalds' profits are maintained! What is so hard to understand about that?

[@andyhulme2274]

Corporate's talk management speak and slogans and know nothing else.

[@galaceefunky]

'I'm lovin'it' is suddenly a licence to abuse...

[@AodhanBeag]

One more reason to add McDonald's to the Boycott list

[@ryiin]

I worked at McDonald's for 11 years and left because of bullying.

[@G0nxsf]

This is one of the symptoms of an oligarch state that places profit above all else. Weak accountability, weak laws and watered down regulations is a recipe for trouble. Abuse of workers is rife both financial and physical. Zero hour contracts are a total abuse of working people.

[@tomh5094]

If he was grilled he came out of it without a grill mark. He just dodged every answer.

[@LincolnTank-StillOnTheSprue]

Another American company operating in the UK........we're seeing a pattern here

[@walter3433]

The UK is foreign owned even the water companies

[@claudiafigueiredo4979]

All this ppl being called but nothing ever happens..amazon..postoffice.. P&O etc..etc..McDonald's as been doing this since the 80's and getting worse

[@Cyberpit2000]

From my experience, people who work at McDs for a long time usually form long lasting friendships based off of how awful it is to work there. It comes off almost like a support group.

[@naddyj5703]

30 years ago i worked there and it beggars belief this is still going on!!

[@TheeChalk]

I use to work at maccies, Not only a shit place to work but the amount of mingling that goes on there between employees is revolting. 16/17 year old's going out with managers is very common. I'm not surprised this stuff is happening across the country.

[@danjames4086]

Many years ago I had a holiday on a Greek island. It was lovely because there were no multinational chains, just local restaurants. I asked the hotel manager how the town had kept the fast food giants away. He explained that they once had a fast food chain open a restaurant...but mysteriously it had a weird rat infestation problem. The health inspectors kept getting reports of rats, and meventually shut them down. Of course it had nothing to do with locals and restaurant owners trapping rats and lobbing them over the back wall at night.😂 Listening to this CEO reminded me of those rats.

[@DaveP668]

Any discussion about maybe, just maybe, not only allowing all staff to join a union, but maybe recognising membership and having a proper relationship? You then don't need 'speak up channel 'red flag' or any other gimmicks, union reps are more than capable of making life uncomfortable for managers and bringing issues to the table.

[@smokerjim]

The fella from McDonald's was very good at answering questions - it's just a shame so many of them were of his own invention, rather than the questions from Liam Byrne MP

[@seawavechau]

As a shareholder of McDonald's, I am glad to see this. But as a human being, I am furious.

[@RD-lb3st]

This guy looks like the brother of the guy from the P&O grilling. Just with different hair.

[@tomh5094]

Companies like McDonald’s use zero-hours contracts to keep things flexible for themselves while shifting the burden onto workers. Staff often deal with unpredictable shifts, making it hard to plan their lives or manage their finances. One week you might get plenty of hours, and the next week hardly any, leaving your income all over the place. On top of that, these contracts often come with an expectation that workers stay available for shifts at short notice. This can make it nearly impossible to take on another job or commit to other responsibilities. There’s also a power dynamic at play-if you say no to a shift, you might worry about being offered fewer in the future. Another issue is the lack of benefits. Many zero-hours workers don’t get things like paid holidays, sick pay, or pensions, because they’re treated as casual or part-time staff. Companies also use these contracts to avoid some legal responsibilities tied to permanent or full-time roles, like redundancy pay or protections against unfair dismissal. In the end, it’s all about cutting costs for the company while leaving workers to deal with the stress and uncertainty of not knowing how much they’ll earn or when they’ll be working.

[@Piglife101]

I worked at McDonald’s in the early 00s, lots of older managers, both male and female, would target younger employees sexually, this happened regularly

[@DrEmilSchaffhausenThe3rd]

Thank you Morgan Spurlock for your wonderful Super Size Me. I gave up fast food the day I saw that and very pleased I've not been to MCD's, Billy K's or Unlucky Fried Kitten etc. etc. since!

[@Adamfandango]

That documentary movie was a fraud. He faked much of it and was an active alcoholic at the time. McDonald’s is trash, but Spurlock is a fraud.

