McDonald’s workers protest sexual harassment policy
McDonald’s workers and other protesters hoisted “#MeToo” banners and chanted outside of an Orlando restaurant Tuesday, urging the fast-food company to strengthen policies against onthe-job sexual harassment.
More than 50 protesters marched outside a McDonald’s restaurant in Orlando at 9814 International Drive, south of the Orange County Convention Center.
The protest, organized by prolabor group Fight for $15, comes four months after several women filed complaints against the restaurant chain with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in May, including one unnamed worker from Orlando.
Sanford McDonald’s employee Ashley Reddick said she has complained to managers, shifted hours and even cut hours to avoid rubbing, lewd comments and threatening behavior from a co-worker at her restaurant.
“It’s sad that we have to try to resolve this on our own because McDonald’s doesn’t care enough,” said Reddick, 27.
Organizers say it was the first multi-state protest in the U.S. specifically targeting sexual harassment. Plans for the walkout — to start at lunchtime — have been approved in recent days by “women’s committees” formed by employees at dozens of McDonald’s restaurants across the U.S.
Organizers said the protest targeted multiple restaurants — but not every local McDonald’s — in each of the 10 cities: Chicago; Durham, N.C.; Kansas City, Mo., Los Angeles; Miami; Milwaukee; New Orleans; Orlando; San Francisco; and St. Louis.
McDonald’s, in an e-mail to The Associated Press, said its anti-harassment efforts are strong.
“We have policies, procedures and training in place that are specifically designed to prevent sexual harassment at our company and company-owned restaurants, and we firmly believe that our franchisees share this commitment,” the company said.
While several speakers at the Orlando event were AfricanAmerican women who said they were victims of sexual harassment, many of the protesters were pushing for a $15 hourly wage and a union for McDonald’s workers.
Among the protest organizers elsewhere is Tanya Harrell, 22, of New Orleans, who filed a complaint with the EEOC in May alleging that her two managers at a local McDonald’s teased her, but otherwise took no action after she told them of sustained verbal and physical harassment by a coworker. Harrell, who makes $8.15 an hour, said she and many colleagues were skeptical of the company’s commitment to combating harassment.
“They want people to think they care, but they don’t care,” she said. “They could do a way more better job.”
Another organizer is Kim Lawson, 25, of Kansas City, who also filed an EEOC complaint alleging that managers responded ineffectively when she reported sexual harassment by a co-worker.
Lawson, who has a 4-year-old daughter, says she makes $9 an hour. She is heartened by strong support from other workers for the planned walkout.
“Everybody’s been brave about it,” she said. “It’s time to stand up for what we believe in.”