McDonald's-ին սեռական բռնության դեմ նոր ճնշում է սպասվում

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McDonald's will bring in new sexual harassment training for managers in strengthened measures agreed with the equality watchdog to protect its staff from abuse.

The move was "in response to serious allegations raised", the watchdog said, after it initially intervened in the company.

A BBC investigation two years ago was told that workers, some as young as 17, were being groped and harassed. Earlier this year, McDonald's staff told us they still faced sexual abuse and harassment.

McDonald's said it welcomed the new measures, adding that they would "build on the significant progress we have already made in this space". But one former worker said the announcement would not make a difference.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is now extending its original plan agreed in 2023 to protect staff at the fast-food chain from sexual harassment.

The new training will focus on the grooming of young workers and the use of social media.

McDonald's has agreed to bring in an external body to review whether it was handling sexual harassment claims appropriately, the EHRC said.

The new measures apply to McDonald's restaurants in England, Scotland and Wales.

Although franchises are not directly party to the agreement it is expected that they will adopt some of the action points.

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The fast-food chain signed its legally binding agreement with the EHRC in February 2023.

The BBC first began investigating working conditions at McDonald's after that agreement was signed. In July 2023, the BBC heard from more than 100 current and recent workers at the fast-food chain who claimed they faced sexual assault, harassment, racism and bullying.

At the time, McDonald's apologised and set up a new unit to deal with complaints.

But since then, more than 160 people have approached the BBC with allegations, while the EHRC has heard 300 reported incidents of harassment.

In January, McDonald's workers told us they still faced sexual harassment more than a year after its chief executive promised to clean up behaviour at the fast-food chain.

‘It’s a check box for them to tick’

One former McDonald's employee, who previously spoke up as part of the BBC's initial investigation, said she did not think the changes would make any difference.

"They've looked at what they can possibly do, in terms of what will sound promising enough, but not actually what will bring change," she said.

"I don't actually think they have any personal desire to make the change, I don't think they care enough," she added.

"It's a check box for them to tick, like just with the training, it's something on a to-do list and they think they'll do it and it'll go away, but it just won't happen."

Earlier this year, law firm Leigh Day said it had been instructed to start legal action against McDonald's by hundreds of staff and former staff, with more than 450 restaurants implicated in the claims.

"I think we can assume that the equality watchdog wouldn't be taking this action if things were ok at McDonald's," Leigh Day employment lawyer Kiran Daurka told BBC News.

"They already had their initial agreement with McDonald's in 2023. So the EHRC appear to be concerned that not enough progress has been made."

Ms Daurka said the firm would like to see "more interrogation" of the relationship between the corporate side of the business and the franchises, "as we've seen how issues of sexual harassment can fall between the gaps".

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Baroness Kishwer Falkner, chairwoman of the EHRC, said: "After serious allegations were raised, we decided we needed to update the action plan with stronger actions that were more specific to the way McDonald's operates.

"We're pleased with the significant steps McDonald's has agreed to take towards a safer working environment for its staff and recognise the hard work they've done so far."

Other measures to which McDonald's is now committing include strengthening risk assessments and continuing to encourage staff to speak out when something feels wrong.

It will work with external experts to design and implement a new safeguarding plan to protect vulnerable workers, to be rolled out across McDonald's restaurants and franchisees' restaurants.

"Once completed, the actions that make up this legal agreement will ensure that there is zero tolerance for harassment at McDonald's and there are clear routes to report and resolve complaints if it does occur," Baroness Falkner said.

Ian Hodson, national president of the Bakers Union which represents food workers, said there needed to be "real change" at McDonald's.

"It's a huge problem. Workers should be entitled to go work without being sexually harassed, and employers should have a duty to act," he told BBC News.

Other claims the BBC heard include:

• A 19-year-old worker said managers would "touch up" other members of staff and some colleagues were scared of going into work. He quit the branch in the Midlands last year.
• A 21-year-old worker said managers had inappropriately touched her and customers sexually harassed her. When she raised it, she said she was told to "suck it up". She quit her job in the West Midlands at the end of 2023.
• A 16-year-old employee based in the West Midlands said he had been bullied, shouted at and sworn at by managers.
• A 20-year-old said a male manager had sent her topless pictures. She left her McDonald's branch in the East of England in August last year.

Earlier this year, the watchdog wrote to every McDonald's in Britain warning that their owners could face legal action if they failed to take steps to protect staff from sexual abuse.

The boss of McDonald's in the UK has been summoned twice to Parliament to answer questions in front of MPs since the BBC's initial investigation.

In January, Alistair Macrow said 29 people had been dismissed over sexual harassment allegations over the past 12 months. Mr Macrow left McDonald's in September.

A McDonald's spokesperson said: "Over the last three years, alongside our franchisees, we have embedded an extensive set of robust and far-reaching initiatives, as part of our steadfast commitment to ensuring a safe working environment in McDonald's restaurants.

"We welcome the fact that these measures have been formalised within the latest EHRC agreement. This will build on the significant progress we have already made in this space.

"The agreement incorporates many of our existing measures which have been developed in consultation with leading experts. This includes a range of initiatives, from enhanced training programmes and onboarding practices, to the launch of a new digital Speak Up channel designed with our crew - for our crew, providing a 24/7 channel that reflects the way young people feel most comfortable engaging.

"We are confident the measures we have implemented are working and making a difference to the 148,000 people currently employed by McDonald's and our Franchisees across the UK today. In the latest anonymous employee survey, 95% of people are aware of ways in which they can speak up.

"We look forward to continuing our work with the EHRC and believe it will help us remain at the forefront of the industry when it comes to creating a safe and respectful workplace culture that embeds safeguarding across every one of our restaurants."

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this story, information and support is available via the BBC Action Line.

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