[@Gregg4886]

Why don’t they ask closed questions? It’s a yes or a no answer. Then….you get the chance to expand. My mates have worked at maccies, it’s a hole. Literally people swap drugs and stuff. Even the managers give zero 💩.

[@MegaKapo12]

I demand an enquiry every year no actions until its finished.

[@Henbot]

When you realise the terrible place you worked at in retail wasn’t anywhere this bad with SA 😱 Guaranteed hours are needed not zero hour contracts and the dude wanting to have sex with a 17 year old should be on a sex offender list and reported to police

[@mattsandilands6380]

I work on a 0 hrs contract. Put simply if don’t tow the line you don’t get the shifts.

[@tomh5094]

Why is the government consulting with corporations like MacDonald's on a bill that effects employees? Why should they have any part in it? He says it himself, flexibility is important, zero hour contracts aren't. What he doesn't say is that it's important to MacDonald's and not the employee. This is so common by corporations and people fall for it all the time.

[@British_Ar5ehole_In_Exile]

"She was wearing a t-shirt that said 'I'm Lovin' It', and I took this to mean she was giving me her consent and into it." - McDonald's Managers

[@whatasaverl6456]

This kind of thing has been happening across all restaurants and retail for years and years. My ex was a regional representative for a large supplier to supermarket's for breakfast cereals. The amount of times she would be touched and or harassed by text by store managers and management for sex or to go on holidays with them is crazy. On a weekly basis across maybe 40 stores there were about 16 stores where she would get really inappropriately treated. Reporting it does nothing as upper management all look after eachother and things only get to the top if they allow it. They just move management to different areas so it looks like they are dealing with it. Im absolutely sure McDonald's wont be any different

[@benrochford5427]

These bosses (amazon, mcdonalds) are experts at not answering questions and just tap dancing around them with corporate bullshit

[@scotspie501douglas7]

spin spin spin

[@camf7522]

Why cannot these people answer questions directly.

[@dcmastermindfirst9418]

Lol!!!!! He was grilled??? 😂😂😂😂

[@jimimah-c1m]

A PREDATORS PARADISE..... THATS THE UK ISN'T IT.

[@TheHiddenite]

"Strongerer" what is this? man is making up words.

[@David-ww2sg]

Let's all stop spending money at McDonald's anyway, for the good of our health. They don't care about their workers, or their customers. Home-cooked food takes time, but it is tastier and healthier. Your future self will thank you. Cook one big bulk meal on a Sunday evening and you have healthy dinner for a few days

[@2100anders]

Jesus Chrisst, do UK have Parliament hearings about work conditions in private companies???

[@mu6qy]

Any business who volunteers to attend these things are nuts.

[@ryiin]

Salary management and Ops Cons behavior is often worse than the crew. At my time at McDonald's it was power mad Salary managers getting away with murder. Then sacking crew who grassed them up.

[@rikkufairyglade]

I was sexually harassed by my McDonald's manager at the age of 17 (nearly 20 years ago). When I kicked up a stink and stood up for myself by reporting it, all my shifts disappeared. It's nothing new sadly.

[@OldGreyMulletTest]

And if anyone thinks this is just McDonald's they're very much mistaken. It's happening all over the industry - my daughter (when she was 18) worked at a "posh" hotel and was constantly harrassed by older male staff at all levels, and on pretty much every shift. She said there was nobody to complain to who wouldn't brush it off and see her as a "trouble maker". Her friends doing similar jobs say exactly the same.

[@shabazhussain456]

McDonald's Boss: Zero in every hour.

[@squeaksvids5886]

Personally, I’d like to see all fast food takeaways banned. The countryside and towns would be a lot tidier!

[@iamNATFAN]

a lot of talk, but not a lot of question answering

[@MrGreekstatue]

That's fucked up.

[@gilesk]

230k people employed and the MP asks when there are no reports is ridiculous, there are much fewer MP's with a much higher % of wankers, this is just society.

[@nowsheenanwar291]

Where is elon musk now?

[@sneakyfish8191]

Enjoy all new Corpo-rat burgers today!

[@hazyhayley7488]

Maybe there should be a limit on how many locations a company can have. 10 would be too much for me but you know people love their gruel.

[@Knightfelled]

What about the fact the "managers" are around 23-25 themselves and always linger around the young teenage girls they hire?

[@Spirituallymotivated247]

I remember a McDonalds worker taking the piss out of a homeless man right in front of me at the drive through! I was disgusted and I told him he’s a complete arsehole! I know that happens in the street but whilst your colleagues are serving food to someone who would share my food from the same plate as a homeless person I was absolutely sickened!

[@midelawal615]

Bumping this.

[@charlottecarter2748]

I hate this McDonald’s guy

[@jroobz]

he's not lovin' it

[@Nick_Jarrett]

Abhorrent workplace abuse? Has Donald trump gone back to mcdonalds?

[@PugEngineer]

That's why he looked so comfortable, while remaining so creepy

[@golach420]

Lots of immigrant workers at Micky D's. They are easier targets to take advantage of, as they're less likely to complain.

[@philswaim392]

Ohhhh he doesnt understand what imbalance of power means

[@peterlilburn5990]

Fake indignation woo

[@minecraftofduty2620]

disgraceful

[@paul8161]

Sorry did I just see the representative from maccy D,s just say McDonald's is a great place to work while he did a great job of keeping a straight face without laughing or smirking..wow...the absolute rubbish this representative was coming out with is crazy..he should have been told to dial down the bs and start talking the truth.

[@Leojw10]

Had a Macdonald's 2 weeks ago service is quite slow usually 15 minutes wait or longer. CEO'S probably make lies all the time though in popular business's like amazon or anything else

[@hollyrowlands6943]

"Not widespread" workplace sexual harassment is pretty much the norm for women, especially young/vulnerable women.

[@shanecopner7827]

Money and power

[@rsanders1569]

Damn. Brits do oversight very well. This committee holds these business leaders accountable.

[@Adamfandango]

There’s no accountability. They get told off and continue with the bad practices, there is no penalty or enforcement. It is theatre.

[@rsanders1569]

@@Adamfandango Oh wow. I was impressed by the speaker. But that's a bummer to hear. Just like here in the US.

[@gilesk]

This guy from maccies may be a part of the horrible mass food market, but he is good to put in front of people, the corporate culture is terrible but he is spinning well.

[@wayneh150]

Statments by the mcdonolds are not clear or qualtitive. How does 5 years of franchises being knocked off have anything to do with this? It appears a bit disingenuous.

[@walter3433]

You want fries with that abuse?

[@scottycrayon]

I thought he spoke very well.

[@mra3149]

He's another Simon Thompson, full of waffle but falls to bits when asked to answer simple, pertinent questions about the company he's at the head of.

[@charlottecarter2748]

It’s so fucking weak when he speaks about the standards they hold franchises for people!!! Come on the business is for people not off the back of people when will corporate get a hold of it

[@tomcross3000]

ok, he got better towards the end.. but beginning n middle was a sideshow.

[@mattliamjack3293]

Grilled.?. Don't you mean flipped?😂😂😂😂😂🚽🤡💩always been a shite company. Deforestation/animal cruelty/plastic pollution/low wages/... obviously abuse of staff is acceptable there.

[@SecularSynthesis]

I fully appreciate that McDonald's are in the wrong but matey is a remarkable orator

[@moenadim7352]

That’s why he’s paid the big bucks. All it costs is your soul

[@ossianx8752]

It's funny how some cases like this upset the liberals but others do not ... whereas the more principled stance is to oppose all of it where it genuinely exists regardless of where and in which community it exists surely .... ?

[@tea.topzone]

Why is the NHS not being investigated?

[@foldingglint1514]

For?

[@SatSingh-mm4gg]

All of a sudden, They discover abuses around every corner? Distraction?

[@EYDuff]

Why would the business and trade committee not look at this?

[@christophercampbell7775]

:O

[@naima648]

Kolona maha filistin alah homa sali wa salam ala lhabib Mohammed sala alah alayhi wa salam kolona maha filistin lan nastaslim li sahayina ❤️🍉🇨🇦🇲🇦🤲🇩🇿🍒🙏🇱🇧🎂😘🥰🕋✌️🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸✌️✌️✌️